1945 Piper L-4 Grasshopper

The Piper L-4 Grasshopper was a military version of the famous Piper Cub of the 1930s. It was designated in the L category for liaison aircraft. Stinson, Taylorcraft, Aeronca, and Piper were light plane manufacturers that built military versions of their civilian counterparts during World War II, designated L-1s through L-5s. After initial evaluations, the first L-4s were produced in 1941. Different models were manufactured, and by the end of World War II, over 5000 had been built. This particular aircraft is a J model and, along with the H model, were the most numerous produced. They differed from other models mainly in that they had a manual controllable pitch propeller.

The L-4 was used for scouting, mail delivery, and moving personnel behind the lines. With the pilot flying from the front, the observer could sit in the rear facing forwards or backwards. With a table for maps, writing, and radios, he could look rearward out the extended windows and call in his observations. One enterprising Grasshopper pilot even attached several bazookas to the wing struts for use in ground support.

In 1943 some L-4s were used with a Brodie cable and harness, enabling the aircraft to “land” after catching a cable slung between several poles, its wheels never touching the ground!