RE: 1/2a Piper J3
Mine was a little underpowered with a Norvel .049. I did cover it with cloth and paint it but it came out at 24 oz. It glides great and is a joy to fly. I bumped it to a .061 and am glad I did. Only flew it a couple of times this year so it only has about 15 hours in the air so far. I fly a clipped wing variant of the same plane all the time. It is just so much more fun at 42" span, no dihedral and ailerons.