HISTORY OF THE HUMBLE PIPER L-4J S/N 13800, 45-5060, N1227N
Manufactured by Piper Aircraft of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, on June 19, 1945, this Piper L-4 was accepted by the U.S. Army on July 3, 1945, and assigned U.S. Army Registration 45-5060. It was shipped by rail to Alameda, California, on July 13, 1945, and departed San Francisco by ship on August 2, 1945, and was sent to the Pacific theater of operations.
The major battle on Saipan occurred from June 15 to July 9, 1944. The U.S. 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions and the U.S. Army 2nd Division invaded the island. Included on the island assault were the Marine Observation Squadrons VMO-2 and VMO-4 operating liaison aircraft. Even though the war officially ended in early September 1945, a group of 46 Japanese soldiers held out in the mountains until finally surrendering on December 1, 1945. Piper L-4J 45-5060 may have been used to drop leaflets to affect the surrender of the Japanese soldiers.”
Twelve months after the war ended it was declared surplus and sold to a Navy ensign for the sum of $400 via bill of sale dated September 18, 1946. The bill of sale indicated the aircraft was assembled but in poor condition.
On July 4, 1948, a letter was sent to the U.S. Department of Commerce from an L.C. Pleger, a U.S. Navy Reserve ensign, asking for help in getting L-4J U.S. Army Registration 45-5060 registered so he could fly it in the United States. The L-4 was initially assigned U.S. registration NC1227N, which later became N1227N.
After returning to the U.S., Piper L-4J was registered by the CAA as a J-3C-65 and went through a number of different owners. For a short time it was even converted to a tricycle gear configuration. Eventually they came to their senses and changed it back to its original tailwheel look.
But the modifications continued as the original 65-hp Continental engine was replaced with a C-85, and the airplane was then converted into a sprayer. With the addition of a hopper it was transformed into a crop duster. That only lasted for 80 hours before the original 65-hp engine was placed back on it. It was flown around the state of Idaho until 1968 until the wings were damaged in a wind storm. It was acquired by Jim, and he basically stored it all those years until he got sick of me pestering him for it as he finally let me talk him out of it in 2011. Colin Powers restore her in three years, from 2012-2015.
In 2016 the bird was the sweepstake 2016 from EAA. Jeffrey Troxel was the happy one to win this humble warbird and took care for it from 2017 till the end 2020. In the first months of 2021 it will start it's second tour overseas. In the ETO it will be flown by me over the south part of Holland and Ardennes in Belgium.
Manufactured by Piper Aircraft of Lock Haven, Pennsylvania, on June 19, 1945, this Piper L-4 was accepted by the U.S. Army on July 3, 1945, and assigned U.S. Army Registration 45-5060. It was shipped by rail to Alameda, California, on July 13, 1945, and departed San Francisco by ship on August 2, 1945, and was sent to the Pacific theater of operations.
The major battle on Saipan occurred from June 15 to July 9, 1944. The U.S. 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions and the U.S. Army 2nd Division invaded the island. Included on the island assault were the Marine Observation Squadrons VMO-2 and VMO-4 operating liaison aircraft. Even though the war officially ended in early September 1945, a group of 46 Japanese soldiers held out in the mountains until finally surrendering on December 1, 1945. Piper L-4J 45-5060 may have been used to drop leaflets to affect the surrender of the Japanese soldiers.”
Twelve months after the war ended it was declared surplus and sold to a Navy ensign for the sum of $400 via bill of sale dated September 18, 1946. The bill of sale indicated the aircraft was assembled but in poor condition.
On July 4, 1948, a letter was sent to the U.S. Department of Commerce from an L.C. Pleger, a U.S. Navy Reserve ensign, asking for help in getting L-4J U.S. Army Registration 45-5060 registered so he could fly it in the United States. The L-4 was initially assigned U.S. registration NC1227N, which later became N1227N.
After returning to the U.S., Piper L-4J was registered by the CAA as a J-3C-65 and went through a number of different owners. For a short time it was even converted to a tricycle gear configuration. Eventually they came to their senses and changed it back to its original tailwheel look.
But the modifications continued as the original 65-hp Continental engine was replaced with a C-85, and the airplane was then converted into a sprayer. With the addition of a hopper it was transformed into a crop duster. That only lasted for 80 hours before the original 65-hp engine was placed back on it. It was flown around the state of Idaho until 1968 until the wings were damaged in a wind storm. It was acquired by Jim, and he basically stored it all those years until he got sick of me pestering him for it as he finally let me talk him out of it in 2011. Colin Powers restore her in three years, from 2012-2015.
In 2016 the bird was the sweepstake 2016 from EAA. Jeffrey Troxel was the happy one to win this humble warbird and took care for it from 2017 till the end 2020. In the first months of 2021 it will start it's second tour overseas. In the ETO it will be flown by me over the south part of Holland and Ardennes in Belgium.
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