J-2 Cub

A yellow small aircraft with two passengers seated inside, parked on a grassy field with mountains and trees in the background.

The Taylor Aircraft Company designed the J-2 to improve its original Cub design. Manufacturing began in 1936 in Bradford, PA however, this factory experienced a fire, so production was moved to Lock Haven, PA in 1937. In the same year, Taylor Aircraft Company became Piper Aircraft Company, which is why this aircraft is known both as a Taylor J-2 and a Piper J-2. Over the course of its production, 1,207 J-2s were produced.

Major General Marion Carl’s J-2 Cub

The image shows a yellow vintage aircraft inside a hangar, with part of the plane's wing, engine, and cockpit visible. There are other airplanes and aviation equipment in the background.

  • Marion Carl was born on November 1st, 1915, on his family's dairy farm in Hubbard, Oregon. He studied aeronautical engineering at Oregon State University and graduated as a lieutenant in the Army Reserve.

    After college, he became a naval aviation cadet and soon began to train other squads until the start of WWII. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Carl’s naval group was rushed to Wake Island.

    Marion Carl first saw action during the Battle of Midway, where he was credited with shooting down one enemy Zero fighter. 15 of the 25 planes launched with Marion were lost.

    In the following months, he would be credited with shooting down 10 more aircraft, double the requirement to be titled as an Ace. he was even credited with shooting down Japanese Ace Junichi Sasai. In total, Marion Carl was credited with downing 18.5 enemy aircraft.

    After the war, he would become a test pilot, helping pioneer jet technology. During the Vietnam War, Marion began as a colonel and rose to the rank of inspector general of the Marine Corps. It is reported that, despite his age and senior position, Marion would regularly fly combat missions in helicopter gunships

    He retired in 1973 and moved back home to Oregon. He and his Wife Edna lived together in Roseburg. In 1998, while protecting his wife from an intruder, Marion Carl was shot and murdered.

Yellow vintage aircraft on display in a museum, surrounded by photos and artifacts.

This was Marion Carl’s J-2 Cub; he completed his first-ever solo flight in this aircraft in 1938 in Corvallis.