Editing Piper J-3 Cub (section)

==Operational history==
===World War II service===
[[File:CAP Piper J-3 NC42050 3.jpg|thumb|J-3 aircraft with CAP markings on display at the [[National Museum of the United States Air Force]]]]
[[File:USAFM ey22.jpg|thumb|An L-4A painted and marked to represent an aircraft that flew in support of the Allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942]]
[[File:DoD USMC 86249.jpg|thumb|A Piper Cub of the 1st Marine Division's improvised air force snags a message from a patrol on New Britain's north coast.]]

Minutes before the 1941 [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]], Machinist Mate 2nd Class Marcus F. Poston, a student pilot, was on a solo flight through K-T Flying Service, piloting a Piper Cub J-3 over the valley of [[Oahu]]. Poston was flying just as the Japanese planes began appearing over the island and was subsequently shot down. Poston managed to bail out and parachute to safety. The Piper J-3 Cub was the first American plane to be shot down in [[World War II]].

The Piper Cub quickly became a familiar sight. [[First Lady of the United States|First Lady]] [[Eleanor Roosevelt]] took a flight in a J-3 Cub, posing for a series of publicity photos to help promote the CPTP. [[Newsreel]]s and newspapers of the era often featured images of wartime leaders, such as Generals [[Dwight Eisenhower]], [[George Patton]] and [[George Marshall]], flying around European battlefields in Piper Cubs.

Civilian-owned Cubs joined the war effort as part of the newly formed [[Civil Air Patrol]], patrolling the [[East Coast of the United States|Eastern Seaboard]] and [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]] in a constant search for German [[U-boat]]s and survivors of U-boat attacks.<ref>Campbell, Douglas E., "Volume III: U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Lost During World War II Listed by Aircraft Type", Lulu.com,  {{ISBN|978-1-257-90689-5}} (2011), p. 374{{self-published source|date=June 2022}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}}<ref name="af2865">{{cite web |url=http://www.af.mil/history/spotlight.asp?storyID=123032865 |title=Civil Air Patrol |work=Air Force Link |date=27 November 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315152319/http://www.af.mil/history/spotlight.asp?storyID=123032865 |archive-date=15 March 2008}}</ref><ref name="aiww2-0704">{{cite journal |url=http://www.americainwwii.com/stories/guarding.html |title=Guarding the home skies |journal=America in WWII |publisher=310 Publishing |first=Drew |last=Ames |date=April 2007 |access-date=3 October 2008 |issn=1554-5296}}</ref>

Piper developed a military variant ("All we had to do," Bill Jr. is quoted as saying, "was paint the Cub olive drab to produce a military airplane"),<ref name=spence/> variously designated as the '''O-59''' (1941), '''L-4''' (after April 1942) and '''NE''' (U.S. Navy). The L-4 Grasshopper was mechanically identical to the J-3 civilian Cub, but was distinguishable by the use of a [[Plexiglas]] greenhouse skylight and rear windows for improved visibility, much like the [[Taylorcraft L-2]] and [[Aeronca L-3]] also in use with the US armed forces. It had accommodations for a single passenger in addition to the pilot. When carrying only the pilot, the L-4 had a top speed of {{convert|85|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, a cruise speed of {{convert|75|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, a service ceiling of {{convert|12000|ft|m|0|abbr=on}}, a stall speed of {{convert|38|mph|km/h|0|abbr=on}}, an endurance of three hours,<ref name="FOU">Fountain, Paul, ''The Maytag Messerschmitts'', Flying Magazine, March 1945, p. 90: With one pilot aboard, the L-4 had a maximum endurance of three hours' flight time (no reserve) at a reduced cruising speed of 65 mph.</ref> and a range of {{convert|225|mi|km|0|abbr=on}}.<ref>Gunston, Bill and Bridgman, Leonard, ''Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II'', Studio Editions, {{ISBN|978-1-85170-199-5}} (1989), p. 253</ref> Some 5,413 L-4s were produced for U.S. forces, including 250 built for the U.S. Navy under contract as the NE-1 and NE-2.<ref>Frédriksen, John C., ''Warbirds: An Illustrated guide to U.S. Military Aircraft, 1915–2000'', ABC-CLIO,  {{ISBN|978-1-57607-131-1}} (1999), p. 270</ref><ref>Bishop, Chris, ''The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II'', Sterling Publishing Company, Inc., {{ISBN|978-1-58663-762-0}} (2002), p. 431</ref>

