I am in basic agreement with the comments above. I tissued the original Fly Baby for strength in case I ever tried it with a C motor. You can use at least one coat of sanding sealer and color the surfaces with wide tipped markers. I usually use black on the bottom (with red or orange at the tips) and red or orange on top. If you fly bare balsa you risk warping from wet grass.

The mylar ring was apparently the wrong part. Slit it or replace it with a piece of body tube or even paper. The only purpose is to help hold the motor hook down. I always tape the hook to the motor and pod tube. Just don't block the launch lug.

A thin coat of CA will help to protect the top of the boom, but is necessary only in front of the wing. I use a strip of silver adhesive monocoat on top of the wing and replace it as necessary.

Good references on glider trimming.

Fly Baby with a B. Swift with an A. 1/2A's are good, but have a killer ejection charge.

I either paint the pod red or orange. Been using markers more and more. One tip for the pods is to use an external kevlar shock line glued to the tube/pylon junction on the opposite side of the launch lug, if the lug is mounted at that location. Tape the kevlar at the ejection end of the, but at the top of the tube (assuming that the launch lug is not on top). This aids in the separation of the pod and helps to prevent the streamer from possibly grabbing the glider. Matt Steele made that change and it has worked well.


Most of all, have fun.

Chas

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Charles Russell, MSgt,USAF (ret.)
NAR 9790, Lvl 1
SAM "Balls Three"