Piper Cub

The Piper J-3 Cub is a small propeller-driven aircraft produced by Piper Aircraft, an American aviation company, between 1938 and 1947. It is one of the most-produced aircraft ever, with over 20,000 units made by civilian and military contractors. During World War II the J-3 was produced by the USAAF as the L-4 Grasshopper. Easily one of the most recognizable planes of the 20th century, it has becomes an icon of aviation simplicity and endurance.

## Design and Development

The Piper J-3 Cub was developed from the Taylor E-2 Cub, a similar aircraft marketed by a different company. The E-2 Cub was designed by C. Gilbert Taylor, who was the designer of the E-2 and later was instrumental in the design and manufacture of the J-3. The J-2 was an earlier adaptation, the production of which was stopped by a fire that burned down the plant that was manufacturing it. The J-3 was created by changing the rudder and tail configuration, changing the rearmost windows' shape, and adding a steerable tailwheel under the tail for easier steering on the ground.

When World War II erupted, the Piper Cub became the aircraft of choice for civilian pilots training to be fighter pilots in the armed forces. Over 300,000 pilots were trained in Piper Cubs out of 435,165 graduates of the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), and over 80% of all military pilots had received their flight training using Piper Cubs. The United States Army Air Force obtained a contract to produce thousands of J-3 Cubs as L-4 Grasshoppers for the war effort.

## Operational History

### World War II

The Piper Cub was a familiar sight for many Americans. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt flew in a Piper Cub to round up volunteers for the CPTP, and newspapers often published images of wartime generals like Eisenhower, Patton, and Marshall observing the invasions in Piper Cubs. Civilian-owned Cubs formed the Civil Air Patrol, which searched the East Coast and Gulf Coast for German U-boats during World War II.

The first military variant, the O-59, was mechanically identical to the J-3, as were its later variants. The difference came with the L-4 Grasshopper, which had Plexiglas windows The L-4 was used commonly as an observation and liaison aircraft, and could fly up to 12,000 feet with a top speed of only 85 mph. This slow speed was ideal for finding German targets hiding in the mixed farmland and forests of northern France, and with a stall speed of 38 mph, it could fly slowly enough that it could even follow armed convoys from a safe distance. Later variants were used to top-attack strikes, with wing racks that could hold up to 4 bazookas to attack retreating German convoys.

The United States Navy also operated a variant called NE, which itself was split into two subvariants, NE-1 and NE-2. These were painted Navy blue, and 250 were built for various uses.

### Korean War

The Korean War saw much use of the L-4 Grasshopper. The small aircraft made it ideal for reconnaissance of enemy targets without being seen, especially in the heat of battle when smoke often obscured the sky from ground level, but aerial viewers could still see the area. Light attack units were also attached to the L-4 Grasshopper occasionally, as were single-person stretchers.

### Modern Production

After the war, there was little interest in the Piper Cub militarily, and many L-4's were bought from surplus stores and refurbished into civilian aircraft. Currently, there are thousands of operational Piper Cubs, and many are built by Cub Crafters of Washington and American Legend Aircraft of Texas.

