Janey, WW II Piper Cub, Flies Again!

  Harold Miller knew Capt. Alfred “Dutch” W. Schultz, the World War II pilot of Janey, an L-4B Piper Cub and decided to restore his Cub to look like Janey. Schultz and Janey had flown in support of the 3rd Infantry Division for two and one-half years from Morocco through North Africa, Sicily, Italy, Southern France and Germany. It took five years to complete the restoration of Miller’s Cub.   Jerry Heller with Harold Miller standing next to “Janey” with Karen Heller peering into cockpit- November 1999

The late Harold Miller Sr., of Leland, Illinois, had long been an admirer of the men who flew the L-4B Piper Cubs as artillery spotting planes during World War II. So when he had an opportunity to buy an L-4B some years ago, he did so without considering a merchant cash advance, he did it even though the plane looked as if it were ready for the junkyard.

The airplane was built in Easton, Maryland by a 62 year old paraplegic craftsman, Robert Hopkins. Bob spent five years on his “labor of love”, completing 95% of the work himself.    

Not much room in the back seat…340 lb payload including pilot and passenger

Meanwhile, Schultz’s book, Janey: A Little Plane in a Big War, had been published in May 1998. Six months later, Miller’s Janey restoration made its maiden flight with Miller’s grandson, John, at the controls. John Miller took off from Easton, Maryland on November 22 in the restored L-4B painted to look like the original Janey. Destination: Leland, Illinois where his grandfather keeps his other Piper Cubs. It took three days for the Piper Cub to reach Leland, where it was met by Harold Miller, Sr., his son Harold Miller, Jr. and Alfred “Dutch” W. Schultz.

For Schultz, the landing of the Janey look-alike at Leland, Illinois was an emotional moment. He hadn’t seen the original Janey since August 1945 when it had been exhibited under the Eiffel Tower in Paris along with American fighters and bombers. All efforts to find the original Janey since then have failed.

Photo courtesy of Jim Young

This account courtesy of Southfarm Press.

The plane Janey and its pilot Capt. “Dutch” Schultz, are featured in the book ‘Janey: A Little Plane in a Big War’ by Alfred W. Schultz, Kirk Neff Hardcover (May 1998)

Dutch Was A Spotter A spotter of opportunities To make money Memories and Friends.

A spotter of exotic places To Experience Savor and Share.

A spotter of worthy causes To talk about Champion and Fund.

A spotter of the noble In humanity Nature and Art.

A spotter he’ll always be God’s eye In the Sky.

Available from: WAR BOOKS FROM SOUTHFARM PRESS SOUTHFARM PRESS, Publisher P.O. Box 1296 Middletown, CT 06457 Click here to order “Janey” from amazon.comThe L4 / ME-l09 Incident Notes of Major James R. Stegall – Retired United States Army Memoirs of an L-4 Pilot