Editing Piper Aircraft (section)

===1940s===
Piper continued operations in Lock Haven throughout World War II, building military versions of its J-3 Cub as the L-4 Grasshopper. A total of 5,941 powered aircraft were built by the company for the US armed forces during the war, as well as training [[glider aircraft|gliders]], and aircraft components for other manufacturers,<ref name="Trimble218">Trimble (1982), p. 218</ref> but its main contribution to the war effort was in the fabrication of steel masts for mounting [[radar]] antennas.<ref>Gilbert (1965), p. 34</ref> In 1946, the company opened a new factory in [[Ponca City, Oklahoma]], and transferred production of the Cub from Lock Haven. That year, Piper led the American industry in light aircraft production. Almost 7,800 of the 35,000 civil aircraft built in the United States that year were Pipers, but a strike led to a shortage of steel tubing, interrupting production, and 1,900 workers had to be suspended as a result.<ref name="Brady244"/><ref name="Pattillo50">Pattillo (1998), p. 50</ref>

The following year, the postwar [[general aviation]] boom ended.  This led to a downfall for the company. Piper's output reached 3,500 aircraft, less than half its 1946 total, and the company suffered an operating loss of more than $560,000.<ref name="Brady244">Brady (2000), p. 244</ref><ref name="Trimble243">Trimble (1982), p. 243</ref> The board of directors replaced William Piper with William Shriver, a former [[Chrysler]] executive.<ref name="Trimble243"/> Under Shriver, the product line was expanded with the introduction of the [[Piper PA-14 Family Cruiser|PA-14 Family Cruiser]] and [[Piper PA-15 Vagabond|PA-15 Vagabond]].<ref name="Trimble243"/> Piper introduced the Taxicub light charter concept at 1500 dealers and 52 distributors.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=AOPA Pilot|date=May 2014|title=Aerial Taxicabs|author=Alton K Marsh|page=45}}</ref> In 1948, with two thirds of its workforce laid off, Piper only lost $75,000, but it found itself no longer the leader in a shrinking market, falling behind Cessna, which itself only delivered 1,600 aircraft; the Ponca City factory was closed.<ref name="Brady244"/><ref name="Trimble243"/> At the end of 1948, Piper bought the [[Stinson Aircraft Company]] for $3 million and Shriver left the company.<ref name="Trimble244">Trimble (1982), p. 244</ref>