J-3 Cub - Hobbycraft 1/48 - Art Hartman #5

[hawkeye2an]

Okay, for those of you counting, this will be #5 of my planned 6 aircraft flown by local aviator Art Hartman and compared to the others this one should be a walk in the park.

Art was a Cub dealer back in the 30s and 40s so I'll be doing the Hobbycraft J-3 up in the standard yellow scheme.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very cool, and interesting fuselage

 

[Crimea_River]

I like it. Beats gluing in the glazing.

 

[Lucky13]

What the.....never seen that before! Looking forward to another stunning model mate!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

What the.....never seen that before! Looking forward to another stunning model mate!

Likewise................

 

[B-17engineer]

Sweet!!

 

[Wayne Little]

Look forward to Part 5 !!

 

[hawkeye2an]

Pretty nice little kit. There is not much to it, but that is exactly right as there wasn't much to the actual aircraft. The hardest part for me is getting used to the clear fuselage, I have to mask both inside and outside to make it look right. The engine needed a lot of scraping and sanding to get it to fit properly.

 

[B-17engineer]

Very cool Andy!

 

[hawkeye2an]

As I said, this is a pretty good little kit straight out of the box and since it's going to go straight into the display box I'm not adding any detail to the interior as it won't ever be seen. The only two improvements I'm going to make are the chin oil cooler as it is fairly prominent and not attempted in the kit. I will also be re-doing the faring over the engine cylinders as the kit parts are way too thick and also shaped wrong.
These pics show the oil cooler, made from a piece of card and my old favorite - brass mesh, the farings will be added after painting.

 

[Airframes]

Nice work Andy. I like the clear fuselage sections - given me an idea for a conversion to the L4.

 

[B-17engineer]

Sweet!

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Very cool.

Should you have any questions about the aircraft during your build, I put back together and flew a 46 J-3 in the spring of 09.

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/off-topic-misc/project-7424.html

 

[vikingBerserker]

Such a simple upgrade that will make a huge impact on it, very cool.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

BTW, the front induction screen should be recessed

 

[hawkeye2an]

The picture right above it shows that it hangs outside of the opening at the lower end and I can show you plenty of pictures that show this.

 

[hawkeye2an]

Nice work Andy. I like the clear fuselage sections - given me an idea for a conversion to the L4.

You would still have to come up with clear parts for the entire roof between the wing to do an L-4, they could be vacuformed, but then you have the problem of getting the wing attachments to look right and still support the wing. I suppose it could be done with metal rod.

I built a Heller L-4 as one of my first builds after coming back to the hobby, I'll do another one eventually. It will be "Dutch" Schultz's "Janey". I had the pleasure of meeting him in a nursing home in my hometown just before he died. My autographed copy of his book is one of my prize possessions.

 

[T Bolt]

Nice kit Andy. Does look strange with the clear fuselage but it is probably the best way engineer do the windows in a Cub kit.

 

[Airframes]

I see what you mean Andy. Unfortunately, both the Heller and Smer kits are 1/50th scale, and I had an idea for a little diorama with a 1/48th scale Jeep and some figures. I know there's not a lot of difference in the scale, but alongside the other items, it would be noticeable.

 

[hawkeye2an]

Ken Wakefield's book "The Fighting Grasshoppers" has several pictures in it that would make GREAT dioramas. There's one in particular that has a Cub sitting in a field with the pilot's pup tent pitched just a few feet away, I'd like to do that one up. I hope the announced Profiline 1/48th kit is worth building, don't know anything about that company.