Piper at the gates of D-Day

Alex K
Taking a front row seat... Re the interior colour, I think it could be simply olive drab... no?

Łukasz Gliński
Welcome Alex! I think it's something around olive drab - interior green, guessing from the reference pics.
Since I have two Piper KP kits, I'm going to exchange the fuselages between both kits - this (to be green on the inside) & the after-war Polish floatplane
(it underwent a refit, so cockpit colour is unconfirmed 🙂 ).

Robert Podkoński
Ambitious! Watching with pleasure 🙂

Juergen Klinglhuber
watching....

Łukasz Gliński
Glad to see you on board. After some hesitation I decided to repaint the bugger on the inside.

Cuajete
Oh... this kit in the year of quick projects... 🤔 😛

In any case I will follow it! 😄 😉

Łukasz Gliński
Well, it doesn't have too many parts, you know 😄
I managed to mate the wings, fuselage and the transparencies in the second attempt - unfortunately the framing inside the cockpit is too short here and there 🙁

Cuajete
The few pieces but warriors can make a long project anyway, but I'm sure you'll be faster than a Mach 3 😄 😛
Well done so far, Łukasz! 👍 🙂

Djordje Nikolic
Will there be a pilot with 1911 shooting out of the window? 🙂 following

Thomas Kolb
Another masochistic project from our friend, I see... But nice progress for sure, keep it coming! I got the Syd Barrett & co reference too.

Nicolas
Wow, a Piper Cub. Of course I'll be there. I was working on an original (civilian version J-3C-65) just last week. About the interior color: All 6 J-3 / L-4 I have worked on so far had glossy black tubular frames, matt black painted and often heavily faded / worn wooden floors and side consoles in exterior color. Of course, if the aircraft were used for military purposes at all, they have been registered for civilian use for around 70 years, but it is a clue. The situation is similar with the 30 or so PA-18s (civilian and military), and there are still some of them flying in German military livery. The only thing I can't really help you with is the color of the seats, as there is a lot of variation in the historic aircraft.

Łukasz Gliński
Welcome, no crew installed, no guns, not even bazookas, sorry 😉
Nicolas, thank you for sharing these very valuable hints, I might use some of it in the floatplane build. Here, it's too late, I sealed the cockpit already.
In the meantime I left the tail in the water overnight to get rid of the masking fluid. And this is what I ended up with - no matter how much I'd have tried intentionally I'd never get that perfectly faded look 😄

Łukasz Gliński
Latest update - the bugger flies into the trashbin. The damn Mr Masking Sol peels off with the paint 😮
I need few days of break, till the replacement kit arrives.
At least there's a chance to improve the interior.

Thomas Kolb
Hey, I am confused, what exactly happened here?

Łukasz Gliński
Well, I sprayed medium green first and masked the so called blotches using Mr Masking Sol. First I tried dipping the tail in the water overnight - this ended with faded olive drab. Still, the water dissolved the masking fluid. I couldn't submerge. the cockpit as there's some PVA glue inside. So I tried wetting and rubbing the damn maskol on the wings and it peels of with all the paint and primer underneath 😭
I plan to restart the project in few days.

Cuajete
I'm sorry to read that, Łukasz. I hope you have better luck next time. Maybe it's better to mask without that liquid on the next try.

bughunter
Sorry! I recently heard that nearly all liquid masks contain ammonia, which attacks acrylic paints. So it attacks also Future on clear parts.
Which Primer do you use, that even that was attacked?
I'm also careful now with such liquids. May be "UHU Tac" or a "Masking Putty" are options here?

Łukasz Gliński
Thank you mates for your support. I think this Mr Masking Sol is good, but for transparencies, where nothing underneath is required 🙂
I just received the replacement kit few hours ago, so here we go again!
Not going to reuse that masking stuff here anymore, probably will brush paint the blotches.

bughunter
Most masking liquids are latex based and needs ammonia as solvent. There are some which are PVA based (same base as wood glue) but they are very hard at the end so may be problematic to remove.

Guy Rump
Following with interest. 👍

Łukasz Gliński
Welcome Guy, very welcome as usual 🙂
Bughunter, I forgot to answer 😄 so busy with the third Piper cockpit 🙂 I use Mr Surfacer 1500 - grey one in this case.

Nicolas
It's a shame that your paintwork was so unsuccessful. Better luck with your next attempt.
I've also had bad experiences with masking fluids, so I only use them to make sure that the gaps between the tape strips are really closed in complex areas.

Thomas Kolb
I like your determination to finish this project even it takes two attempts! 🙂 But why arent't you just using your airbrush for the blotches? Surely it must be easier?

Łukasz Gliński
Luckily these kits are cheap and easily available 😄
The problem with the blotches is the masking, they're tiny 🙂 I think they are tiny enough to be brush painted 🙂

Alec K
Looks like I missed some unwanted excitement, just as I am about to remove Mr.Hobby masks from my own project 🤕. Glad you recovered, taking a seat for more 👍

Cuajete
Great, Łukasz! 👍

Łukasz Gliński
Yup, you missed a bit Alec 😄
Thomas, I forgot to mention it's a part of my planned KP collection, so there's no way I could withdraw 😉

Ludvík Kružík
This is a truly historic piece. I'll be glad to see how you can handle an old kit from Prostějov. 😉

bughunter
If I remember right, this kit was also included in the Eduard Stripdown Piper, but only some plastic parts like cowling, engine, wheels ... were used. The model consists mainly of etched parts.

