Video cameraperson: Danish Aviation Photo on August 3rd, 2012
Piper L-4A Grasshopper
5,783 of the military versions - AAF O-59/ L-4 (5,453) and USN NE-1/HE-1 (330) - were produced as training-, liaison-, transport-, photorecce- and certainly not least artillery fire direction planes (2 for each gun battery). Before, during and just after WW 2 the production of civilian J3 Cubs had totalled 19,828. Of these J3s 117 aircraft were impressed into USAAF service as L-4C/D/E/F/Gs in the US. 2,238 military L-4s did service in Europe, and of these some 261 were taking part in the invasion of Normandy from June 6th, 1944. All allied aircraft had secretly been applied black/white identificatioon stripes just before the invasion to avoid "friendly fire" losses.
Of the civilian J3-version (without plexiglass roof and with smaller windows), the Civilian Pilot Training Program of 1939 (from 1942 renamed the War Training Services) was using more than 4,500 government owned examples at Colleges and Universities to grade and train Army Air Force and Navy student pilots. The best suited students progressed to military flying schools flying e.g. T-6 Texan (named Harvard i RAF service), and would later be trained on fighter-, bomber- and transport aircraft. CPTS / WTS operated 7,585 civilian aircraft and trained 435,165 pilots until the program was halted in 1944.
The Cub is conventional and has no bad manners if flown precisely, but it is very sensitive to wind and turbulence. Especially crosswind landings in this tail wheel aircraft can get ”interesting” as it is very light and lacking landing flaps. It stalls at 33 knots (38 mph) at max weight (555 kgs), but when lightly loaded (400 kgs empty weight) around 26 knots (30 mph).
This L-4 has a modified 97 HP Continental C85 engine ("Don's Dream Machines" STC), whereas most L-4s originally had a Continental O-170 delivering just 65 hp. It had a fuselage tank capacity of 45 litres (12 USG) and with reduced power it could fly for almost three hours. This aircraft later had a 24 litre (6 USG) wing tank added.
O-59A/L-4A construction number 8391, USAAF 42-15272
Built Lock Haven, PA, USA as USAAF O-59A 42-15272 and delivered 16 February 1942.
Piper L-4A Grasshopper OY-ECV Photos
Piper J-3 Cub Photos
Camerman Danish Aviation Photo