Piper J-3
Encyclopedia
The Piper J-3 Cub is a small, simple, light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. With tandem (fore and aft) seating, it was intended for flight training but became one of the most popular and best-known light aircraft of all time. The Cub's simplicity, affordability and popularity invokes comparisons to the Ford Model T
automobile
.
The aircraft's standard chrome yellow
paint has come to be known as “Cub Yellow” or "Lock Haven Yellow".
first appeared in 1930, built by Taylor Aircraft
in Bradford, Pennsylvania
. Sponsored by William T. Piper
, a Bradford industrialist who had invested in the company, the E-2 was meant to be an affordable aircraft that would encourage interest in aviation. Later in 1930, the company went bankrupt, with Piper buying the assets but keeping founder C. Gilbert Taylor on as president. In 1936, an earlier Cub was altered by employee Walter Jamouneau to become the J-2
while Taylor was on sick leave. (The coincidence led some to believe that the "J" stood for Jamouneau, while aviation historian Peter Bowers concluded that the letter simply followed the E, F, G, and H models, with the I omitted because it could be mistaken for the numeral one.). When he saw the redesign, Taylor was so incensed that he fired Jamouneau. Piper, however, had encouraged Jamouneau's changes, and hired him back. Piper then bought Taylor's share in the company, paying him US$
250 per month for three years.
Although sales were initially slow, about 1,200 J-2s were produced before a fire in the Piper factory ended its production in 1938. After Piper moved his company from Bradford to Lock Haven
, the J-3, which featured further changes by Jamouneau, replaced the J-2. The changes mostly amounted to integrating the vertical fin of the tail into the rear fuselage structure and covering it simultaneously with the fuselage, changing the rearmost side window's shape to a smoothly curved half-oval outline, and placing a true steerable tailwheel at the rear end of the J-2's leaf spring-style tailskid, linked for its steering function to the lower end of the rudder with springs and lightweight chains to either end of a double-ended rudder control horn. Powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) engine, in 1938, it sold for just over $1,000.
A number of different air-cooled engines, most of flat-four configuration, were used to power J-3 Cubs, resulting in differing model designations for each type: the J3C models used the Continental A series
, the J3F used the Franklin 4AC, and the J3L used the Lycoming O-145
. A very few examples, designated J3P, were equipped with Lenape Papoose 3-cylinder radial engine
s.
The outbreak of hostilities in Europe in 1939, coupled with the growing realization that the United States might soon be drawn into World War II
, resulted in the formation of the Civilian Pilot Training Program
(CPTP). The Piper J-3 Cub became the primary trainer aircraft of the CPTP and played an integral role in its success, achieving legendary status. 75 percent of all new pilots in the CPTP (from a total of 435,165 graduates) were trained in Cubs. By war's end, 80 percent of all United States military pilots had received their initial flight training in Piper Cubs.
The need for new pilots created an insatiable appetite for the Cub. In 1940, the year before the United States' entry into the war, 3,016 Cubs had been built; wartime demands soon increased that production rate to one Cub being built every 20 minutes.
to be raffled off. Piper distributors nationwide were encouraged to do the same. On April 29, 1941 all 49 Flitfire aircraft, one for DC and one for each of the 48 US states, flew into La Guardia Field for a dedication and fundraising event which included Royal Navy officers from the battleship HMS Malaya, in New York for repairs, as honored guests. At least three of the original Flitfires are known to exist in the 21st century - one, on display and restored to its original silver-doped finish, powered with a Franklin 65 engine it is on display at the North Carolina Aviation Museum
in Asheboro, North Carolina. This Flitfire was flown by Orville Wright in a war bond promotion campaign.
The Piper Cub quickly became a familiar sight. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt
took a flight in a J-3 Cub, posing for a series of publicity photos to help promote the CPTP. Newsreel
s and newspapers of the era often featured images of wartime leaders, such as Generals Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton and George Marshall
, flying around European battlefields in Piper Cubs. Civilian-owned Cubs joined the war effort as part of the newly formed Civil Air Patrol
(CAP), patrolling the Eastern Seaboard
and Gulf Coast
in a constant search for German U-boat
s and survivors of U-boat attacks.
