The only thing I preshrunk is the vertical tail. The Silver Esaki seems to be white Esaki that they sprayed silver and rendered unshrinkable. It's impervious to water or alcohol, so if you don't or can't install it smooth, there's no way it's going to ever get smoother. It's really foul handling stuff.
Although it's a tad heavier than plain Esaki, its airtightness should give me a net gain. It sure worked on the last one.
Art.

Great stuff Don!  

It's a shame that Graiskye has not posted here for a while - this has been a great cookup.
I mentioned near the beginning of this thread that I was the person offering a prize for this cookup - if it's OK with everyone I am ready to say who will get the prize? I avoid using the word 'winner' because it's not really about that. As I have said, Bill was first and foremost a sport flyer - not really one for competition.
I think what I was looking for was something that gave me that little 'pull' in the stomach - a mixture of sadness and pleasure at seeing one of Bill's models flying. Bill had released the plans for most of his models and there has been some great renditions here.
I think the fact that the video I just watched of Don's Hobbit gave me that feeling and also that Don has taken a lot of effort to capture what basically still remained with Bill, does it for me.
Great work Don ... I hope that you will all agree with my reasoning - it was the only way I could separate a model out.
The prize?
At the Peterborough Flying Aces meeting a couple of years or so ago, I won a raffle prize. Not sure if I have told this story before on SFA?
I had already bought a couple of these items - then I won another - and then yet another at the raffle! I mentioned this to Bill as I walked back ......"you can give that to me then!" he joked. I thrust it in his hands and said "OK ... there you are". Bill's face was a picture. Sadly, he didn't get chance to use it and someone else has it now, but the 'prize' is another one from my stock ... a 'Zombie' timer.
Well done Don - PM me with your address and I will pop it in the post! (it's very small thankfully so the postage will be minimal)

I second that decision. Making the plan, making it available to everyone and then getting such a beautiful flight. Bravo Sir Don!

regards
Matthew

Can I third this decision? 

Russ, nice to read that story behind the prize. Very fitting for a Memorial CU.

And Don, great to see that flight. I might have to build one of those hobbitses myself.

Wout

Thanks Pete,

As noted above, make the side booms from sticks rather than solid balsa.  When I tried flying with solid balsa booms, it took a tonne of nose weight to get it balanced.  (I even tried cutting big holes in the rudders to loose some weight, but it only had a minimal effect).  Also balance at about 30% chord or so and make sure you've got some negative incidence on the stab. 

Looking forward to your model and flights.  It really is a fun flyer and a real tribute to Bill's creativity. 

Don

Don, I forgot to ask what was the AUW of the HOBBIT and do you think 2 loops of 3/32nd would be adequate (my available flying area is also fairly limited)?

Thanks Doug.  You should build one because it behaves very much like a glider.

The AUW Pete, is 60 grms including 3 loops of 3/32" rubber.  Each loop is about 1.5X hook to peg distance and braided with 40 winds each.

Art, the wing is a 10% Neelmeyer (7.5" chord), and ends up at approx 150 sq ins.