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Piper Aviation in the 1930s

Editor’s Note: In honor of the days when the sound of Piper planes overhead served as the soundtrack of Lock Haven, Piper Aviation Museum and The Express are collaborating on this series of stories about the planes and events that defined the history of Piper in our town.

By JOHN BRYERTON

For The Express

William.T. Piper, an oil man and banker by trade, and Gilbert Taylor each owned 50 percent of the Taylor Aircraft Company in Bradford, Pa. In 1935, Mr. Piper and Mr. Taylor had a disagreement about Mr. Piper’s attempts to make some major improvements to the Taylor airplanes and the company was having some financial problems.

On Dec. 18, 1935, Mr. Taylor agreed to sell his half of the company to Mr. Piper and Mr. Taylor went off to Ohio to start a new company called Taylorcraft Corporation. Meanwhile, Mr. Piper continued to manage the Taylor Aircraft Company and produce the Taylor E-2.

In March of 1936, the first J-2 Cub was introduced and production of this airplane continued as a Taylor J-2 Cub until the factory was totally destroyed by fire on March 16, 1937.

That year, 1937, was very eventful for Piper. Picking up the pieces and making use of the meager insurance money, Piper continued to build the J-2 at various locations around Bradford. Often times, these locations were little more than small garages, but production continued.

Later that year, through some local connections, Mr. Piper became aware that the former Susquehanna Silk Mill building in Lock Haven was empty and for sale. A deal was struck on June 14, 1937 at a stated purchase price of $95,000. Two days later, the move started on June 16. It took approximately two weeks.

Shortly after the move and production of the J-2 had resumed, the name of the company was changed to the Piper Aircraft Corporation and production started on the J-3. Therefore, the first airplane built in Lock Haven to carry a Piper Identification plate was a J-2 S/N 1937 with registration number NC20137.

By November 1937, Piper engineering had made several improvements to the J-2 and the now famous J-3 Cub began to roll out the door. The Cub, usually recognized as the iconic airplane of Piper, had arrived. Counting all variations of the J-3, Piper build over 20,000 from 1937 until 1947 and most were built right here in Lock Haven.

Information compiled by Dusty Guerra. Details provided by Piper Historian Roger W. Peperell.

Piper Aviation in the 1930s

Editor’s Note: In honor of the days when the sound of Piper planes overhead served as the soundtrack of Lock Haven, Piper Aviation Museum and The Express are collaborating on this series of stories about the planes and events that defined the history of Piper in our town.

By JOHN BRYERTON

For The Express

William.T. Piper, an oil man and banker by trade, and Gilbert Taylor each owned 50 percent of the Taylor Aircraft Company in Bradford, Pa. In 1935, Mr. Piper and Mr. Taylor had a disagreement about Mr. Piper’s attempts to make some major improvements to the Taylor airplanes and the company was having some financial problems.

On Dec. 18, 1935, Mr. Taylor agreed to sell his half of the company to Mr. Piper and Mr. Taylor went off to Ohio to start a new company called Taylorcraft Corporation. Meanwhile, Mr. Piper continued to manage the Taylor Aircraft Company and produce the Taylor E-2.

In March of 1936, the first J-2 Cub was introduced and production of this airplane continued as a Taylor J-2 Cub until the factory was totally destroyed by fire on March 16, 1937.

That year, 1937, was very eventful for Piper. Picking up the pieces and making use of the meager insurance money, Piper continued to build the J-2 at various locations around Bradford. Often times, these locations were little more than small garages, but production continued.

Later that year, through some local connections, Mr. Piper became aware that the former Susquehanna Silk Mill building in Lock Haven was empty and for sale. A deal was struck on June 14, 1937 at a stated purchase price of $95,000. Two days later, the move started on June 16. It took approximately two weeks.

Shortly after the move and production of the J-2 had resumed, the name of the company was changed to the Piper Aircraft Corporation and production started on the J-3. Therefore, the first airplane built in Lock Haven to carry a Piper Identification plate was a J-2 S/N 1937 with registration number NC20137.

By November 1937, Piper engineering had made several improvements to the J-2 and the now famous J-3 Cub began to roll out the door. The Cub, usually recognized as the iconic airplane of Piper, had arrived. Counting all variations of the J-3, Piper build over 20,000 from 1937 until 1947 and most were built right here in Lock Haven.

Information compiled by Dusty Guerra. Details provided by Piper Historian Roger W. Peperell.

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