PA28 Cherokee Warrior Front View

*Stencil requires an ultra fine tip Sharpie*

The first of the Warrior series came out in 1974. (Those in the first model year were actually given the Challenger appellation but this was quickly dropped in favor of the Warrior name, to stay consistent with the rest of Piper's Native American-inspired nomenclature.) Warriors carried the PA28-151 designation and racked up 1,898 sales until 1977. That's when the Warrior II (PA28-161) came out. This airplane had 10 more horsepower and was a big hit, with 3,374 sales. The Warrior II advertised a 127-knot cruise speed at 75-percent power (compared to the Warrior's 109 knots). Part of the speed increase was from the more powerful engine; the rest came from improved wheel-fairing aerodynamics. From 1988 to 1990, some Warriors were dubbed Cadets, which were aimed at the trainer market, featured an austere trim package, and could be ordered with either VFR or IFR avionics.  This airplane is still in production today, as the Warrior III model.