## Variants

### Civilian

J-3
Equipped with a Continental A-40, A-40-2, or A-40-3 engine of 37 hp (28 kW), or A-40-4 engine of 40 hp (30 kW)
J3C-40
Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Continental A-40-4 or A-40-5 of 40 hp (30 kW)
J3C-50
Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Continental A-50-1 or A-50-2 to -9 (inclusive) of 50 hp (37 kW)
J3C-50S
Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Continental A-50-1 or A-50-2 to -9 (inclusive) of 50 hp (37 kW), equipped with optional float kit
J3C-65
Certified 6 July 1939 and equipped with a Continental A-65-1 or A-65-3, 6, 7, 8, 8F, 9 or 14 of 65 hp (48 kW) or an A-65-14, Continental A-75-8, A-75-8-9 or A-75-12 of 75 hp (56 kW) or Continental C-85-8 or C-85-12 of 85 hp (63 kW) or Continental C-90-8F of 90 hp (67 kW)
J3C-65S
Certified 27 May 1940 and equipped with a Continental A-65-1 or A-65-3, 6, 7, 8, 8F, 9 or 14 of 65 hp (48 kW) or an A-65-14, Continental A-75-8, A-75-8-9 or A-75-12 of 75 hp (56 kW) or Continental C-85-8 or C-85-12 of 85 hp (63 kW) or Continental C-90-8F of 90 hp (67 kW), equipped with optional float kit
J3F-50
Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series 50 of 50 hp (37 kW)
J3F-50S
Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series 50 of 50 hp (37 kW), equipped with optional float kit
J3F-60
Certified 13 April 1940 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series A of 65 hp (48 kW) or a Franklin 4AC-171 of 60 hp (45 kW)
J3F-60S
Certified 31 May 1940 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series A of 65 hp (48 kW) or a Franklin 4AC-171 of 60 hp (45 kW), equipped with optional float kit
J3F-65
Certified 7 August 1940 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-176-B2 or a Franklin 4AC-176-BA2 of 65 hp (48 kW)
J3F-65S
Certified 4 January 1943 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-176-B2 or a Franklin 4AC-176-BA2 of 65 hp (48 kW), equipped with optional float kit
J3L
Certified 17 September 1938 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-A1 of 50 hp (37 kW) or a Lycoming O-145-A2 or A3 of 55 hp (41 kW)
J3L-S
Certified 2 May 1939 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-A1 of 50 hp (37 kW) or a Lycoming O-145-A2 or A3 of 55 hp (41 kW), equipped with optional float kit
J3L-65
Certified 27 May 1940 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-B1, B2, or B3 of 65 hp (48 kW)
J3L-65S
Certified 27 May 1940 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-B1, B2, or B3 of 65 hp (48 kW), equipped with optional float kit
J3P
Variant powered by a 50 hp (37 kW) Lenape LM-3-50 or Lenape AR-3-160 three-cylinder radial engine
J-3R
Variant with slotted flaps powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Lenape LM-3-65 engine
J-3X
1944 variant with cantilever wing powered by a 65 hp (48 kW) Continental A-65-8 engine
Cammandre 1
A French conversion of J-3 Cub/L-4 aircraft
Poullin J.5A
Five L-4 Cubs converted by Jean Poullin for specialist tasks
Poullin J.5B
A single L-4 Cub converted by Jean Poullin for specialist tasks
Wagner Twin Cub
A twin fuselage conversion of the J-3
### Military

YO-59
Four US Army Air Corps test and evaluation J3C-65
O-59
Production version for the USAAC; 140 built later redesignated L-4
O-59A
Improved version, powered by a 65-hp (48-kW) Continental O-170-3 piston engine; 948 built, later redesignated L-4A
L-4
Redesignated YO-59 and O-59
L-4A
Redesignated O-59A
L-4B
As per L-4A, but without radio equipment; 980 built
L-4C
Eight impressed J3L-65s, first two originally designated UC-83A
L-4D
Five impressed J3F-65s
L-4H
As per L-4B but with improved equipment and fixed-pitch propeller, 1801 built
L-4J
L-4H with a controllable-pitch propeller, 1680 built
UC-83A
Two impressed J3L-65s, later redesignated L-4C
TG-8
Three-seat training glider variant, 250 built
LNP
United States Navy designation for three TG-8s received.
NE-1
United States Navy designation for a dual-control version of J3C-65, 230 built
NE-2
As per NE-1 with minor equipment changes, 20 built
## Operators

### Civilian

The Piper Cub has been popular with flying schools, due to its simple controls and easy flying. It is also used by private individuals.

### Military

**South Korea**

* Republic of Korea Air Force

**Paraguay**

* Paraguayan Air Force

**United Kingdom**

* Royal Air Force

**United States of America**

* United States Air Force
* United States Army
* United States Army Air Forces
* United States Navy
* Civil Air Patrol