David Lewis wrote:You might be able to locate all the equipment in the nose, and then make the cowl removable (held on by dowels/screws/magnets/latches/snaps). That will minimize the need for nose weight. The engine cowl would be split into two halves so that you can remove it without taking off the prop. If there isn't enough room in the engine compartment, lighter items, such as servos, could be installed behind the firewall.
Very much worth doing. The issue of routing a few pushrods a hair further forward isn't difficult. I have numerous models with the tail servos against the fuse sides, battery, and receiver all in the first bay, eliminating ballast. Sheeted Guillows FW190s and Sterling P26s with conservatively sized lipos and without ballast are achievable. For the 16" FW190 I had to chamfer the servo horns to clear the cowl, but it's a very small model. For an F4U, a battery bay directly behind the firewall accessed from the fuse bottom should provide adequate ballast. Generally I cut the bottom center keel away, after adding side framers for the battery bay/door opening, which also sufficiently reinforces to the fuse. The doors also look better when you can't see them.