The Balsa Cabin Sorrento (circa 1980) build has finally started. What a relief. The balsa appears OK but some of the parts weren't that accurately cut in the first instance and the leading edge 1/2"x3/8" section and 1/8"fin was missing! Luckily I had just enough in my scraps box to carry on.
Originally the Sorrento was designed for a 600 size can motor and 7 cell nicad. This would have weighed a lot more than the modern day more powerful 1000kv brushless motor, ESC and 3S 25C 11.1 volt Lipo battery. Therefore, I will try and reduce the weight in the tail and move the servo's, rx and battery as far forward as possible to help reduce the amount of nose weight required by the omission of the older, heavier motor and batteries. This started with drilling six holes in the stabiliser. What I didn't expect is that the weight saving was less than a gram! It didn't register a difference on my scales which I was quite surprised at.
Sorrento fuse in the foreground, Topaz 2 in the background
Tile-ceramic core cutting bit cuts a very neat hole ; > )