peter havriluk Posted October 22, 2022 Share Posted October 22, 2022 I've never felt happy about my SMER/Heller Piper, it's just too small. Heller seems to have made models to 1/50 scale and sold them as 1/48, which seems like a small difference but it's seriously visible. So...does anyone have an idea of a 'real' 1/48 Piper available? Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cubs2jets Posted October 22, 2022 Share Posted October 22, 2022 Peter What rock have you been living under? LOL!! The newly released Special Hobby L-4 is apparently pretty nice. I look to get several. https://www.scalemates.com/kits/special-hobby-sh48218-l-4-grasshopper--1397204 C2j Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted October 22, 2022 Author Share Posted October 22, 2022 Just one would be nice. Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted October 27, 2022 Author Share Posted October 27, 2022 The cheapskate in me didn't give me permission to buy the Special Hobby L-4, but said okay to an 11-dollar Hobbycraft J-3 impersonating an L-4, which is on its way. The clear fuselage moldings give me an opportunity to mask off the unique-to-the-military-version greenhouse. I'm assuming Piper didn't alter the airframe, just the glazing. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cubs2jets Posted October 27, 2022 Share Posted October 27, 2022 (edited) Well Peter, Piper didn't alter the airframe but Hobbycraft did. Much too tall in the cabin area, PLUS they molded in the J3 style windows. You could build a facsimile of an Army O-59 or Navy NE-1 - or a civilian J3. C2j Edited October 27, 2022 by Cubs2jets Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted October 27, 2022 Author Share Posted October 27, 2022 For my purposes (shelf model) selective use of masking tape will help a whole lot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted October 31, 2022 Author Share Posted October 31, 2022 My bargain L4 showed up two days ago. And in the box was a photoetch set, a nice treat. Ad this one is lots bigger than the Heller/Smer 1/50 offering. Happy days. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted November 7, 2022 Share Posted November 7, 2022 Peter Just as a point, the Piper liaison aircraft were L-4s, the Aeroncas were the L-3s. The museum I volunteer at has a L-4J on display. pretty much the same front seat (but squared off, not the rounded back) and panel as civil aircraft. The back seat is a two-piece sling affair (seat and back), with large radio on the rear shelf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted November 8, 2022 Author Share Posted November 8, 2022 John, I knew that.....once upon a time. I could have used a few brain cells and asked a better question. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
peter havriluk Posted January 29, 2023 Author Share Posted January 29, 2023 Today I finished the Hobbycraft Piper Cub in 1941 war games livery (NX38205). Funny how spending eleven bucks gets you an eleven-dollar kit. But the clear fuselage molding made it dead easy to get a nice greenhouse. The rest - - - better have some scratchbuilding imagination. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JohnEB Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Too bad, but not shocking, to hear about the Hobbycraft kit. In looking at the museum L-4, your come to appreciate the little details of the type. To get those details in a kit it would have to be 1/32 or 1/35 (to match armour kits). Neat airplane, and like so many popular types, underrepresented in kit form. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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