mike_cyul
SOH-CM-2025
Flight Replicas is pleased to announce that the next release will be the L-4 Grasshopper.
The L-4 has to be one of least recognized of the major frontline combat aircraft of WWII. The L-4 was assigned to the AGF (Army Fround Forces) as artillery spotters, and flew some of the most hazardous missions of the War, from D-Day on, directing the artillery barrages as the front lines advanced, throughout all theatres of operations: Europe, Africa and the Far East. Day in and day out, in all weather, at low altitude, L-4 crews flew over enemy front lines for several hours every single day, not just directing artillery but conducting reconnaissance and rescue missions. It was not uncommon to find themselves up against several enemy fighters (such as the Bf-109) at a time, and L-4 pilots developed some extraordinary low-level nap-of-the-earth evasion tactics to handle these rather unequal situations. The story of L-4 combat operations is worthy of a major film, and yet it's quite possible you may never have heard of these operations, or just think of L-4's as hacks performing menial transportation duties. Not so.
Just as an example, the First US Army in Normandy alone had over 260 L-4's in combat operations. From D-Day to the end of July 1944 (approximately 7 weeks) they flew over 14,000 flight hours, losing 49 aircraft and 34 pilots. And L-4 pilots did not have a number-of-missions limit, like other combat crews: they just kept flying.
Over 5000 of these aircraft were produced in WWII. Such was their effectiveness that they also went on to fly in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
In Europe after WII, the L-4's were mostly sold off to local flying clubs, and there are still hundreds of these genuine warbirds still flying as GA aircraft today.
The Flight Replicas package will include AGF Artillery Spotting and USAAF and RAAF Liaison aircraft, plus two present-day GA versions: one as a restored aircraft (representing the aircraft of Paul Smith, an L-4 owner and restorer in Maryland, USA, who was instrumental in assuring the accuracy of this model) and another as a general sport airplane. Paul Smith's own L-4 has an astonishing history, very representative of many L-4's. This history will be included in the package Manual.
There will also be a paintkit.
Still some work to do, but the model itself is almost done. One thing you can note in these screenshots is that the BC-659 radio telescoping whip-antenna actually bends with the airflow, just like the real one did.
Mike
The L-4 has to be one of least recognized of the major frontline combat aircraft of WWII. The L-4 was assigned to the AGF (Army Fround Forces) as artillery spotters, and flew some of the most hazardous missions of the War, from D-Day on, directing the artillery barrages as the front lines advanced, throughout all theatres of operations: Europe, Africa and the Far East. Day in and day out, in all weather, at low altitude, L-4 crews flew over enemy front lines for several hours every single day, not just directing artillery but conducting reconnaissance and rescue missions. It was not uncommon to find themselves up against several enemy fighters (such as the Bf-109) at a time, and L-4 pilots developed some extraordinary low-level nap-of-the-earth evasion tactics to handle these rather unequal situations. The story of L-4 combat operations is worthy of a major film, and yet it's quite possible you may never have heard of these operations, or just think of L-4's as hacks performing menial transportation duties. Not so.
Just as an example, the First US Army in Normandy alone had over 260 L-4's in combat operations. From D-Day to the end of July 1944 (approximately 7 weeks) they flew over 14,000 flight hours, losing 49 aircraft and 34 pilots. And L-4 pilots did not have a number-of-missions limit, like other combat crews: they just kept flying.
Over 5000 of these aircraft were produced in WWII. Such was their effectiveness that they also went on to fly in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
In Europe after WII, the L-4's were mostly sold off to local flying clubs, and there are still hundreds of these genuine warbirds still flying as GA aircraft today.
The Flight Replicas package will include AGF Artillery Spotting and USAAF and RAAF Liaison aircraft, plus two present-day GA versions: one as a restored aircraft (representing the aircraft of Paul Smith, an L-4 owner and restorer in Maryland, USA, who was instrumental in assuring the accuracy of this model) and another as a general sport airplane. Paul Smith's own L-4 has an astonishing history, very representative of many L-4's. This history will be included in the package Manual.
There will also be a paintkit.
Still some work to do, but the model itself is almost done. One thing you can note in these screenshots is that the BC-659 radio telescoping whip-antenna actually bends with the airflow, just like the real one did.
Mike
:ernae:
yes - excellent choice 
!