All L-4 models, as well as other tandem-seat light aircraft from [[Aeronca L-3|Aeronca]] and [[L-2 Grasshopper|Taylorcraft]], were collectively nicknamed "Grasshoppers", although any liaison plane, regardless of manufacturer, was often referred to as a 'Cub'. The L-4 was primarily employed in World War II for artillery spotting and training liaison pilots, but short-range reconnaissance, medical evacuation, and courier or supply missions were not uncommon.<ref name=guill/> During the [[Operation Overlord|Allied invasion of France]] in June 1944, the L-4's slow cruising speed and low-level maneuverability made it an ideal observation platform for spotting hidden German guns and armored vehicles waiting in ambush in the hedgerow [[bocage]] country south of the invasion beaches. For these and other operations, the pilot generally carried both an observer and {{convert|25|lb|kg|adj=on}} communications radio, a load that sometimes exceeded the plane's specified gross weight.<ref name="FOU"/> After the Allied breakout in France, L-4s were occasionally equipped with improvised racks (usually in pairs or quartets) of infantry [[bazooka]]s for attacking enemy vehicles. The most famous of these unlikely ground attack planes was an L-4 named ''Rosie the Rocketer'', piloted by Maj. [[Charles Carpenter (Lt. Col.)|Charles "Bazooka Charlie" Carpenter]], whose six bazooka rocket launchers were credited with eliminating several tanks and armored cars during its wartime service,<ref>''What's New in Aviation: Piper Cub Tank Buster'', Popular Science, Vol. 146 No. 2 (February 1945) p. 84</ref><ref>Kerns, Raymond C., Above the Thunder: Reminiscences of a Field Artillery Pilot in World War II, Kent State University Press, {{ISBN|978-0-87338-980-8}} (2009), pp. 23–24, 293–294</ref> especially during the [[Battle of Arracourt]]. L-4s could also be operated from ships, using the [[Brodie landing system]].

After the war, many L-4s were sold as surplus, but a considerable number were retained in service.<ref name="EDW">Edwards, Paul M., ''Korean War Almanac'', Infobase Publishing, {{ISBN|978-0-8160-6037-5}} (2006), p. 502</ref> L-4s sold as surplus in the U.S. were redesignated as J-3s, but often retained their wartime glazing and paint.<ref>"Nicholas Aircraft Sales", ''Flying Magazine'', April 1946, Vol. 38, No. 4, ISSN 0015-4806, p. 106</ref>

===Postwar===
[[File:N98600 (5879666200).jpg|thumb|A 1946-built J3C-65 in 2011]]

An icon of the era and of American [[general aviation]], the J-3 Cub has long been loved by pilots and nonpilots alike, with thousands still in use. Piper sold 19,073 J-3s between 1938 and 1947, the majority of them L-4s and other military variants. After the war, thousands of Grasshoppers were civilian-registered under the designation J-3. Sixty-five pre-war Taylor and Piper Cubs were assembled from parts in Canada (by [[Cub Aircraft Corporation Ltd.]]). After the war, 130 J-3C-65 models were manufactured in Hamilton, Ontario.  Sixteen L-4B models, (known as the '''Prospector'''), were later manufactured.  The last J-3 model was assembled from parts at Leavens Bros. Toronto in 1952.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Price |first1=Cameron |title=Cub Aircraft History |url=https://torontoaviationhistory.com/cub-aircraft-history |website=Toronto Aviation History |access-date=28 February 2020 |archive-date=January 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122153936/https://torontoaviationhistory.com/cub-aircraft-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> J-3 Cubs were also assembled in Denmark<ref>{{cite web |last1=Nikolajsen |first1=Ole |title=Cub Aircraft Co. Ltd. i Lundtofte 1937 - 1940 |url=http://www.ole-nikolajsen.com/danish%20cubs.pdf |website=Ole-Nikolajsen.com |access-date=28 February 2020 |archive-date=April 4, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404013123/http://www.ole-nikolajsen.com/danish%20cubs.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> and Argentina and by a licensee in Oklahoma.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ford |first1=Daniel |title=Cub Production, 1931-2019 |url=http://www.pipercubforum.com/cubprod.htm |website=The Piper Cub Forum |access-date=28 February 2020}}</ref>

