The L-4 Grasshopper was the military version of the famous Piper J3 Cub. Construction consisted of a fabric-covered frame with wooden spar, metal-ribbed wings, a metal-tube fuselage and a metal-tube empennage. The airplane features a two-place tandem cockpit with dual-controls and is powered by an air-cooled, flat-4 piston engine driving a fixed-pitch propeller.
One of the most useful tactical aircraft of WW II, the L-4 was used for a wide variety of roles including artillery fire direction, pilot training, glider pilot instruction, courier service and reconnaissance. Bill Piper, Jr. is quoted as saying, “All we had to do was paint the Cub olive drab to produce a military airplane.”
The L-4 did not have any armament however, some aircraft were fitted with bazookas and used in the strike role. Also, the final dogfight in Europe during WWII pitted an L-4 against A Feisler Storch. The L-4 crew of the L-4 forced the Storch into a crash landing with use of their .45 caliber pistols.
At least 5,703 J-3/L4 aircraft were built for military use during the war. Many Cubs survive in flying condition today. This artwork is a tribute to this often overlooked humble warrior.