When Flying a 'Little Yellow Bird' Became a White-Knuckle Affair

Delivering a former Civil Air Patrol Piper J-4 Cub provides a journey back in time.

Gary Figgins

Wednesday, September 18, 2024 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

[Courtesy: Garry Figgins]

Key Takeaways:

Pilots embarked on a challenging, multi-stop flight in a 1940 Piper J-4 Cub from Missouri to Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, battling 20-knot headwinds to deliver the aircraft to an airshow.
The J-4 Cub boasts a significant WWII history, having served with the Civil Air Patrol and notably flown by Frances Nolde, one of the first female colonels in CAP, for ferrying cargo and personnel.
After being extensively restored following hurricane damage, the aircraft's rediscovered CAP lineage earned it an invitation to the "Thunder Over the Rock" airshow, where it represented its historical significance and inspired attendees.

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The windsock whipped back and forth above us as we completed the external preflight and checked the cowl fasteners one last time. Climbing into the bright yellow 1940 Piper J-4 Cub, one of my longtime flying friends, David Wilkins, and I fastened our seat belts and purposely made our way down the preignition checklist. With the “before start” list out of the way, we continued through the “engine start” portion, then inched forward to check the heel brakes and flight controls before moving on to the run-up.

The weather briefing we had reviewed a half hour earlier promised a 20-knot headwind that would require two fuel stops on the 130-mile trip from our home airport in Kennett, Missouri (KTKX), to Little Rock Air Force Base (KLRF) in Arkansas. The windsock promised that getting the little yellow bird into the air would be a white-knuckle affair. We knew the flight would be anything but smooth.