I'm building a 1/4 scale Cub, which is most scale, Sig or Balsa USA
 

From what I have gathered it has been said that the Balsa 1/4 scale is the most scale of the kits, I really don't know if thats true. Sig also makes a good kit but is it true to scale. What I'm going to do is build the J3 into a PA-18 super cub and make it true to scale as can be done. I realize there will be some contour changes to the front in order to mate the super cub cowl to it. What else would need to be done is yet to be determined, like struts, in the kit, wood or aluminum and a useable hardware package. Most tail wheels are far from scale as is main gear so I expect I will be buying them. Robart, TNT and Fiberglass specialties likely will be getting some business.

I'm going to get out to the airport looking for a super cub to get the pictures needed for scale details including interior but it's the difference between the two kits that concern me most. So anyone having knowledge about the scale qualities of these two kits would be most helpfull. With the first frost this morning it's the signal to start my winter build, I want ti to be the right kit choice for what I would like to accomplish.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated from those who know.

Thank you,
Leroy

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Leroy,

You might check this thread out for Cub info.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/kit-...otherhood.html

He went there and did not get the warmest welcome or many answers.

What?... well hell, welcome!!!! Leroy, come on over to the Cub Botherhood and get CubMan to issue a brothood #.

CubMan, Ace, BigBird and a bunch more of us over there are the ones to talk to... CubMan has some Plans in the works that will be as Scale as can be... in my opinion the Sig 1/4 cub lends itself to become more scale.. its stand off scale, but believe me SIg did their homework and dimensionally it is closer to being scale than BalsaUSA's.

Now if you've got the bucks and you want something more scale... take a look at this site... the plans are free to download, and you can scratch build a pretty decent scale cub.... or you can get CubMans plans and scratch build his cub... whichever way you choose to go, you will have to do your own custom mods to suit what you're looking for.

http://www.paoloseverin.it/page79/page79.html

http://www.paoloseverin.it/page79/page50/page50.html


http://www.paoloseverin.it/Grasshopper/Grasshopper.html

http://www.paoloseverin.it/Grasshopp...76/page76.html





John M,

Both models Leroy are very nice, however my vote goes towards the Sig model as well! Cubman has some nice plans to make it even more to scale, an example would be the ailerons...

i have the Balsa USA Cub and wing set-up has always been a royal pain, I don't care for the wing panel attaching system, the 1st wing is a snap but you then loose access and have to bolt the final wing by reaching way up into the fuse through the door, other than that it's cool.
I wish there was an easy way to install a wing tube for easy assembly. Take a look close look at field set-up and compare.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/kit-...cub-build.html

This might help

Thanks for that Ken, Thats what I was looking for and SDP shows the differences in the two kits in his build of the Sig. I wasn't impressed with the quality of the wood and some of the stamped parts in the Sig kit of my 1/4 Spacewalker so I'm going with the Balsa kit on this one.It appears the Sig kit has many of your votes on the one to build but I haven't built a Balsa kit yet and will find out (I hope not the hard way) which is better.

Thanks for all your opinions, they do matter and I have got the info I was looking for. Don't know where I will build it yet, here or in kits but when I get going those intrested should have no problem finding it.

I have shopping to do and some trips to the airport in my quest for pictures plus get the shop back in order, it's a total mess at this point.

Leroy

Leroy, I have built several of the Sig, BUSA, Goldberg, and IKON kits. In the grand scheme of it all' they are pretty much alike in base design. Please post a link, for many of us don't venture outside of our subscribed threads.

Speaking 1/4 scale cubs, my BUSA Cub is powered by a g-38, I have this 3mm 53cc that I'm itching to run, it actually weighs less that the G-38 and it would be so much fun to have unlimited vertical performance.

You won't be disappointing with the BalsaUSA kit.. both kits have their idiosyncrasies, and as you build, you may see another way to do something and make it better... when I first built my Sig kit, I built it by the book... I built the 2 piece bolt on wing... now that I'm refurbishing it, Ive got it all torn apart and doing it the way I should have done it during the original build, i.e.cutting out the door & window, and redoing the wings similar to the H9 cub (and I believe BalsaUSA's cub) where the center section is part of the fuse and the two wings attach via a wing tube.

The quality of the wood will vary with most kits; I just replace the soft stuff as needed, especially the wing sheeting... I also reenforced the root end of the wings by doubling up the last rib with some 1/32 ply after the wing sheeting is on; it really helps against transport dings and dents.

I remember the old Bud Nosen's kits were know for their poor choice of very soft balsa, so soft it felt like Styrofoam; lite, but zero strength.

John M,

I agree John and I'm a builder, just give me the basics and I will make something else from it, as far as I'm concerned, one kit is not that different from the others, it's what you do with it that makes the difference, I'm almost done reading SPD's thread and he is a very skilled builder from what I have seen. I like alot of what he is doing with the Sig kit while comparing parts of it to the Balsa kit. When I watch others build I learn more about what not to do and get my own ideas from the rest if it.

I still have alot of pictures to get and study the real Super Cub while making lots of notes before I even consider starting the build, there are alot of details on that plane and I want them on mine. When I get started I will post a link to the thread, seams like there is a lot of Cub lovers out there, a few might like to watch this come to life.

Leroy