Jim Messer

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Back in 1995 I sat down and designed a 1/3 scale Piper J4-E Cub Coupe for the G-62 engine. It has a 12 ft. span, and swings a 23 x 10 Mejlyzk prop. It is covered with Ceconite and has three coats of Nitrate dope thinned 50/50 - then painted with latex paint. The airplane now has over 1000 flights and it still looks brand new. Nobody can believe that the airplane is 12 years old.

A short time ago, a friend of mine took some pictures of this airplane in the air. I would like to share them with you. First - the airplane flying with the birds. When the thermals are out, so are the birds, and it is fun to get into the thermal and soar with them. Due to the picture size, must do them one at a time.

Jim Messer

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Well - that worked, so here is another photo of the airplane at a higher altitude in a turning bank. This photo shows the top side of the airplane with my AMA number on the wing, and scale paint scheme.

Jim Messer

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And last but not least, is my favorite photo of this very fine airplane. There's something about a photo of your "baby" in the air, that makes designing and buildiing it all worthwhile. Want a nice flying Cub - try building a J4-E the next time. You won't be disappointed.

TomCrump

She's a beauty, Jim. Glad she's still flying well for you.

jperkinstrades

My Feedback: (25)

Jim,
I am looking into building this same plane with the plans that are available thru Reids models.I was wondering were to find the scale gear?I notice you said you fly it on a zenoah g62.I have a Da -50 would this be a good motor choice?Any help and advice about this build would be great.We have talked before I built one of your ercoupes.


Thanks,
Jake

SoCalSal

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I see you fly by a land fill. Our club does the same thing. We get the field for a $1.00 a year. But due to the number of years since they closed the land fill all the gulls have gone to better pickens. Our field is on top of a very large "hill" that was the result of many years of use. It is a great place to fly the big ones like that fine J4 that you have. I hope my big Waco and Stearman will last as long as your J4..if they do then they may out last me!!!!
You have a plane to be very proud of.just try to keep the "gull bombs" of of it.

Jim Messer

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to jperkinstrades: The J4-E is a very fine flying airplane. The DA-50 would be an excellent choice for this airplane. When I built mine, I made the gear out of fiberglass, but those molds are long gone. That was in 1994. I built a new 40% J4-E and I built the gear from 6061T6 tempered aluminum, and faked the round part on the rear with thin plywood worked around a rear music wire support. It wasn't difficult to do.

to SoCalSal: Yes we fly at a landfill, but it is virgin land. Nothing has been dumped on it yet. They say - 100 years. The county doesn't charge us anything for the use of the land - in fact they built the field for us at no charge.

Here is my new 40% scale J4-E

Kostas1

Do you know a place where we can get a free set of plans ?

ARUP

Very nice- both of 'em! Paul Matt 3-views can be used to generate plans. I have a set drawn to 1/6 scale and have made a plug-mold-cowl. Will cut wood sometime when bench clears.

Kostas1

Can you help me ;

Where can i find the " Paul Matt 3-views "

dreid

My Feedback: (13)

If you are looking for plans for the 1/3 scale J4-E Cub Coupe that Jim Messer designed, contact me as I sell them and almost anything else he designed as I bought his business in 1991.

sdunn

Beautiful aircraft! The J-4 is one of my favorite planes and also looks good as an L-4E.

Best Regards,
Steve