SushiSeeker

I am not here to bash what has to be one of the most popular airplanes of all time model or fullscale. Rather I am honestly asking to better understand the Piper Cub's popularity.

- Cubs look like a high wing trainer, it seems you would quickly get bored flying one of these
- They have the face only a mother could love (can you say yellow overkill)

I’ve flown one on RealFlight and they don’t seem to be all that exciting, so what’s so great about the cub?

ChuckW

The Cub was the Model-T Ford of the aircraft industry. It was inexpensive and produced in large numbers. Pilots all over the world learned to fly in one. They did service as both civilian and military aircraft. Basically the Cub is a huge part of aviation and our national history. Many are still flying today.

Yes, the look sort of like a high-wing trainer but they don't necessarily fly like one. They can actually be a little challenging in real life. No, they may not be an all-out 3D aerobatic machine but that's fine. Once of the most impressive displays of aerobatic piloting skills I have ever seen was put on by a guy flying a giant scale Cub at an event last year. That airplane did things that it just didn't look capable of.

They aren't for everyone of course. You have to fly what you personally like.

stang

My Feedback: (1)

Go flying on a day with crosswind and try sideslipping the Cub in to a landing. What a blast! Also, flying the model is really different than the sim.

AH1G

Like what CHUCKW said. It is a classic aircraft design, Piper started building J-3's I believe in 1946 as a low cost civilian aircraft. Many varients and modifications were made over the years including larger engines and flaps ie. PA -18 SuperCub and military versions. I think the last came off of the assembly line in about 1986.
It's the airplane I learned to fly in back in the mid-sixties.

Villa

I have seen many J3-Cub crashes. Treat them like an average RC plane and they may snap roll on take off. They are not hard to fly, but do require their own care. Many will do an un-commanded snap roll in a heart beat. I have one now and love it.

rcflyingnut

My Feedback: (9)

I have Hanger 9's 80" version with a Saito 80 in it. Once comfortable with the plane; it is like what others have already mentioned. Loops, waterfalls, knife edge, hover just to mention a few. You do have to give it some respect or you will be in trouble quick. It is calm as you want or if outfitted with enough engine; you can do more than just fly circles around the field. It is one of my favorites. I think everyone needs one

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

My fondest memory was a night when the weather was PERFECT. I went up to the field with my Cub expecting to see a moderate crowd and NO ONE was there! I fueled up and did touch and goes all evening.

Ahhhhhhh!

IMHO, the Goldberg Clipped-wing Cub is one of those planes that EVERYONE should have at least once!

Herb Calvin

I soloed in a Cub when I was 17 yrs. That thing would do more than fly around. My instrutor was an ex war 11 fighter pilot instructor. He made that cub do things that scared the H out of me. Don't sell the Cubs short.

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

A Cub will MAKE you use the rudder! But then you will have all the fun, like mentioned before, slipping it in or crabbing it in in a cross wind....TO COOL.

MetallicaJunkie

they can do awesome 2 point landings just like the full scale

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

Cubs aren't for flying, they are for slipping.

blikseme300

My Feedback: (118)

There are 2 RC aircraft that all pilots need to have at some time in their lives: Das Ugly Stick & the J3 Cub.

I had a Goldberg cub years ago and used it to learn proper coordinated flying. Actually did rolling circles with it! I have a club trophy for the annual "most spectactular crash" with this Cub. RX failure and 90* into the ground. The wing opened up like a filleted fish. I have just started building another as the "ahh" memories of the Cub at sunset cruising low on the deck is just so good.

Bliksem

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

???????????????? Beats me, I don't even like them. I did fly the heck out of mine {Everyone has to have at least one Cub} for some unknown reason?? I gave mine away when I moved to NV and have never missed it. When we speak of the clipped wing Cub it's more like talking about two completely different planes though. Leave a few bays out of the wing and it really does turn into a fun plane, I just like a lot of other planes a lot better!! One Cub was enough for me.

gluemaster

I have a total of 4 now. I have a Herr 1/2A cub I'm in the process of modifying. I cut the wing in half and remove the most of the dihedral and added ailerons. I'm going to shoehorn an O.S. 10 FSR in it for power and use micro servos, I have 2 Hangar 9 Cubs. One of them is the Plug and Play version with the Evolution 46 in it, the other is the original 80" cub with a Saito Fa 56 in it. Both of them fly just a little different than one another. My latest one is a World Models Clipped Wing Cub 48. It has a 63 inch semi- symmetrical wing. I just got this one on Saturday and am in the process of assembling it now. I hope it will be as much fun as my two H-9 Cubs. I also have planes other than Cubs. There is just something about the way they fly that's different than the rest.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

There is nothing better than a cub doing touch and goes on the water. I have been flying for over 35 years and I still love slow, lazy days at the lake doing touch and goes on floats. Nothing better.

archie05

Hey Flyboy, thought that was you. I am in full agreement with you. Nothing better than being at the lake doing touch and goes with the floats. I will have a cub one day but for now I am doing it with my Sig Senior. See you at the lake.

SushiSeeker

Now that was the primary reason I would consider a cub. They do look good on floats.

goirish

I have a 1/4 scale clipped wing cub with a gas 26 and love it. I don't fly it alot but I do when we have a fun fly or something like that. It does look real in the air. Pictures are before the cowl was installed.

DeferredDefect

What's so great about a Cub?

Their yellow. I happen to like yellow.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

That works too. It would be sweet on floats.

rcflyingnut

My Feedback: (9)

That's a good looking cub..goirish. Who's is it and was it a kit or ARF? I like the color scheme.

ES CONTROL

When I fly my Cub . It talks to me . Sometimes it wags its tail and licks my face. sometimes it is very bad, and I must save it from a spin.

goirish

It was a kit, Sig. I tried to do the pattern like Hazel Sig's clipped wing cub. But I didn't want it Blue and White. This is my Cassius Clay plane: "floats like a butterfly, stings like a bee"

Mikecam

Most days I take my cub, and my EF 88" Yak to the field. The Yak requires you to fly the heck out of it, the large 3D bird owners out there will no what I mean. The cub is made to just burn fuel on a nice Sunday afternoon. Not a whole lot of brain required, just some nice easy flying. If the field is not busy I usually fly the last tank empty and from up high start a nice quiet controlled decent listening to the wind in the struts. The perfect way to end a real nice day of flying with my club-mates. I bought the 81" GP model because GP has a set of ARF floats to go with it. Perfect plane with floats and my OS 70 S II. I tend to wait for nice low wind days to fly and although it can be a few weeks till I get one, when I do I sure enjoy it.

Villa

My J3-Cub is a SPAD, made from Coroplast, which is a corrugated plastic material. It has a 71" wing span and is powered by an OS46FX engine driving a 12 X 4 APS prop. Love it.