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Grasshopper Pilot

Discussion in 'WWII Books & Publications' started by Pacifist, Jun 28, 2015.

  1. Pacifist

    Pacifist Active Member

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    Just finished Julian Cummings short memoir (92pg) of flying the L-4 Piper Cub. http://www.amazon.com/Grasshopper-Pilot-Julian-William-Cummings/dp/0873388321

    Julian joined early and assisted in operation Torch, Sicily, and Italy. Before being resigned stateside to train pilots. In '45 he was sent to the Pacific to field test the L-5 equipped with a television camera that could broadcast it's picture back to the artillery battery or ship.

    It's filled with anecdotes I've never heard before such as:

    During Torch 3 Piper Cubs took off from the Ranger to assist the landing forces. Moments after take off they were fired upon by friendly ships due to inadequate identification training. Then after reaching the coast one was shot down by American .50 cal fire for the same reason.

    Due to the lack of aircraft carrier support during the landing at Sicily they built a 216 ft by 10 ft runway on top of an LST to launch 2 cubs for artillery support and intelligence gathering. Unable to land on the LST he was forced to put down on the hill overlooking the beach to refuel and continue the mission.

    Overall an interesting if brief read. I was wondering if anyone had recommendations for similar books. For that matter did the British have any use for the Piper?
     
  2. Takao

    Takao Ace

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    Yeah, those LST carriers were something else. The could carry up to 8 Piper Cubs that could be launched from, but not land back aboard.

    Even more ingenious...or crazy... was the Brodie Take Off and Landing System, that was put into use on LSTs in the Pacific.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Wrz20iLAEA
    Take offs and landings start at 7:20.
     
  3. 15thusinfantry

    15thusinfantry New Member

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    I only knew one person who flew an L-5, and that was in the CBI. He was a sergeant. He broke his arm landing near a crashed B-25. He was there to confirm if there were any alive and bring back evidence of one of the occupants. He brought back a battered pith helmet. If I remember right a helicopter rescued him and his co-pilot/observer . He flipped the plane on landing in a rough area. His copilot was in worse shape. He lived about 10 miles from me and I went to school with his kids.
     
  4. Biak

    Biak Boy from Illinois Staff Member

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    I was able to 'visit' one of the planes used for training. Believe it was a 1941 model. If the weather had been better they were going to take me up, but all I got was a few pictures, a couple of "Stories" and a lot of wishful thinking.

    [​IMG]
     

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