In the late 1940s, the J-3 was replaced by the [[Piper PA-11]] Cub Special (1,500 produced), the first Piper Cub version to have a fully enclosed cowling for its powerplant and then the [[Piper PA-18 Super Cub]], which Piper produced until 1981 when it sold the rights to WTA Inc. In all, Piper produced 2,650 Super Cubs. The Super Cub had a 150&nbsp;hp (110&nbsp;kW) engine which increased its top speed to 130&nbsp;mph (210&nbsp;km/h). Its range was {{convert|460|mi|km|0}}.
[[File:1944_Piper_Cub_J-3C-100_HB-OUE_with_rare_Rolls-Royce_100hp_engine.jpg|thumb|1944 Piper Cub J-3C-100 HB-OUE with rare Rolls-Royce 100hp engine. Flugplatz Fricktal Schupfart aerodrome LSZI, Switzerland.]]

===Korean War service===
On 26 June 1950, one day after the Korean War broke out, the Republic of Korea Air Force flew L-4s to Dongducheon to support the ROK 7th Infantry Division against North Korean military by dropping two bombs from an observer in the rear seat. A total of 70 bombs were dropped until the following day, then aircraft were switched back to reconnaissance mission as bombs were depleted. South Korea lost 25 L-4s throughout the Korean War.<ref name="L-4 Korean War">{{Cite book |last=Bak |first=Dongchan |url=http://medcmd.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202105270240172800.pdf |title=Korean War : Weapons of the United Nations |publisher=Ministry of Defense Institute for Military History |date=March 2021 |isbn=979-11-5598-079-8 |location=Republic of Korea |pages=463–466 |language=Korean |access-date=June 27, 2022 |archive-date=September 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920170621/http://medcmd.mil.kr/user/imhc/upload/pblictn/PBLICTNEBOOK_202105270240172800.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The United States Army also operated small numbers of L-4s, but were replaced by L-16 during the war.<ref name="L-4 Korean War"/> The L-4 was in service in many of the same roles it had performed during World War II, such as artillery spotting, forward air control and reconnaissance.<ref name="EDW"/> Some L-4s were fitted with a high-back canopy to carry a single stretcher for medical evacuation of wounded soldiers.<ref name="EDW"/>

===Modern production===
Modernized and up-engined versions are produced by [[Cub Crafters]] of [[Washington (state)|Washington]] and by [[American Legend Aircraft]] in [[Texas]], as the Cub continues to be sought after by [[bush plane|bush]] pilots for its short takeoff and landing ([[STOL]])  capabilities, as well as by recreational pilots for its nostalgia appeal. The new aircraft are actually modeled on the PA-11, though the Legend company does sell an open-cowl version with the cylinder heads exposed, like the J-3 Cub.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clay |first=Rebecca A. |date=2013 |title=Not your grandfather's CE |url=https://doi.org/10.1037/e518652013-014 |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=PsycEXTRA Dataset}}</ref> An electrical system is standard from both manufacturers.{{Citation needed|date=January 2014}}

[[File:Piper J-3C-65 Cubimg 0505.jpg|thumb|A Piper J3C-65 front view showing "eyebrow" air scoops on its engine cylinders]]
The J-3 is distinguished from its successors by having a cowl that exposes its engine's cylinder heads — the exposed cylinders of any J-3's engine were usually fitted with sheet metal "eyebrow" air scoops to direct air over the cylinder's fins for more effective engine cooling in flight. Very few other examples exist of "flat" aircraft engine installations (as opposed to radial engines) in which the cylinder heads are exposed. From the PA-11 on through the present Super Cub models, the cowling surrounds the cylinder heads.<ref name="Supercub">Clark, Anders. (21 November 2014) "[https://disciplesofflight.com/worlds-iconic-airplane-piper-j-3-cub/ Piper J-3 Cub: The World's Most Iconic Airplane]". Disciples of Flight. Retrieved 21 August 2014.</ref>

A curiosity of the J-3 is that when it is flown solo, the lone pilot normally occupies the rear seat for proper balance, to balance the fuel tank located at the firewall. Starting with the PA-11, as well as some L-4s, fuel was carried in wing tanks, allowing the pilot to fly solo from the front seat.<ref name="Supercub"/>

[[File:o'brien's flyingcircus aerobaticsteam cotswoldairshow 2010 arp.jpg|thumb|A "clipped-wing" Piper J3C-65 of O'Briens Flying Circus Aerobatic Stunt Team lands on a moving trailer at [[Cotswold Airport]]]]
[[File:J3 at dock.jpg|thumb|J3-65 on floats, Lake Champlain, Vermont]]