Hi Joe. Appreciate the comments. I found the use of pipes to make the larger bends was worth the effort. I used a 3/4" pipe to make the bends on the flaparons. The dia. of 3/4" pipe is 1.05" and I think the plans calls for a 1.5" dia bend. After the material springs back it works out just right. The elevator and Horiz. stab. calls for a 2" dia bend and I found that a piece of 1.5" tubing worked well. The one thing I learned is to cut the skin a little longer and wider by an inch or so. After you make the bend pull the skin over the nose and start laying out the rivet holes. After all the holes are drilled and the skin is clecoed in place mark the edges and cut the skin to its final shape. This has worked well for me because you don't have to have the bend dead on. Hope this helps

Hi Joe, I havent done my wings yet but I have the parts made with the exception of the rear spars. I can't bend .032 material 8 feet long so I will have to buy them from zenith. I also need to buy the aft fusealage longerons before I can move fwd. I havent given much thought to the alignment of the wing attachment but just off the top of my head If you build the wings first then attach them to the cage. The rear spar attaches to the bracket on the rear fuse. you can make it fit the wing and then attach the cage to the sheet metal.  I have been considering making my cage, I have a friend who is a welder and he will also be doing my tanks. There will be  lot of things to pay attention to when all those parts come together ( cage, firewall, fwd and rear fuse. wings) I will probably loose some sleep over that one.

I was able to get about 3 1/2 hrs in over the weekend. So far so good.