Piper Cub L-4 unit designation

[Paul]

298522 is the serial # for the L-5...

[tallyho]

Paul,
I'm a newbie to this site, and I notice you seem to have a way to dig up info on L-4 Cubs. I have The Fighting Grasshoppers book by Ken Wakefield, and in it (p.36) he states "...ten (L-4s) were subsequently transferred to the British..." My question: Is there a place where I might find info and/or photos of any of these. I am particularly interested in the paint color schemes they might have had, or the color schemes of any Cubs that were in British Commonwealth service

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Cheers
Kerry

[Leendert]

Kerry,

There's a picture of a RAF Grasshopper here: http://www.century-of-flight.net/Avi...rasshopper.htm

Regards,

Leendert

[Leendert]

There's another one here, but also see remark:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/R.A.F...Cub/1278276/M/

Regards,

Leendert

[tallyho]

Leendert,
Thanks for the reply.

I've seen the picture of the 'Flitfire' original, and have seen the other with the 'Flitfire' paint scheme in person. What I am looking for is something about actual, in-service use of the Cub by the Brits, and all I have to go on is that one statement (see my orig post) from The Fighting Grasshoppers that some were given to the British.

My guess (and it is only a guess) is that they would have painted them like they did their Austers:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Taylo...ter/1615551/M/
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Taylo...ter/1608463/M/

This is just one of those things that happen from time to time, a tidbit of information, or an idea, that carried to an extreme can lead to an obsession - and I think I'm close to becoming obsessed to find out about those British Cubs!

Cheers
Kerry

[Leendert]

Something in the color like this? See: http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1096734/

Don't know if this one is still original, but FR886 was one of a few delivered to the RAF for evaluation as Piper Cub Mk. 1.

Regads,

Leendert

[tallyho]

Leendert,
Yes, like that. I have seen this picture before but never had information that it was original. And your statement that FR886 was one of the ones delivered to the RAF as Piper Cub Mk 1 is the first indication of British Cubs I have read other than Ken Wakefield's statement that 10 L-4s were delivered to the British. Do you have any other info on what happened to the Mk1 Cubs?

In fact I had a Piper Cub in the 1970s that I painted in British markings without doing any detailed research. I did it because I wanted a Cub that wasn't yellow, and as a kid, I had been interested in the RAF and RCAF, and my flying instructors in the 1960s had been RAF/RCAF WWII veterans.

I figured if I painted my Cub in those colors I could pretend it was a Spitfire.

Cheers
Kerry

[Paul]

Kerry,

According to Ken the silver 'L-4s' seen in RAF markings were actually fund raising "Flitfire" J3 Cubs, civilian aircraft based in the USA. Ken was unable to find evidence in official records that any served with the RAF. If they were actually delivered he suspects they were held in storage at a Maintenance Unit until scrapped or otherwise disposed of, but he has no evidence to support this.

Take care,

Paul

[RyanShort1]

Originally Posted by Paul

Kerry,

According to Ken the silver 'L-4s' seen in RAF markings were actually fund raising "Flitfire" J3 Cubs, civilian aircraft based in the USA. Ken was unable to find evidence in official records that any served with the RAF. If they were actually delivered he suspects they were held in storage at a Maintenance Unit until scrapped or otherwise disposed of, but he has no evidence to support this.

Take care,

Paul

We operate a replica "Flitfire" at Cannon Field in San Antonio, TX. Here's a link from the Alamo Liaison Squadron's website: http://www.als-cannonfield.com/Flitfire.htm. As far as I know, ALL of the "Flitfires" were civilian.

Ryan

[tallyho]

Paul,
Thanks for that info on the history of the Flitfires, and the replica flown by the ALS.

I have been fortunate enough to get some time in a Cuby L-4 (it is sort of a Flitfire replica) owned by the Skagit Aero Education Musuem in Concrete WA. Though it is not quite accurate as either a Flitfire or an L-4 it is just as much fun to fly.

It was built in Canada and you will note the Canadian registration in the pic. It is now US registered as N1775.


Cheers
Kerry