Heck, Bill, just a consistent engine run will put it miles ahead of the last one.
The previous plane really flew quite well the few times I got a decent engine run out of it. That's why I built another. Though I suppose this one won't really compare. The last one was built exactly according to the Flying Models plans. It was a strange airfoil, but I didn't know any better at the time. This one uses a Skylark root and tip rib for the wing (as per Bob Hunt) and is closer to the original plane. The canopy is a bit of artistic license. The shape, height and such are the same as the original (the canopy profile remains stock). I just pushed the back rest aft to expose more canopy in order for it to look like the real plane that the paint scheme will model. I have to admit I think it looks cooler, but the motivation was to set it up so that it resembled the real plane (the Shoestring "Spud Runner"). I still have to solve the slime on the cockpit floor issue, but I keep hoping that the glue will completely dry (it's supposed to dry clear) and so, the problem solves itself. Guess we'll see. If I get down to the wire and need to start the finish and it's still a slimey looking white and clear color, I guess I'll have to do something with it.
More block shaping tonight along with finishing the other flap---
Tip - I was building the flaps (oddly, it only took two tries to get two flaps that I was willing to use). This is the first time that I built the hinge pockets before actually building the flaps. After a try at built up flaps ... again (that ended up looking like a pretzel - I don't know why I keep trying to use built up flaps when the original had 1/4" sheet flaps), I actually cut the flaps out of 5/16" sheet. Once the plan view shape was cut out, but no shaping done, I used a trick hinge pocket maker I got from Derek Moran that includes a slick stand he made. I cut the hinge pockets in with the cutter, then cut a recess for the hinge barrel (carefully) then proceeded to shape the flap. I discovered a bit back that it's easier to use thicker material than called for on the plan, then just plane the flap down to the required 1/4" thickness. It allows a bit of wiggle room when you are using a plane to cut in the taper and take the surface down. Anyway, it's much easier to put the hinge pockets and barrel recess in before messing with shaping the things. They came out much straighter and the hinge pockets are actually aligned resonably.
Other's have probably done it this way forever, but it was a new approach to me and it worked well. I'll do it this way in the future. For frame flaps (open bays with ribs), I've always built the hinge pockets into the leading edge of the flap before framing up the actual flaps, just like I do the wing, but I guess it never occured to me to do the same with the flaps. Hmmm....