Second day of stripping now complete and up to 6 strips on each side.
Thanks Tom & Derek on your "cheater strip" advice, putting 3 on the front and 1 in the back allowed the strips to "comfortably conform". A little persuasion and heat from an iron also allowed me to pretwist / bend the strips prior to attaching.(Much easier!)

Using 1/4 " dowels to secure the strips seem to take forever. Staple fairies are dancing in my head. But I know the finished produce will be well worth it. Stay the course!

I'm going to recess the cockpit per both of your advice. How far should the forms be cut down(& reattached) from the top of the forms for the recess?

Thanks again for all the insight.