Piper developed a military variant ("All we had to do," Bill Jr. is quoted as saying, "was paint the Cub olive drab to produce a military airplane"),
variously designated as the O-59 (1941), L-4 (after April 1942), and NE (U.S. Navy). The L-4 Grasshopper was mechanically identical to the J-3 civilian Cub, but was distinguishable by the use of a Plexiglas greenhouse skylight and rear windows for improved visibility, much like the Taylorcraft L-2
and Aeronca L-3
also in use with the US armed forces. Carrying a single pilot and no passenger, the L-4 had a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h), a cruise speed of 75 mph (121 km/h), a service ceiling of 12000 ft (3,658 m), a stall speed of 38 mph (61 km/h), an endurance of three hours, and a range of 225 mi (362 km). 5,413 L-4s were produced for U.S. forces, including 250 built for the U.S. Navy under contract as the NE-1 and NE-2.
All L-4 models, as well as similar, tandem-cockpit accommodation aircraft from Aeronca
and Taylorcraft, were collectively nicknamed “Grasshoppers
”, though the L-4 was almost universally referred to by its civilian designation of Cub. The L-4 was used extensively in World War II for reconnaissance, transporting supplies, artillery spotting duties, and medical evacuation of wounded soldiers. During the Allied invasion of France
in June 1944, the L-4's slow cruising speed and low-level manueverability made it an ideal observation platform for spotting hidden German tanks waiting in ambush in the hedgerowed bocage country south of the invasion beaches. For these operations the pilot generally carried both an observer/radio operator and a 25-pound communications radio, a load that often exceeded the plane's specified weight capacity. After the Allied breakout in France, L-4s were also sometimes equipped with improvised racks of infantry bazooka
s for ground attack against German armored units. The most famous of these L-4 ground attack planes was Rosie the Rocketeer, piloted by Maj. Charles "Bazooka Charlie" Carpenter
, whose six bazooka rocket launchers were credited with eliminating six enemy tanks and several armored cars during its wartime service.
After the war, many L-4s were sold as surplus, but a considerable number were retained in service. L-4s sold as surplus in the U.S. were redesignated as J-3s, but often retained their wartime glazing and paint.
An icon of the era, and of American general aviation
in general, the J-3 Cub has long been loved by pilots and non-pilots alike, with thousands still in use today. Piper sold 19,073 J-3s between 1938 and 1947, the majority of them L-4s and other military variants. Postwar, thousands of Grasshoppers were civilian-registered under the designation J-3. Hundreds of Cubs were assembled from parts in Canada (by Cub Aircraft
as the Cub Prospector), Denmark and Argentina, and by a licensee in Oklahoma.
In the late 1940s, the J-3 was replaced by the Piper PA-11
Cub Special (1,500 produced), the first Piper Cub version to have a fully enclosed cowling for its powerplant, and then the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, which Piper produced until 1981 when it sold the rights to WTA Inc. In all, Piper produced 2,650 Super Cubs. The Super Cub had a 150 hp (110 kW) engine which increased its top speed to 130 mph (210 km/h); its range was 460 miles (740 km).
of Washington and by American Legend Aircraft in Texas
, as the Cub continues to be sought after by bush
pilots for its STOL
capabilities, as well as by recreational pilots for its nostalgia appeal. The new aircraft are actually modeled on the PA-11, though the Legend company does sell an open-cowl version with the cylinder heads exposed, like the J-3 Cub. An electrical system is standard from both manufacturers.
So popular is the J-3 as a subject for radio controlled model aircraft that manufacturers of R/C heat shrinkable iron-on covering film and similar fabric coverings produce it in a readily available Cub Yellow hue.
The J-3 is distinguished from its successors by having a cowl that exposes its engine's cylinder heads. There are very few other examples of "flat" aircraft engine installations (as opposed to radial engines) in which the cylinder heads are exposed. From the PA-11 on through the present Super Cub models, the cowling surrounds the cylinder heads.
A curiosity of the J-3 is that when it is flown solo, the lone pilot normally occupies the rear seat for proper balance, to balance the fuel tank located at the firewall. Starting with the PA-11, and some L-4s, fuel was carried in wing tanks, allowing the pilot to fly solo from the front seat.
