Piper PA-14 Family Cruiser   N5192H                (c/n  14-510)


                                 

                                      The PA-14 was basically a four seat PA-12.  Externally, they were difficult to tell apart.  In the event,
                                      the Family Cruiser was some 4 inches wider than the Super Cruiser.   At its original selling price of
                                      $3825 in 1948 it was the cheapest four-seater in the world.  Problem was, Piper was losing money
                                      on every one they built, and even with the price increased to $3985, they made little, if any profit..
                                      Not only that, but 1948 was also the year in which the U.S. Government dumped some 30,000 war
                                      surplus aircraft onto the civilian market with dire results for many of the plane makers of the day (Globe,
                                      Republic, Commonwealth, Luscombe, etc).   Only 238 Family Cruisers were built and the design was
                                      superceded by the all-new PA-16 in 1949.

                                      Note:   There never was a PA-13 for the same reason that Hotels and Hospitals don't have a 13th floor.
                                      In Taiwan (China), incidently, the taboo number is four, - same sound as "death" and also "lion", turns out.