I have had 3 of these GP Stuka ARF at one time and they were all excellent. I sold two of them and am definitely keeping the last one for myself. None of them had the minor wrinkling and bubbles I typically see with most other ARFs. I don't know if the flat finish has anything to do with it. I think mostly it's because I live here in the Gulf coast. Down here it's as hot and humid as Southeast Asia where these ARFs are made, so the balsa doesn't dry and shrivel up like many other parts of the Continental US.