The Piper L-4J Cub is a two-seat single engine high wing light aircraft
used by the military as an air observation post. Piper Aircraft Corporation
built 14,125 civil Cubs between 1938 and 1947, and 5,673 for the military
between 1942 and 1945. Their military nickname was "Grasshopper". |
Piper J3-C-65 Cub D-EJAO s/n 12162 flew first in 1944 as 44-79866. During WWII, the
44-79866 entered service with the United States Army Air Force. After WWII the Piper J3-C-65 was transferred to France
and entered service with the ALAT - Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (French Army Light Aviation) as 479866. After being
withdrawn from military service, the Cub was sold on the civil market. On 25 September 1959, the Cub entered the civil register
as OO-RAM (with fuselage no.11990). On 10 May 1985, registration OO-RAM was cancelled as exported to the UK. On 17 May 1985,
the aircraft was registered G-AJAO. On 3 May 2001, registration G-AJAO was cancelled as exported to Germany, and registered
D-EJAO. On 15 May 2002, the Piper J3-C-65 Cub was registered PH-LIK in the Netherlands. The aircraft was painted in ML-KNIL
R-344 colors. Over the years, the Piper J3-C-65 Cub became part of the aviation museum 'Vliegend Museum Seppe' located at
Breda International Airport and was a wellknown visitor at fly-ins. On 26 June 2019, registration PH-LIK was cancelled and
the aircraft was registered 2-KNIL in Guernsey. As before, the Cub is based at Seppe / Breda International Airport.
On 16 August 2008, Piper J3-C-65 Cub c/n 12162 (frame 11990) was seen in ML-KNIL R-344 colors at Schaffen-Diest aerodrome
in Belgium. Despite being registered PH-LIK in 2002, the old D-EJAO registration was still on the plane. |