J3C-40
J3C-50
J3C-50S
J3C-65
J3C-65S
J3F-50
J3F-50S
J3F-60
J3F-60S
J3F-65
J3F-65S
J3L
J3L-S
J3L-65
J3L-65S
J3P
J-3R
J-3X
Cammandre 1
O-59
O-59A
L-4
L-4A
L-4B
L-4C
L-4D
L-4H
L-4J
UC-83A
TG-8
LNP
NE-1
NE-2
Ford Model T
The Ford Model T is an automobile that was produced by Henry Ford's Ford Motor Company from September 1908 to May 1927...
automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
.
The aircraft's standard chrome yellow
Chrome yellow
Chrome Yellow is a natural yellow pigment made of lead chromate . It was first extracted from the mineral crocoite by the French chemist Louis Vauquelin in 1809...
paint has come to be known as “Cub Yellow” or "Lock Haven Yellow".
Pre-war
The Taylor E-2 CubTaylor E-2
|-See also:-References:* by Roger Guillemette, US Centennial of Flight Commission, retrieved December 6, 2005* Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, retrieved December 6, 2005-External links:*...
first appeared in 1930, built by Taylor Aircraft
Taylorcraft Aircraft
-Bibliography:* Fromow, Lt-Col. D.L. Canada's Flying Gunners, Air Observation Post Pilot's Association, Ottawa, Canada. 2002. ISBN 0973005505* Simpson, R.W Airlife's General Aviation, Airlife Publishing, England, 1991. ISBN 1 85310 104 X-External links:...
in Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford is a small city located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States 78 miles south of Buffalo, New York. Settled in 1823, Bradford was chartered as a city in 1879 and emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 19th century...
. Sponsored by William T. Piper
William T. Piper
William Thomas Piper Sr. was an American airplane manufacturer, and founder, eponym, and 1st president of Piper Aircraft Corporation 1929-1970. He graduated from Harvard University in 1903, and became known as "the Henry Ford of Aviation". The William T...
, a Bradford industrialist who had invested in the company, the E-2 was meant to be an affordable aircraft that would encourage interest in aviation. Later in 1930, the company went bankrupt, with Piper buying the assets but keeping founder C. Gilbert Taylor on as president. In 1936, an earlier Cub was altered by employee Walter Jamouneau to become the J-2
Taylor J-2
-References:* Roger W. Peperell and Colin M.Smith, Piper Aircraft and their forerunners, 1987, Air-Britain , ISBN 0 85130 149 5, Page 18 to 22....
while Taylor was on sick leave. (The coincidence led some to believe that the "J" stood for Jamouneau, while aviation historian Peter Bowers concluded that the letter simply followed the E, F, G, and H models, with the I omitted because it could be mistaken for the numeral one.). When he saw the redesign, Taylor was so incensed that he fired Jamouneau. Piper, however, had encouraged Jamouneau's changes, and hired him back. Piper then bought Taylor's share in the company, paying him US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
250 per month for three years.
Although sales were initially slow, about 1,200 J-2s were produced before a fire in the Piper factory ended its production in 1938. After Piper moved his company from Bradford to Lock Haven
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
The city of Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, micropolitan statistical area, itself part of the...
, the J-3, which featured further changes by Jamouneau, replaced the J-2. The changes mostly amounted to integrating the vertical fin of the tail into the rear fuselage structure and covering it simultaneously with the fuselage, changing the rearmost side window's shape to a smoothly curved half-oval outline, and placing a true steerable tailwheel at the rear end of the J-2's leaf spring-style tailskid, linked for its steering function to the lower end of the rudder with springs and lightweight chains to either end of a double-ended rudder control horn. Powered by a 40 hp (30 kW) engine, in 1938, it sold for just over $1,000.
A number of different air-cooled engines, most of flat-four configuration, were used to power J-3 Cubs, resulting in differing model designations for each type: the J3C models used the Continental A series
Continental O-170
|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
, the J3F used the Franklin 4AC, and the J3L used the Lycoming O-145
Lycoming O-145
-External links:...
