1/33 Piper L-4 (early markings)

[Zenon1947]

I finished my work on another aircraft model.
This time it's a Piper L-4 from Model Card, repainted by Kacper(PacificWind) into a plane with early markings.
I'm not sure if the real example portrays an actual plane from pre-1942 period or is it simply restored to resemble one.

[MacSongLi]

A great looking L-4 Zenon. Very nice kit.

Gary

[Don Boose]

Zenon –

It is a great model, whether it reflects a 1942 L-4 or a Piper J-3 painted to represent a 1942 bird.

It seems to be the latter. Any airplane wearing the star with a red center would have had to have been built early in or before 1942 (Fiscal Year 1943) and would have a serial number beginning in “42,” which would show up as a tail number 2xxxxx. The tail number 454878 indicates an airplane built in 1944. The actual airplane that had serial 44-54878 (tail number 454878) was a Frankfort OQ-3-FR Radioplane, a radio-controlled subscale target drone produced under license by the Frankfort Sailplane Co.
Source: 1944 USAAF Serial Numbers

The airplane your model is based on is a Piper L-4J (J3C-65D), civilian serial number N87117, Piper construction number 13452, built in 1945. It had the Army serial number 45-4712 (tail number 54712).
Sources:
1945 USAAF Serial Numbers
Aerial Visuals - Airframe Dossier - Taylorcraft-Piper L-4J Grasshopper, s/n 45-4878 USAAF, c/n 13452, c/r N87117
N87117 | Piper L-4J Grasshopper | Private | Jesse Vervoort | JetPhotos

In any event, you have built a beautiful model that represents the famous L-4 very well. And it is a fine replica of an actual airplane.

I always enjoy seeing your outstanding models and now and then having the fun of doing a little historical research.

Incidentally, the Piper J-3/L-4 is near and dear to my heart since I learned to fly in Piper J 3C-65 N87967 C/N 18-2298, at Quinn Airport, Baltimore, in 1959, and it is the only airplane that I ever flew solo in.

Keep ‘em flying!

Don

[Zenon1947]

Thanks Gary and Don.

Don, also thanks for the research you did and for sharing your knowledge and memories. It's much appreciated!

I have plans to build many more planes, and speaking of American ones, I hope to do a TBD Devastator from Maly Modelarz, but repainted into a plane from the Battle of Midway.