AirVenture 2025 Cool Planes: Piper L-4 Grasshopper

One of the coolest models of Cub was the L-4 military version.

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The Piper L-4 Grasshopper was the military version of the Piper J3 Cub.
  • It was used by the USAAF for liaison and observation duties to support ground forces during World War II.
  • Almost 6,000 Piper L-4 Grasshoppers were procured by the USAAF between 1941 and 1945.
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The Piper L-4 Grasshopper was the military version of the famous Piper J3 Cub, used for liaison and observation duties in direct support of ground forces during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, the USAAF procured almost 6,000 of the Piper Aircraft. AVweb’s Mark Phelps spotted one of them at AirVenture 2025 and featured it in one of our Cool Planes segments.

Mark Phelps

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.
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