. A very few examples, designated J3P, were equipped with Lenape Papoose 3-cylinder radial engine
Radial engine
The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders point outward from a central crankshaft like the spokes on a wheel...
s.
The outbreak of hostilities in Europe in 1939, coupled with the growing realization that the United States might soon be drawn into World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, resulted in the formation of the Civilian Pilot Training Program
Civilian Pilot Training Program
The Civilian Pilot Training Program was a flight training program sponsored by the United States government with the stated purpose of increasing the number of civilian pilots, though having a clear impact on military preparedness....
(CPTP). The Piper J-3 Cub became the primary trainer aircraft of the CPTP and played an integral role in its success, achieving legendary status. 75 percent of all new pilots in the CPTP (from a total of 435,165 graduates) were trained in Cubs. By war's end, 80 percent of all United States military pilots had received their initial flight training in Piper Cubs.
The need for new pilots created an insatiable appetite for the Cub. In 1940, the year before the United States' entry into the war, 3,016 Cubs had been built; wartime demands soon increased that production rate to one Cub being built every 20 minutes.
Flitfire
Prior to the United States entering World War II, J-3s were part of a fund-raising programs to support the United Kingdom. Billed as a Flitfire, a Piper Cub J3 bearing Royal Air Force insignia was donated by W. T. Piper and Franklin Motors to the RAF Benevolent FundRAF Benevolent Fund
The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund is the Royal Air Force's leading welfare charity, providing financial, practical and emotional support to serving and former members of the RAF - regardless of rank - as well as their partners and dependents.They help members of the RAF family deal with a wide...
to be raffled off. Piper distributors nationwide were encouraged to do the same. On April 29, 1941 all 49 Flitfire aircraft, one for DC and one for each of the 48 US states, flew into La Guardia Field for a dedication and fundraising event which included Royal Navy officers from the battleship HMS Malaya, in New York for repairs, as honored guests. At least three of the original Flitfires are known to exist in the 21st century - one, on display and restored to its original silver-doped finish, powered with a Franklin 65 engine it is on display at the North Carolina Aviation Museum
North Carolina Aviation Museum
The North Carolina Aviation Museum and North Carolina Aviation Hall of Fame displays a collection across two hangars of static aircraft, uniforms and memorabilia, and an extensive collection of aircraft models. Nearly all aircraft on display are privately owned and on loan. All aircraft on display...
in Asheboro, North Carolina. This Flitfire was flown by Orville Wright in a war bond promotion campaign.
World War II service
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
took a flight in a J-3 Cub, posing for a series of publicity photos to help promote the CPTP. Newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
s and newspapers of the era often featured images of wartime leaders, such as Generals Dwight Eisenhower, George Patton and George Marshall
George Marshall
George Catlett Marshall was an American military leader, Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State, and the third Secretary of Defense...
, flying around European battlefields in Piper Cubs. Civilian-owned Cubs joined the war effort as part of the newly formed Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
(CAP), patrolling the Eastern Seaboard
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
and Gulf Coast
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, sometimes referred to as the Gulf South, South Coast, or 3rd Coast, comprises the coasts of American states that are on the Gulf of Mexico, which includes Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida and are known as the Gulf States...
in a constant search for German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s and survivors of U-boat attacks.
Piper developed a military variant ("All we had to do," Bill Jr. is quoted as saying, "was paint the Cub olive drab to produce a military airplane"),
variously designated as the O-59 (1941), L-4 (after April 1942), and NE (U.S. Navy). The L-4 Grasshopper was mechanically identical to the J-3 civilian Cub, but was distinguishable by the use of a Plexiglas greenhouse skylight and rear windows for improved visibility, much like the Taylorcraft L-2
Taylorcraft L-2
-External links:***-See also:...
and Aeronca L-3
Aeronca L-3
|-See also:-External links:* * *...
also in use with the US armed forces. Carrying a single pilot and no passenger, the L-4 had a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h), a cruise speed of 75 mph (121 km/h), a service ceiling of 12000 ft (3,658 m), a stall speed of 38 mph (61 km/h), an endurance of three hours, and a range of 225 mi (362 km). 5,413 L-4s were produced for U.S. forces, including 250 built for the U.S. Navy under contract as the NE-1 and NE-2.
