1/50 Heller Piper Cub J3

Gallery Article by Patrick Nabinger on Dec 31 2012

 

 

This is my Piper Cub J3 bearing the markings of the F-BBIK.  This aircraft belonged to the Aero Club du Haut-Rhin and was based on the Mulhouse-Habsheim airfield in France in the 70s.

This Piper is very important for me because it is on his aircraft that I made my first solo flight at the age of fifteen.  Believe me, it was a great day for a young boy!

Later I had the opportunity to pilot others aircraft, more comfortable, more powerful, faster, but the J3 was my first time and we never forget our first time, isn’t that true?

 

Click on images below to see larger images

The model: 
The kit represents a military Piper L-4 from the World War II area with the large windows. Careful gluing, a little putty, sanding and masking tape are enough to represent the civilian version windows.  The tubular structure in the fuselage has been replaced by the stretched sprues.  The control surfaces have been cut and repositioned.  Some parts have been thinned (wing struts, landing gear).  Some details have been created in scratch (handles, fuel cap, exhaust)

The model was painted with Humbrol paints with my Badger 150 airbrush. As you can see from the photos of the real aircraft, the F-BBIK experienced some changes in his paint scheme at the discretion of repairs or revisions during his long career.

If you are interested in general aviation, take a ride in the civil aircrafts gallery on the website of my club models:

http://lemaquettiste.mfcha.free.fr/avionciv_gal.html 

PIPER J-3, I AM STILL LOVING YOUUUUUUUUUU ! 

Greetings from France

Patrick Nabinger

Click on images below to see larger images

      

Photos and text © by Patrick Nabinger