Kopro/KP 1/72 Piper L-4H
KIT #: P72132
PRICE: HK $25.00
DECALS: Two options
REVIEWER: Richard F.
NOTES:

HISTORY

The Piper Cub (or Grasshopper) is a well-known light plane that served in all kinds of roles and all kinds of places from 1937 onwards. Many are still flying today. More than 19,000 were built, and during World War II, a Cub was built every twenty minutes.

The Kopro website says Grasshoppers were "used extensively for reconnaissance, transporting supplies and medical evacuation in all theaters of World War II".

"L-4s were also sometimes equipped with lashed-on infantry bazookas for ground attack. Mechanically identical to the J-3, the military versions were equipped with large Plexiglas windows extending over the top of the wing and behind the rear-seat passenger, and the side windows were enlarged.

"Nearly 5,700 L-4s were produced for the U.S. Army and 250 for the U.S. Navy as 'elementary trainers'.

THE KIT

This is a simple kit from the Kopro stable. It must be quite old though it is still on their website as a current listing. It's small, and has raised detail (panel lines and discrete rivets on the window frames). Detail isn't really that great (for example the engine cylinders are pretty soft) but it does come with a seat, stick, panel and rudder pedals as well as the internal framework in the cabin area. 

Two floats and their associated bits round off this basic kit. The clear parts are pretty clear and all in all it is a neat kit of the older generation. 

Decals are for two versions - a USAF plane in white, with red wing tips or a Polish plane SP-AFY in overall silver and with big red crosses on it. SP-AFY seems to be a "warbird" now, painted up in WW2 US markings.

I have not had much joy with older generation Kopro decals, so I will be interested to see how these go. I understand current Kopro kits have better decals, and indeed they are putting out decal sheets these days, some of which have been reviewed right here on MM.
CONCLUSIONS

A quirky little plane, nicely moulded by Kopro. It won't be up to modern Hasegawa standards, but even basic skills will be fine to get a nice model out of this. I'm looking forward to building it.
REFERENCES

http://www.kp-models.com/kp-models/

Richard F.

August 2012

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