Didn't Dick Johnson run some tests on a Pik-20 that suggested that smooth but not polished was very slightly better than waxed to a mirror finish?

One would think that an Akaflieg would have looked at this in a wind tunnel.

My gut feeling is that the mirror finish doesn't really help, but is "expected", much like T-tails; but that if you can feel the roughness with your hand it will hurt the performance "a bit", whatever that is.

Anyway, it's more fun to win in a ratty looking glider than to lose in a perfect one ;^)

Kirk