Piper J-4
| J-4 Cub Coupe | |
|---|---|
 Piper J-4A Cub Coupe displayed at the Pima Air Museum, Tucson, Arizona in 2005 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Trainer and private owner aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Piper |
| Status | many still flying as of 2014 |
| Number built | 1,251 |
| History | |
| Manufactured | 1938-1942 |
| Introduction date | 1938 |
| First flight | May 1938 |
The Piper J-4 Cub Coupe is a two place side-by-side version of the Piper J-3 that was built between 1938 and 1942 by Piper Aircraft. It was Piper's first model with side-by-side seating.
Development
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The fuselage of the J-4 was wider than the J-3 and the aircraft had a fully enclosed rear decking to the fuselage top.[1] The first J-4s had a Continental 50 hp A50 engine with upward-facing exhaust ports, an open cowl, oil and spring landing gear, a modified tail wheel system and many other changes. The early J-4 had a comfortable cockpit but was slower than most side by side aircraft of the day.
The 1940 J-4A gained a fully enclosed cowling, a Continental 65 hp A65 engine, and aft auxiliary fuel. The J-4B was fitted with a 60 hp Franklin 4AC-171 engine.[2] The final version was the 1941 J-4E which sported a 75 hp Continental engine and redesigned interior. The main fuel tank was moved to the wing along with a header tank. Performance was now on par with similar contemporary types, but the attack on Pearl Harbor sealed its fate as all civilian aircraft manufacture came to a stop with the entry of the United States into World War II.[3]
Some J-4s had another unique feature in the tail construction: the stabilizer was made of stainless steel tubing, riveted together with gussets.
Variants
[edit]- J-4
- powered by a 50-hp (37-kW) Continental A50-1 piston engine.
- J-4A
- powered by a 65-hp (48-kW) Continental A65-1 or -8 piston engine.
- J-4B
- powered by a 60-hp (45-kW) Franklin 4AC-171 or 65-hp (48-kW) 4AC-176-B2 piston engine.
- J-4E
- powered by a 75-hp (56-kW) Continental A75-9 piston engine.
- J-4F
- powered by a 55-hp (41-kW) Avco Lycoming O-145-A1, -A2 or 65-hp (48-kW) O-145-B1 piston engine.
Specification (J-4A)
[edit]General characteristics Performance
Data from Simpson, 2001, p. 430.
General characteristics
- Length: 22 ft 6 in (6.86 m)
- Wingspan: 36 ft 2 in (11.02 m)
- Height: 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
- Gross weight: 1,300 lb (589.67 kg)
- Powerplant: 1 × Continental A65-1 piston engine , 65 hp (48 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 100 mph (160.93 km/h, 87 kn)
- Cruise speed: 92 mph (148.06 km/h, 80 kn)
- Range: 360 mi (579.36 km, 310 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,572 m)
- Rate of climb: 600 ft/min (3.04 m/s)
See also
[edit]Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Related lists
References
[edit]- Notes
- ^ Simpson, 2001, p.429
- ^ Simpson, 2001, p.429
- ^ "Cub Coupe". www.pimaair.org. Pima Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
The J-4 remained an excellent selling product for Piper until December 1941 when all civilian aircraft manufacture came to a stop with the entry of the United States into World War II.
- Bibliography
- Simpson, Rod (2001). Airlife's World Aircraft. Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-115-3.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Piper J-4 at Wikimedia Commons