Ludvík Kružík
Bughunter, you're right. The kit was part of this Eduard set:
[img1]

Łukasz Gliński
Vitejte Ludviku! 🙂 It's so historic that it's hard to make it symmetrical 😄
But the float version is even worse 😄
That Eduard kit is incredible, respect to all that at least tried building it 👍

Ludvík Kružík
Łukasz, I know the old kits from KP Prostějov very well. I built them all as a kid, starting with their first model Aero L-29 Delfin up to Mi-4 helicopter. At that time they were one of the few models available. These early models were completely of KP Prostějov's own production and were quite high quality for their time. They have nothing in common with the current KP Prostějov kits.

Łukasz Gliński
I wish I could achieve the same at some point in time: Woody
🙂

Łukasz Gliński
Finished spraying the main colours, varnish is drying, decalling next

bughunter
Back at the point from some weeks ago but this time the masking with tape works 👍

Łukasz Gliński
Well, it was the blutack actually, but you're absolutely right 🙂

Ludvík Kružík
Looks like the second cloaking attempt was successful.

Cuajete
I agree with bughunter and Ludvík 👍

Thomas Kolb
It looks really neat! It looks darker because you used a white background and the white tricked the cakera to close down the aperture. Will you do the black/white stripes with decals?

Łukasz Gliński
I think it's the background effect - took a pic on the cardboard for a comparison.
It's intended as much OOB as I can, so yes, the answer is: decals 🙂

Ludvík Kružík
There may be problems with KP decals. The decals from the original KP kits were not the best quality. They often cracked and broke into many small pieces when dipped.

Thomas Kolb
Łukasz, I am more worried about the decals not being opaque enough over the dark paint, and ending up as gray stripes instead of white. Maybe you could just spray the area of the stripes under the decals?

Łukasz Gliński
They are not the best indeed. I wish the opacity was my only concern - they tend to fold and break unpredictably, so I"m going to retouch them anyway.

Ludvík Kružík
The black and white stripes can be easily masked and sprayed. In this case I would prefer this solution. But it's your build, so the solution method is up to you. 😉

Cuajete
I agree with Thomas. You also avoid other problems like caused by poor quality decals.

Łukasz Gliński
Too late folks I'm afraid. As I used the decal softener already I'd have to scrape them off.
So I'm enjoying brush-painting the stripes with Vallejo acrylics 🙂

Łukasz Gliński
So, it took few evenings and few decals sets to get the stripes look acceptable - don't ask me how thick they are after all 😄
However the other markings are quite translucent - see pic #18
So the question is:
- to blend the differences using a bit of thinned white paint?
- or to use the second set of decals over these?

Alex K
Hmmm... in view of this, it finally seems a good thing I purchased this kit... 3 times... the extra decals may come in handy!

Łukasz Gliński
They do indeed, trust me 😄

Cuajete
I agree with Alex K.
Also, those KP decals are off the record. But you are the one who should live happily seeing him every day, Łukasz 😉
Well done so far 👍

Thomas Kolb
Alex K, if I were you, I would purchase third party insignias and just spray on the stripes.

Alex K
Thanks, Thomas (and of course Łukasz) - we'll see when the time comes... 2 out of 3 L-4 projects I have in mind will be with custom decals, and I was planning to use the kit's decals just for an attempt in replicating in 1:72 this 1:35 memorable project found on Scalemates: GMC 2,5t feat Grasshopper | Album by heavensgate (1:35)
... but I guess this idea can be implemented with generic decals as well...
[apologies if this reply is considered hi-jacking Łukasz's thread]

Łukasz Gliński
Aaaand across the line! Will add some daylight pics tomorrow.
PS. Don't look too close at the transparencies 😛
@Alex: That Piper on the truck looks really cool - have I seen it earlier I might have built the bouns Piper this way 🙂

Nicolas
Nice result. 👍

Thomas Kolb
Nice work Lukasz! It's always nice to see a difficult project over the finishing line!

Neuling
Same as Thomas.

Cuajete
Same as Thomas too. Well done, Łukasz! 👍
Isn't this Piper kept in your famous hangar? 😛

Guy Rump
Great result Lukasz, you turned an ugly duckling into a swan. 👍

Alex K
I know I'm late in leaving my post-completion comment, but I can now say: I agree with all the above mates! 🙂 👍 👍

Alec K
Well done mate 👍

Łukasz Gliński
Thanks everyone, they are such a lovely little planes, aren't they?
@Cuajete - of course it is, check it out!

Ludvík Kružík
A very nice addition to the Piper collection. 👍 Will other pieces follow, such as civilian versions?

Łukasz Gliński
Velke diky Ludviku.
So far I have only one remaining KP Super Piper in stash, thus no plans to add anymore soon.
But who knows, they look really nice when built.
In the meantime I have two BirdDogs to build also 😄

Ludvík Kružík
Ooooh yes, Bird Dog ... that's a whole other plane 😄 😄 😄
I'd like to see that.
Łukasz, aren't you afraid he'll be mistaken for Piper? 😉

Łukasz Gliński
Nah, it's gonna be grey instead 😋 and no Czech roundels involved 😁

Ludvík Kružík
Sure, I understand that. the Czech roundels can't be on all airplanes, although I like to see them there.
I'm already looking forward to your Bird Dog build.

Cuajete
Of course the "Club" Piper is lovely. And now comes the BirdDog society, 😉. Great!

Thomas Kolb
Hey, it turned out really nice, especially given the hurdles along the way. I must say, I am very impressed with your determination and ability to reboot a failed project and run it all the way into the finishing line.

Juergen Klinglhuber
Nice result !! 👍

Łukasz Gliński
Thank you very much for your feedback, much appreciated.
Thomas, I just try to reduce plastic waste, you know 😄 But on the serious side - I just accept at that poit it won't look outstanding, however for me it's hard to throw it away once I invested lots of time and effort. Unless it's really hopeless, see my failed Cobra or X-29.