The Nosen 105" Citabria is on the building board.  I just started framing the fuse.    I also got a box from the big brown truck today and that was a NIB Bud Nosen 102" Mustang kit.

I'm a decent kit builder.  I've built a plane or two from plans and made my own fiberglass parts before.  Midwest Extra,  Midwest Cap, Sig Kadet Senior, LT40, 4*60, 4*120, Midwest Citabria, Lanier 1/3 scale Extra 300S, Lanier Giant Stinger, Great Planes 1/3 Extra ... and probably 40 or 50 more but I can't remember them all.   Nothing was complicated or really scale about those airplanes. 

I need help learning how to build a scale airplane.

 How do you make scale rivets for a P-51?  I'm thinking that depends on the covering and if you sheeted the whole thing.

I need help with structural modifications.   I think the plane was originally designed around a .60 size geared glow motor, with a RTF weight of 11lbs and fixed gear.  Nobody builds them like that today.  Turning this into a scale plane with retracts and a 60--80cc gas engine on the firewall is going to require a lot more structure.  That seams to be what everybody does with this Mustang kit.  Nobody is flying them with anything smaller than a 35 or 40cc motor today.... and those guys say it flies great.. flat and level.   Most guys report spirited performance with the 70--80cc engines.   I see no reason to reinvent the wheel.  I'm looking for documented build threads that will help me figure out where to replace balsa parts with lite ply or spruce.  Balsa sheer webs or lite ply? Which ribs?  Those kinds of details are critical if I'm going to be successful with this build.

I need help with weathering.  

I need help with covering.   I was going to do fabric. Sig Koverall and Minwax Polyacrylic then paint.   If that's dumb, please tell me where to start reading about how to cover and paint a GS warbird.

Can I learn those techniques here if I'm willing to read?  Or does this site assume you already know those things and is maybe more dedicated to other specific scale models only on the forum pages?  

The reason you don't see dedicated forums for those designers is that there are not enough people building them to warrant a dedicated forum.  Look under Other Designers - also at the top of the page you will see a menu bar - click on Community and the drop down menu will show several items - including Search.  Use Bud Nosen as your search phrase and see what comes up.

As far as rivets, covering, etc. - just about any warbird thread can help with that.  There are several riveting 

methods depending on the aircraft - glue drop method, rivet burning tool, vinyl stick-on rivets and on and on and on.

Weathering too - follow along some threads and you will find weathering techniques.  In the Ziroli forum look at Sandy 2 - the last couple of pages are dealing with weathering.  Dave Platt made a series of videos that address weathering and all sorts of scale information.

Structural issues are something else.  That will take a lot of discussion - but you won't know until you start a thread!  Speaking of that - browse around for a while before starting.  Remember as a basic member you are limited to 5 posts and no picture posting.  Everyone here agress that the subscription price of full membership is well worth the $20.  You will get much more out of the site as a full member!

I'll lurk and read for a bit.  

The field elevation is close to 7,000 ft so its definitely getting a large power plant.

Not a Sunday flier.  I'm going to try and muster up a nice scale plane.... sliding canopy, cockpit, retracts... tailwheel too.  There's a big event out here every year called "Warbirds over the Rockies".  I wanna go.