Among the several aircraft in the Cub family the PA-14 Family Cruiser was the first 4 seat production aircraft built by Piper Aircraft. Produced from 1947 to 1948, this particular model became a favorite of mine, not because of any inherent flight characteristic but because of a special chapter in its history involving 5 extraordinary men.
Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and Ed McCully were missionaries part of Operation Auca who, with their families, were dedicated to take Christian love to the Huaorani people of Ecuador.
After several months of exchanging gifts with the Huaorani people these 5 men were unexpectedly speared to death by tribal warriors on January 8, 1956 at a sand bar where they could land their PA-14 and had set up a camp they called Palm Beach.
What's most extraordinary is though the remaining family members were encouraged to seek retaliation, they chose rather to forgive and carry out the Christian work that had begun. Jim Elliot's wife, Elisabeth, and Nate Saint's sister Rachel returned to the jungle to do this work. Through them most of the tribe including 6 of the attackers became Christians. In time, a very young Steve Saint, son of his murdered father Nate, would face his fathers killers.
Seeing these people as heroes of the faith, I would like to remember them by making this build, a 1/10th scale version of the plane they used in their mission, N5156H
Roger Youderian, Pete Fleming, Jim Elliot, Nate Saint, and Ed McCully were missionaries part of Operation Auca who, with their families, were dedicated to take Christian love to the Huaorani people of Ecuador.
After several months of exchanging gifts with the Huaorani people these 5 men were unexpectedly speared to death by tribal warriors on January 8, 1956 at a sand bar where they could land their PA-14 and had set up a camp they called Palm Beach.
What's most extraordinary is though the remaining family members were encouraged to seek retaliation, they chose rather to forgive and carry out the Christian work that had begun. Jim Elliot's wife, Elisabeth, and Nate Saint's sister Rachel returned to the jungle to do this work. Through them most of the tribe including 6 of the attackers became Christians. In time, a very young Steve Saint, son of his murdered father Nate, would face his fathers killers.
Seeing these people as heroes of the faith, I would like to remember them by making this build, a 1/10th scale version of the plane they used in their mission, N5156H
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