1/8th share in a Piper Cub L4 based at Booker Airpark in High Wycombe. £60 per hour to fly and £80 per month. Loads of availability.
The L-4A, originally designated the O-59, was the military version of the famous Piper J3 Cub. The U.S. Army Air Forces ordered the first O-59s in 1941 for tests in conjunction with its growing interest in the use of light aircraft for liaison and observation duties in direct support of ground forces. Between 1941 and 1945, the USAAF procured almost 6,000 Piper Aircraft.
During World War II, Grasshoppers performed a wide variety of functions throughout the world such as artillery fire direction, pilot training, glider pilot instruction, courier service and front-line liaison.
The L-4 on display is painted and marked to represent an L-4 that flew in support of the Allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942. It was placed on display in April 1995.
| General Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Piper Aircraft (originally Taylor Aircraft) |
| Role | Liaison, Observation, Training (Military) |
| Crew | 2 (Pilot and Observer/Passenger) |
| Length | 22 ft 5 in (6.83 m) |
| Wingspan | 35 ft 3 in (10.74 m) |
| Height | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) |
| Empty Weight | ~740 lbs (336 kg) |
| Max Takeoff Weight (MTOW) | ~1,220 lbs (553 kg) |
| Engine | Continental O-170 (A-65-8), 65 hp |
| Propeller | Fixed-pitch, 2-blade |
| Fuel Capacity | 12 gallons usable (45 liters) |
| Cruise Speed | 75 mph (65 knots / 121 km/h) |
| Max Speed | 87 mph (76 knots / 140 km/h) |
| Stall Speed | 38 mph (33 knots / 61 km/h) |
| Range | 225 miles (360 km) |
| Service Ceiling | 12,000 ft (3,660 m) |
| Rate of Climb | 450 ft/min (137 m/min) |
| Takeoff Distance (over 50 ft) | ~950 ft (290 m) |
| Landing Distance (over 50 ft) | ~800 ft (244 m) |