All L-4 models, as well as similar, tandem-cockpit accommodation aircraft from Aeronca
Aeronca L-3
|-See also:-External links:* * *...
and Taylorcraft, were collectively nicknamed “Grasshoppers
Grasshopper (disambiguation)
A grasshopper is a common type of herbivorous insect.Grasshopper may also refer to:- Sports :* Grasshopper Club Zürich, a football club from Switzerland* The Grasshopper , an eventer, foaled c...
”, though the L-4 was almost universally referred to by its civilian designation of Cub. The L-4 was used extensively in World War II for reconnaissance, transporting supplies, artillery spotting duties, and medical evacuation of wounded soldiers. During the Allied invasion of France
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
in June 1944, the L-4's slow cruising speed and low-level manueverability made it an ideal observation platform for spotting hidden German tanks waiting in ambush in the hedgerowed bocage country south of the invasion beaches. For these operations the pilot generally carried both an observer/radio operator and a 25-pound communications radio, a load that often exceeded the plane's specified weight capacity. After the Allied breakout in France, L-4s were also sometimes equipped with improvised racks of infantry bazooka
Bazooka
Bazooka is the common name for a man-portable recoilless rocket antitank weapon, widely fielded by the U.S. Army. Also referred to as the "Stovepipe", the innovative bazooka was amongst the first-generation of rocket propelled anti-tank weapons used in infantry combat...
s for ground attack against German armored units. The most famous of these L-4 ground attack planes was Rosie the Rocketeer, piloted by Maj. Charles "Bazooka Charlie" Carpenter
Charles Carpenter (Lt. Col.)
Lt. Col. Charles Carpenter, aka Bazooka Charlie, aka The Mad Major was a U.S. Army officer and army observation pilot who served in World War II...
, whose six bazooka rocket launchers were credited with eliminating six enemy tanks and several armored cars during its wartime service.
After the war, many L-4s were sold as surplus, but a considerable number were retained in service. L-4s sold as surplus in the U.S. were redesignated as J-3s, but often retained their wartime glazing and paint.
Postwar
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
in general, the J-3 Cub has long been loved by pilots and non-pilots alike, with thousands still in use today. Piper sold 19,073 J-3s between 1938 and 1947, the majority of them L-4s and other military variants. Postwar, thousands of Grasshoppers were civilian-registered under the designation J-3. Hundreds of Cubs were assembled from parts in Canada (by Cub Aircraft
Cub Aircraft
Cub Aircraft was a Canadian aircraft manufacturer established at Hamilton, Ontario in 1937, originally to manufacture Piper Cubs for the Canadian market . In 1941 they also commenced building Harlow PJC-2s. Production was interrupted by World War II, and although the company resumed business...
as the Cub Prospector), Denmark and Argentina, and by a licensee in Oklahoma.
In the late 1940s, the J-3 was replaced by the Piper PA-11
Piper PA-11
-References:NotesBibliography* Peperell, Roger. Piper Aircraft and Their Forerunners. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK: Air-Britain Ltd, 1987. ISBN 0-85130-149-5....
Cub Special (1,500 produced), the first Piper Cub version to have a fully enclosed cowling for its powerplant, and then the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, which Piper produced until 1981 when it sold the rights to WTA Inc. In all, Piper produced 2,650 Super Cubs. The Super Cub had a 150 hp (110 kW) engine which increased its top speed to 130 mph (210 km/h); its range was 460 miles (740 km).
