Aeronca L-3

Aeronca · United States · first flew 1941 · light aircraft

The Aeronca L-3 Grasshopper was a militarised version of the civilian Aeronca Champion pressed into US Army service as a liaison and artillery-spotting aircraft during World War II. Simple, slow, and nimble, it excelled at low-altitude observation.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	6.4 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Tandem-seat high-wing light monoplane with fabric covering
Continental flat-four engine in a close-fitting cowl
WWII US Army liaison and observation aircraft, militarised Aeronca Champion

A strut-braced high-wing monoplane with a fabric-covered tubular frame, tandem seating, and a small flat-four engine; virtually identical in outline to the Piper L-4 and Taylorcraft L-2.

Specifications

The Aeronca L-3 has a length of 6.4 m (21 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.67 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 137 km/h (85 mph).
Typical crew: 2.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Adopted by the US Army alongside similar types such as the Piper L-4, the L-3 flew in all theatres of World War II from 1941 onwards, directing artillery fire and evacuating wounded personnel. Thousands were built under wartime contracts.

Variants

The L-3A through L-3C designations reflect successive minor improvements; the basic airframe remained essentially the Aeronca 65TC Champion throughout.

Where you'll see it

L-3s served across all theatres of WWII and some passed to allied air forces; many were demobilised after 1945 and became popular as affordable civilian light aircraft.

Related aircraft

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