Piper Aircraft Company's J-3 Cub was designed to be a light
training and utility aircraft that would be built between 1937
and 1947.Following the same idea as Henry Ford's Model T automobiles
that came in any color (as long as it was black), the J-3 Cub
would become an icon in its standard "Cub Yellow). Powered
by a four-cylinder 65 horsepower engine, this all-fabric covered
aircraft was supposed to be elegant in its simplicity, ease
of maintenance, grace in flight, and low cost. What Piper developed
was, and still is a classic aircraft.
When the war drew close, the J-3 was the right aircraft at
the right time to support the new Civilian Pilot Training Program
and by war's end, around 80% of military pilots had received
their initial training in the J-3.
When war did come, Piper performed an extensive modification
to the basic Cub to turn it into a military machine - the aircraft
recevied a coat of green paint. Actually, these aircraft would
also receive more window area around and over the top of the
cockpit to improve observer visibility.
Rosie the Rocketer was the aircraft flown by Major Charles
Carpenter. He was assigned the duty of flying General John
Woods, commander of the 4th Armored Division around the theater.
One day he got the idea of mounting two bazookas to the wing
struts of his aircraft, and in his spare time, he went panzer
plinking. By the end of the war, Rosie was carrying six tubes
and had accounted for five tanks and a number of other vehicles
destroyed.
The Kit
Not long after we reviewed Bronco's first release of the L-4
Grasshopper (look here),
Bronco released a second version of the kit - 'Rosie the Rocketer'
and I just couldn't resist. The kit is identical to the first
release with the addition of two spue trees and a new set of
decals.
The kit is molded in Olive Drab styrene and presented on five
parts trees, plus a single tree of clear parts. The glazing
is done in styrene! A fret of photo-etched parts round out
the kit.
Construction (of course) starts in the cockpit, and you'll
be pleasantly surprised how the details in this cockpit are
faithfully reproduced. The front seat has a map pocket molded
onto the backside with a map portruding out of the pocket.
Seatbelts and shoulder harnesses are provided as photo-etched
parts. The tubular steel frame that surrounds the cockpit is
also represented nicely. Note that the tubular frame isn't
complete, but the more visible elements are replicated. The
AMS modeler will want to grab some Evergreen tube styrene or
brass rod and fill in the framework.
Remember that the interior surfaces
of the cockpit are the same outer surfaces - fabric skin. The
fabric texture is nicely done without being overdone. The few
aluminum panels are also clearly represented on the fuselage
and the underwing maintenance access panels.
Among the features of the kit:
The kit comes with two types of rear seat, depending on
the version you're building
The lower entry door is positionable and is provided as
both styrene or photo-etch.
The upper entry door in the glazing is molded into the
rest of the starboard glazing, but is molded to be easily
cut away.
The windscreen is nicely molded and Bronco opted not to
mess with rivet details around the edges of this sharply
curved part. Instead, the rivets are provided as photo-etched
strips that will frame the windscreen after installation.
Optional bedrolls and personal weapons are included
The rudder and ailerons are separately molded and positionable
The elevators are molded onto the horizontal stabs, BUT
they are designed to be positionable. Nice touch!
The four-cylinder engine is very nicely detailed. All you
need to add is ignition wiring (and that is a visible detail!).
An HF longwire antenna is also provided in the kit for
your observation aircraft.
What's new here are the two additional sprue trees that contain
six standard US Army bazookas, two mounting plates, U-bolts
to mount the plates to the L-4's wing struts, and U-bolts to
attach the bazookas to the mounting plates.
Markings
Markings are provided for one L-4:
L-4H, 43-30426, 4th Armored Division, Normandy,
Jun 1944, 'Rosie the Rocketer'
Conclusion
Here is a unique version of the venerable Piper Cub that survived
the war as a Panzer ace. The kit is still beautifully done
and will provide another distinctive, albiet slow, panzer plinker
to your 1/35 scale flightline.
