The story
Taylorcraft built the Model D in 1941 to win tandem-seat training work, borrowing the seating of the old J-2 Cub. When its designers lowered the top longeron for better visibility, C.G. Taylor had them restore the classic Taylorcraft profile with a plywood turtle hump. After about 200 civil Ds the line switched to Army orders, first as the O-57 and from 1942 as the L-2. The L-2A traded the hump for clear glazing, and the L-2M added wing spoilers and a close-fitting cowl. The L-2 mostly served in a training role at home, few went overseas, and many joined the civil register after the war.
General Innis P. Swift of the 1st Cavalry Division is credited with coining the Grasshopper name after watching a light Army plane make a bumpy landing during the 1941 maneuvers.
Quick answers
How do you identify a D (L-2 Grasshopper)?
A Taylorcraft with the seats in tandem, so one head behind the other under a high wing. Military L-2s have clear glazing over and behind the cabin, where a prewar civil Model D has a solid turtle hump. An L-2A shows its cylinder heads in an open cowl, while an L-2M has a close-fitting full cowl. Olive drab with a white star usually means a restored L-2, but the Piper L-4 and Aeronca L-3 wear the same paint and similar glazing, so look twice before you call it.
What does a D (L-2 Grasshopper) sound like?
A 65 hp Continental flat-four ticking along at Cub-like speeds.
How fast is the D (L-2 Grasshopper)?
Top speed is 80 kts (92 mph) (L-2A).
How many passengers does the D (L-2 Grasshopper) carry?
Up to 1. A typical layout is Two seats in tandem, pilot and observer.
How far can the D (L-2 Grasshopper) fly?
Range is about 263 nmi (L-2A).
How big is the D (L-2 Grasshopper)?
It is 22 ft 9 in long and 35 ft 5 in across the wings.
When did the D (L-2 Grasshopper) first fly?
Its first flight was in 1941.
How many D (L-2 Grasshopper)s have been built?
2,348 (all Model D, most as O-57 and L-2) built.
How rare is a D (L-2 Grasshopper) in Bogey?
COMMON. Everyday traffic. You will catch plenty of these, and every first catch still counts. Your first D (L-2 Grasshopper) catch is worth 25 points.