Korean War Service
The L-4 was used extensively by both U.S. and South Korean Air Forces in the early 1950s. During the Korean War, the L-4 saw service in many of the same roles it had performed during World War II, such as artillery spotting, forward air control, and reconnaissance. Some L-4s were fitted with a high-back canopy in order to carry a single stretcher for medical evacuation of wounded soldiers.Modern J-3 Cub Production
Modernized and up-engined versions are produced today by Cub CraftersCub Crafters
Cub Crafters, Inc. is an aircraft manufacturer based in Yakima, Washington. Founded in 1980 to build parts and STC modifications for the Piper PA-18 Super Cub, their CC18-180 Top Cub was FAA-certified December 16, 2004 and is currently in production...
of Washington and by American Legend Aircraft in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, as the Cub continues to be sought after by bush
Bush plane
A bush airplane is a general aviation aircraft serving remote, undeveloped areas of a country, usually the African bush, Alaskan and Canadian tundra or the Australian Outback...
pilots for its STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
capabilities, as well as by recreational pilots for its nostalgia appeal. The new aircraft are actually modeled on the PA-11, though the Legend company does sell an open-cowl version with the cylinder heads exposed, like the J-3 Cub. An electrical system is standard from both manufacturers.
So popular is the J-3 as a subject for radio controlled model aircraft that manufacturers of R/C heat shrinkable iron-on covering film and similar fabric coverings produce it in a readily available Cub Yellow hue.
The J-3 is distinguished from its successors by having a cowl that exposes its engine's cylinder heads. There are very few other examples of "flat" aircraft engine installations (as opposed to radial engines) in which the cylinder heads are exposed. From the PA-11 on through the present Super Cub models, the cowling surrounds the cylinder heads.
A curiosity of the J-3 is that when it is flown solo, the lone pilot normally occupies the rear seat for proper balance, to balance the fuel tank located at the firewall. Starting with the PA-11, and some L-4s, fuel was carried in wing tanks, allowing the pilot to fly solo from the front seat.
Civil variants
J-3- Equipped with a Continental A-40Continental A-40|-See also:-External links:* . The A-40, as installed in the Taylor E-2 Cub....
, A-40-2 or A-40-3 engine of 37 hp, or A-40-4 engine of 40 hp
J3C-40
- Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Continental A-40-4Continental A-40|-See also:-External links:* . The A-40, as installed in the Taylor E-2 Cub....
or A-40-5 of 40 hp
J3C-50
- Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Continental A-50-1Continental O-170|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
or A-40-2 to -9 (inclusive) of 50 hp
J3C-50S
- Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Continental A-50-1Continental O-170|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
or A-40-2 to -9 (inclusive) of 50 hp. Equipped with optional float kit.
J3C-65
- Certified 6 July 1939 and equipped with a Continental A-65-1Continental O-170|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
or A-65-3, 6, 7, 8, 8F, 9 or 14 of 65 hp or an A-65-14, Continental A-75-8Continental O-170|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
, A-75-8-9 or A-75-12 of 75 hp or Continental A-85-8Continental O-190|-See also:-References:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens: Wellingborough.* Erickson, Jack. ...
or C-85-12 of 85 hp or Continental A-90-8FContinental O-200The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower ....
of 90 hp
J3C-65S
- Certified 27 May 1940 and equipped with a Continental A-65-1Continental O-170|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
or A-65-3, 6, 7, 8, 8F, 9 or 14 of 65 hp or an A-65-14, Continental A-75-8Continental O-170|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
, A-75-8-9 or A-75-12 of 75 hp or Continental A-85-8Continental O-190|-See also:-References:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopedia of Aero Engines. Patrick Stephens: Wellingborough.* Erickson, Jack. ...
or C-85-12 of 85 hp or Continental A-90-8FContinental O-200The Continental C90 and O-200 are a family of air-cooled, horizontally opposed, four-cylinder, direct-drive aircraft engines of 201 in³ displacement, producing between 90 and 100 horsepower ....
of 90 hp. Equipped with optional float kit.
J3F-50
- Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series 50 of 50 hp
J3F-50S
- Certified 14 July 1938 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series 50 of 50 hp. Equipped with optional float kit.
J3F-60
- Certified 13 April 1940 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series A of 65 hp or a Franklin 4AC-171 of 60 hp.
J3F-60S
- Certified 31 May 1940 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-150 Series A of 65 hp or a Franklin 4AC-171 of 60 hp. 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.
J3F-65S
- Certified 4 January 1943 and equipped with a Franklin 4AC-176-B2 or a Franklin 4AC-176-BA2 of 65 hp. Equipped with optional float kit.
