The L-4 Grasshopper was the military derivative of Piper’s famous civilian high-wing monoplane—the J-3 Cub. The U.S. Army Air Force turned to the J-3 in military guise as it sought a rugged yet lightweight aircraft for liaison and observation duties in direct support of ground forces. The primary difference between the civil and military versions is the enlarged window area in the rear cabin to allow better observation. During World War II, Grasshoppers performed a wide variety of functions throughout the world such as artillery fire direction, pilot training, glider pilot instruction, courier service and front-line liaison. The L-4 Grasshopper served with distinction in both World War II and Korea.
Modelers who want to re-create the glory days of the Grasshopper can now do so with E-flite’s built-up balsa version of the L-4. Combining the compact size of a classic balsa free-flight model with full 4-channel control, the Piper L-4 Grasshopper 250 is an exciting alternative to the usual park flyer experience. Its exceptionally low parts count and time-saving features like the magnetically secured plug-in wings make assembly about as easy as it gets for an ARF.
In the air, its docile flight characteristics and gorgeous scale appearance will reward you with one of the most enjoyable park flying experiences available. Plus, it’s small enough and slow enough to fly in a large indoor venue whenever the park isn’t an option.
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