My A26 came looking like a raisin. Worst wrinkles I have ever seen....BUT...a heat gun, set on low, shrank everything perfectly, almost instantly. Shrank faster and more than anything else I have ever seen. So I would not worry about wrinkles.
Good post, Volfy. These planes do have their place in the market.
The wood used is POSITIVELY not balsa.
Two of the same cowls? Yes, there SHOULD be two of the same cowls...they are not left-and-right, they are the same.
52's should be great, mine had two saito 50s.