J3 piper cub
The Piper J-3 Cub is one of the most recognisable and beloved light aircraft in aviation history. Developed in the United States during the 1930s, the Cub traces its roots back to the Taylor E-2 Cub, designed by C. Gilbert Taylor and originally produced by the Taylor Aircraft Company. When investor William T. Piper took over the struggling company in 1937, he refined the design and rebranded the business as Piper Aircraft Corporation. The result was the J-3 Cub - simple, affordable, and endlessly versatile.
Traditionally with bright yellow paint, tandem seating, and a fabric-covered frame, the Cub quickly earned a reputation as “the Model T of the air”. It was ideal for primary training, private ownership, and utility roles — offering just enough performance to be useful, but forgiving enough for new pilots to handle. During WWII, nearly 20,000 Cubs were built, with many used for military liaison, training, and reconnaissance roles under the name L-4 Grasshopper.
In New Zealand, only three J-3 Cubs were imported before the war - two 65hp variants and one 50hp model, ZK-AHD - making them a rare sight today compared to the far more numerous Tiger Moth. Despite their scarcity, the Cub’s gentle flying characteristics, forgiving handling, and low operating cost earned them a loyal following among aero clubs and private pilots alike .
A History of ZK-AHD
ZK-AHD is one of the earliest Piper J-3 Cubs built. Manufactured in the United States in 1939, she was the second of three Piper J-3C imported that year by New Zealand’s Piper agent, Barnard Owen. On 20 April 1939, she was officially registered as ZK-AHD to J.R. Franklin, a farmer from Pōrangahau in Central Hawke’s Bay.
Unlike many civilian aircraft of the time, ZK-AHD was not taken up by the RNZAF during World War II. Instead, she spent the war years safely stored in Pōrangahau — although later accounts suggest Franklin may have received a limited fuel allocation to use AHD for coastal patrols, watching for suspicious maritime activity. If true, that would make her one of very few civil-registered aircraft to remain active during wartime.
After the war, she returned to the skies and in 1948, Franklin flew her all the way to Dunedin to attend the Otago Centennial RNZAC pageant at Taieri — an ambitious cross-country journey for a 50hp Cub! She also attended the 1949 RNZAC pageant at Mangere in Auckland.
In 1955, her registration passed to J.W. Franklin of Waipukurau, and two years later she was sold to the Central Hawke’s Bay Aero Club, who operated her until 1960, when she changed hands again to R.A. Armstrong of Hastings. Ownership later passed to John L. Armstrong of Waipukurau in 1975, and it was during this period that ZK-AHD spent a number of years stored at Masterton.
After a full renovation, ZK-AHD returned to the skies on 17 January 2014 remaining in John Armstrong’s care, but operated by the Wairarapa Flying Tigers Inc. Based at Hood Aerodrome in Masterton, she has since become a familiar sight in local skies.
We are incredibly grateful to the Armstrongs for entrusting the next period of her custodianship with us. She is a very important part of the Legend Aviation collection. ZK-AHD continues her 80+ year flying story as one of the oldest, most charming aircraft still operating in New Zealand.
Unfortunately, ZK-AHD is not available for adventure aviation flights