J3L
- Certified 17 September 1938 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-A1Lycoming O-145-External links:...
of 50 hp or a Lycoming O-145-A2Lycoming O-145-External links:...
or A3 of 55 hp
J3L-S
- Certified 2 May 1939 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-A1Lycoming O-145-External links:...
of 50 hp or a Lycoming O-145-A2Lycoming O-145-External links:...
or A3 of 55 hp. Equipped with optional float kit.
J3L-65
- Certified 27 May 1940 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-B1Lycoming O-145-External links:...
, B2 or B3 of 65 hp
J3L-65S
- Certified 27 May 1940 and equipped with a Lycoming O-145-B1Lycoming O-145-External links:...
, B2 or B3 of 65 hp. Equipped with optional float kit.
J3P
- Variant powered by a 50 hp Lenape LM-3-50 or Lenape AR-3-160 engine.
J-3R
- Variant with slotted flaps powered by a 65 hp Lenape LM-3-65 engine.
J-3X
- 1944 variant with cantilever wing powered by a 65 hp Continental A-65-8 engine.
Cammandre 1
- A French conversion of J-3 Cub/L-4 aircraft.
Military designations and variants
YO-59- Test and evaluation aircraft. Four Piper J3C-65s were sold to the US Army Air Corps for evaluation.
O-59
- Production two-seat observation, liaison aircraft for the USAAC; 140 built later re-designated L-4.
O-59A
- Improved version, powered by a 65-hp (48-kW) Continental O-170Continental O-170|-See also:-References:*Christy, Joe: Engines for Homebuilt Aircraft & Ultralights, pages 43-52. TAB Books, 1983. ISBN 0830623477...
-3 piston engine; 948 built, later re-designated L-4A.
L-4
- Resignation of the YO-59 and O-59.
L-4A
- Redesignation of the O-59A.
L-4B
- Similar to the 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
- Similar to the L-4B but with equipment improved and fixed-pitch propeller, 1801 built.
L-4J
- Same as the L-4H but with controllable-pitch propeller, 1680 built.
UC-83A
- Two impressed J3L-65s later re-designated L-4C.
TG-8
- Three-seat training glider variant, 250 built.
LNP
- Three TG-8 training glider variant for the United States Navy.
NE-1
- United States Navy designation for the J3C-65 with dual controls, 230 built.
NE-2
- Same as NE-1 with minor equipment changes, 20 built.
Civil operators
The aircraft has been popular with flying schools and remains so with private individuals.Military operators
- Military of ParaguayMilitary of ParaguayThe armed forces of Paraguay consist of the Paraguayan army, navy and air force.The constitution of Paraguay establishes the president of Paraguay as the commander-in-chief....
- L-4
- South Korean Air Force
- Royal Thai Air ForceRoyal Thai Air ForceThe Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
- United States Air ForceUnited States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
- United States ArmyUnited States ArmyThe United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
- United States Army Air Force
- United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Specifications (J3C-65 Cub)
See also
External links
- Fiddler's Green history of the J-3
- The New Piper Aircraft, Inc. - Heritage - Brief timeline of the history of Piper Aircraft CompanyThe New Piper AircraftPiper Aircraft, Inc., is a manufacturer of general aviation aircraft, located at the Vero Beach Municipal Airport in Vero Beach, Florida. Along with Beechcraft and Cessna, it is considered one of the "Big Three" in the field of general aviation construction....
, starting with the Piper Cub - Sentimental Journey - Annual fly-inFly-inA fly-in is a pre-arranged gathering of aircraft, pilots and passengers for recreational and social purposes.Fly-ins may be formally or informally organised, members of the public may or may not be invited, the gathering may be at an airport or in a farmer's field.Fly-ins can be aimed at specific...
of Piper Cubs held in Lock Haven, PennsylvaniaLock Haven, PennsylvaniaThe city of Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, micropolitan statistical area, itself part of the... - T.O. No. 01-140DA-1 Pilot's Flight Instructions L-4A and L-4B Airplanes (1943)
- 01-140DA-2 Erection and Maintenance Instructions for Airplanes Army Models L-4A, L-4B, L-4H, and L-4J British Model Piper Cub (1945)