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Description
| Manufacturer: | Piper |
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| Base model: | L-4 | ||
| Designation: | L-4 | ||
| Nickname: | Grasshopper | ||
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | ||
| Designation Period: | 1942-1962 | ||
| Basic role: | Liaison | ||
| See Also: | O-59 | ||
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Castle Air Museum | Atwater | California |
| Minnesota Air Guard Museum | Minneapolis | Minnesota |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Dave Abair Colchester, VT | My dad Retired MG Leo Abair flew a L4 in the Phillipines during WW2. He has some amazing stories. I have a video (16mm)of him, taken there, flying around at the very end of the war. http://www.abair.com/genealogy/Commendations.htm
My dad says the main mission of the L4 in was to replace the WW1 observation balloon that directed artillary. Feel free to contact me for more info. Dave Abair 01/12/2008 @ 10:43 [ref: 19268] |
| Johan Barth Lund, OTH | Hello!
Finally I managed to find one to buy for my own. A L4H with production year of 1943 and s.no 11578. I have the history through germany from 1956 to Denmark in 1979 and finally in Sweden in 2006. But that is all! Now there is a restoration back to original shape. Does anyone have any clue where to find information? Please email me and tell! Best regards Johan Barth 10/24/2006 @ 12:25 [ref: 14545] |
| John Bayer Denver, CO | ALONE AND UNARMED is the story of a lone pilot, Staff Sergeant Ernest Kowalik, flying the military's version of the 65-hp Piper "Cub", during the Italian Campaign in WWII.
Flying without an Observer, because he was the "spare" pilot for the 88th Division Artillery HQ Battalion, Kowalik actually flew more than twice the average number of sorties and hours than the typical division Liaison Pilot, often at dangerously low altitiudes. Artillery spotting and scouting for the 88th Infantry "Blue Devil" Division, he saw a wide variety of action, from taking out large enemy guns and rescuing supply caravans from ambush, to making possible several significant breakthroughs of enemy lines. Join Staff Sergeant (later Lieutenant) Kowalik as he relives significant episodes of the world's struggle for freedom in that time. "Directing artillery fire from an unarmed, unarmored light aircraft was surely one of thw most dangerous tasks performed on a daily basis during World War II. Flying from rough, unimproved airstrips, often within range of enemy shellfire, added to the perils faced by Field Artillery pilots, as did the ever present threat of bad weather. Such operations are covered in graphic detail by Ernest Kowalik, whose "Alone and Unarmed" is a welcome addition to the small number of books on a little known aspect of WWII." - KEN WAKEFIELD, author of Lightplanes at War, The Flying Grasshoppers, and Luftwaffe Encore. Pre-publication offer, only $19.95 plus $2.00 Media Mail shipping. Priority Mail extra. Pay via Paypal to jrbayer3@yahoo.com, or send check or money order to: The Glenn Curtiss Press c/o Bayer 8501 E. Alameda Ave. #1031 Denver, CO 80230-6891 01/24/2005 @ 23:28 [ref: 9241] |
| Calixto Alberto Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Islas Cana, OTH | Hello
I am the owner of the Piper L-4J 44-80669. At the moment this in the Fundación Infante de Orleans, in Madrid. (Spain) I am looking for information on the time in which served in the 5th Armored division, in europa (Dec 1944 to May 1945), pictures, names of people that flew her, etc. It would be you very grateful, because I am trying to restore it it but faithful to the reality. thank you to all. Calixto Alberto de León 07/22/2004 @ 11:56 [ref: 7879] |
| Calixto Alberto de León Santa Cruz de Tenerife - Islas Cana, OTH | Soy el propietario de una L-4j Grasshopper, 44-80669. Esta sirvio en el 5th Armored Division en Europa de Dic-44 a May-45( posiblemente en el 71st Field Artillery Battalion). Alguien podria darme informacion sobre sus posibles pilotos y sobre todo, de su codigo de fueselaje (54-?) . Gracias 07/16/2004 @ 10:32 [ref: 7838] |
| John McCosker Melbourne, OTH | Attached is a photo of a newly restored aircraft. Ser No 430119. This L4H served in Italy in 1944 and then went to somewhere in Europe. It turned up in Australia about 30 years ago and last year we returned it to it WW2 colours. We have all the war records but we don\'t know who flew it. It was at Duko in Italy. 07/09/2004 @ 03:43 [ref: 7786] |
| Cony A. CONRARDY Remich - Luxembourg, OTH | Our association "Grasshoppers Luxembourg" just bought an L4 from 1943, ser.: 10174, tail N°: 431313, french registration F-BDTA, future registration LX-WWT. The aircraft was totally restored in 1994 for the 50th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in french Normandy. The painting is original colours with clear blue under the wings and the debarkation stripes. The aircraft shows today the non original side mark 72 G, and the tail number 236630, identical to the famous L-4 that dropped the flyers over Paris announcing the liberation. The scale model 1/50 from Heller shows the same marks.
Who knows the original side mark of our L-4? We would like to take part in the 60th anniversary of the D-Day in 2004 in Normandy, If somebody is interested to join, please let me know. There will also be a celebration in Duxford UK on D-DAY 6 June 2004. If the weather permits we will be there. We do not have an original pilots manual and disassembling instructions. We would be pleased to find those or to receive copies. Watch out the sky for LX-WWT. Best regards Cony 04/05/2004 @ 14:35 [ref: 7142] |
| William Hall Miller Gaithersburg, MD | This is my first forray into grasshopper history. My dad died in 1969 when I was 10 years old. Behind his bar he had a framed certificate that I still have today. The outer portion has 10 grasshoppers around thr top, bottom and sides each demonstrating the unique missions of the grasshopper. In the center it says, " This certifies that Tom Hall Miller, charter is a grasshopper."
He grew up in Loch Haven and worked for Piper before the war. I believe that he was a part of the team that marketed the grasshopper program to the army. I know very little about his expiriences in WW2 except that he retired a sargent. Please feel fre to write back or send anything that may open up my dads past for me. Thanks, W. Hall Miller (301) 512-8555 PS I can send a cpicture of the certificate if it is rare. 03/19/2004 @ 14:43 [ref: 7013] |
| Anthony J Adessa (Tony) San Marcos, CA | Looking for a publication named (Ibelieve) The Grasshoppers.Mainly about the Army Liaison Pilots of WW II.
Served with an Army Pilot in New York(1960),Capt Thad Farris, that owned a copy. 02/09/2004 @ 23:59 [ref: 6758] |
| Robert Hall , GA | I own a L-4B And recently have acquired 2 bazookas to mount on the lift struts. If anyone has a photo or first hand knowlege of how this was done please let me know., Thanks 09/30/2002 @ 09:54 [ref: 5783] |
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