RE: Better 3rd plane
It does look quite a bit like one, yes. As for the covering, I see stripes are on one side of the wing and elevator to help with visibility. You may want to try it the way it is at first, with the aid of other club members. If you can see it without a problem, then you won't have to worry about recovering. Unless, of course, you prefer a different color scheme.
NorfolkSouthern