Site Content
Additional Information
1944 Piper L-4H Grasshopper
N9217H
43-30430 / 11721
European Theatre Combat L-Bird
Total Time Airframe: 1473+
Engine SMOH: 155
Engine TT: 2660
Prop SNEW: 155
Empty weight 739 Lbs
1220 lbs GW
Flown regularly (2-3 hrs/mo)
Don’s Dream Machines C90-8F, May 2012
Slick Magnetos / Impulse
Stromberg Carb overhaul May 2012
Sensenich W72GK46, new July 2012
Univair Sealed Struts & heavy duty forks, February 2012
Grove Brake STC, February 2012
Restoration & PolyFiber / Tone covering August 2013
Wood spars
406 ELT, Internal VHF antenna, iCom A6 installed
PS Engineering Intercom, PTT
11.5 gallon (additional) in left wing. 23.5 gallons total
Shoulder Harnesses front and rear, fire extinguisher
Scott parking brake valves
Always hangared. Professionally owned & maintained
Annual completed March 2020
Last compressions 78/79/74/78
From the current owner:
I found 43-30430 about 10 years ago in Kentucky. Then she was wearing
Cub yellow, but had the heart and soul of a genuine wartime L-4H. The
documentation found includes the May 1946 receipt from the USAAF
reclamation yard for the aircraft for $300, sold to John S. Fleek, a former
USAAF L-4H pilot who retired and was teaching mathematics at Harvard
University. He had the aircraft shipped to Cambridge, Massachusetts, and
filed a Form 337 converting his new L-4H into a J-3C (see form on last
page). John was one of just a few owners over the years until I found her
and was committed to dressing her back into uniform.
During restoration I was committed to making her as authentic as possible
while making her “flyable” with the addition of the bigger motor, extra gas,
etc. All of the paint, markings, stencils are authentic to the year and unit.
“44” is the designator for the 30th Infantry Division, and B is the second of
the 12 units that were in that division. There is no electric, and no option
to add a starter with the C90-8 motor. Hand propping is just part of the
charm, and she starts right up.
Nearing the end of the restoration I met a 96 year old young man who
was a retired USAAF L-4 aviator. I tried to get him to sign the aircraft, but
he was very unfortunately unable to hold the marker. While we were
chatting, he told stories of sitting on his flak jacket and returning fire with
his Colt 1911. He smiled as he told me, “we were just young men with
nothing but the bare essentials.” At that time the nose art was painted but
she had no name and I was looking for the right one.
Several weeks later, after the help of many friends and dedicated
enthusiasts, “Bear Essentials” took her first flight back in uniform.
** The information translated from the Aircraft Record Card comes from 3
sources: a historian at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum,
a separate private WW2 aircraft historian, and logbook entry's found by
other L-Bird enthusiasts that contain this airframe number.
Please email for access to more pictures, video & data.”
US Army Air Forces Data Card Translation for N9217H / 43-30430 (11721)
6 APR 1944: 43-30430 is “Factory Complete” @ Lockhaven, PA
10 APR 1944: Accepted by USAAF @ factory, Lockhaven, PA
13 APR 1944: AAF takes delivery. Crated and put on train
19 APR 1944: Arrives by train @ Newark, NJ
21 APR 1944: Departs as ships cargo
16 MAY 1944: Arrives @ US Forces Receiving, Attlebridge, England
23 MAY 1944: Receives AGF (Field Artillery) Conditional Inspection
31 JUL 1944: Assigned to “GLUE” – 9th Air Force in England
30 NOV 1944: (recorded 31 JAN 45) transferred to AGF and 30th ID
16 DEC 1944: Battle of the Bulge begins
25 JAN 1945: Battle of the Bulge ends
31 JAN 1945: L-4 turned in to Mobile Reclamation & Repair by 30th ID
01 MAR 1945: L-4 Returned back to 30th Infantry
24 MAR 1945: 30th ID assault at the Rhine
07 APR 1945: 30th ID takes Hamelin then Braunschweig
19 AUG 1945: 30th ID returns to Indiana, USA
31 MAY 1946: L-4 Purchased by John Fleek but stays in theater
AUG ‘45 – APR ‘47: Data Card shows L-4 assigned to 9AAF Training Div
21 MAR 1947: John Fleek issued registration # for 43-30430
30 APR 1947: 43-30430 assigned to Central Field Commission, Paris
13 JUN 1947: Arrives in US and transferred to Foreign Liquidation
28 APR 1948: Airworthiness granted for N9217H
Located at Meadowlake Airport Colorado KFLY.
Delivery available. Will pack and ship anywhere in the world!
