Yeah - wood is impressive stuff, with a strength to weight ratio that even carbon fiber struggles to beat!
You can find my calculations for the tail boom here:
carbon-dragon.ihpa.ie/index.php/cd-build...rdner-s-cd#tail-boom
...scroll down to 'Tail Boom Longerons.'
I read last year that there is a new composite material under development that appears to blow carbon fiber out of the water in strength to weight: cellulose fiber. The early test data suggests that cellulose fiber is significantly stronger (and I think lighter IIRC) than carbon. There is/was only one catch - it rapidly lost its strength and structural cohesion when it became wet! The report suggested that they were experementing with doping the cellulose fiber with different compounds to make it hydrophobic (repel water molecules).
Phil.