Taylorcraft J-2

Taylorcraft Aircraft · United States · first flew 1936 · light aircraft

The Taylorcraft J-2 (later marketed as the Taylor-Young Airplane Company Model A) was an American two-seat high-wing lightplane of the late 1930s, designed for affordable private flying with side-by-side seating. It was a direct ancestor of the classic Taylorcraft BC series.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	6.83 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Side-by-side two-seat high-wing light aircraft of the 1930s
Strut-braced fabric-covered wing typical of pre-war American lightplanes
Continental A-40 flat-four engine of modest power

Very similar in appearance to the Piper J-3 Cub but with side-by-side seating rather than tandem, identifiable by its slightly wider cabin and twin side windows.

Specifications

The Taylorcraft J-2 has a length of 6.83 m (22 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.72 m (35 ft).
Its maximum speed is 140 km/h (87 mph).
Typical crew: 1–2.

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

History

Designed by Clarence Taylor after he left Piper, the J-2 entered production around 1936–1937 and sold well to private flyers seeking an economical alternative to the Piper J-3 Cub. The design evolved into the Taylorcraft BC and the wartime L-2 liaison series.

Variants

The J-2 led directly to the improved Model A, B, and BC series with more powerful engines; wartime variants included the L-2 Grasshopper military liaison aircraft.

Where you'll see it

Widely used by private owners across the United States before World War II; the military L-2 derivative served with the US Army in liaison and observation roles.

Related aircraft

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