One of my chums is based in Texas, and is well connected when it comes to Big Boy's Toys. Here's a story that he just sent me, which really does put most building projects in perspective, not least because the project started when the builder was in his 60s!

[i]"Jim O'Hara is a member of EAA chapter 493 in San Angelo . He is a retired college professor (I believe in Aeronautical Engineering) who learned to fly when he was about 60 years old. He's now 81 years old. 15 years ago, he began construction of a 2/3 scale P-38. Using information he obtained from various sources about the P-38, he drew up a set of plans using a computer aided design program. Jim and his wife Mitzi built the entire aircraft by themselves. I've been fortunate enough to know Jim for almost the entire 15 years that he's been working on his "project." He first flew his plane in July of last year, and has just completed flying off the time (I believe it was 50 hours). He designed the plane to have a small jump seat behind the pilot for his wife. She's tiny, and it's a good thing; the jump seat doesn't have much room."