1fasthitman

Can anyone explain to me why the Piper Cub is so popular? I've always found it to be boring and trainer like. And that yellow color.....yuck! No offense, but I was just curious.

ggraham500

My Feedback: (4)

In a word ... nostalgia. I guess its like an old 1950's or 1960's VW Bug. They still have aficionados.

The J3 was the poor man's Stearman or WACO. Cheap to buy, cheap to run, land/takeoff almost anywhere, great slow/low flyer especially for cattleman or ranchers in West Texas where I grew up.

In the RC world, there is more to the Cub series than meets the eye. They are not as simple to fly as you would think. The takeoffs can be interesting at times, once in the air if you fly scale-like and not over powered, the plane crabs in heavy air. I've own 2 and loved them both. My 1/4 scale H9 Super Cub (really modified to be a PA-11) is still lots of fun.

abufletcher

Boring and trainer like? Yep, I thought the same thing until I picked up a Kyosho Cub ARF. Turned out to be one of the most enjoyable models I've ever flown AND the one that taught me the most about flying. In short, Cubs have their own funky way of flying that will quickly get you up to speed on how to use your rudder and how to not just use but ENJOY using cross-controlling on turns and landings and all sorts of times.

And a 40-sized Cub with a 40-sized engine will force you to learn how to "fly on the wing" which is what good flying is all about anyway. And if you roll a Cub, you've really accomplished something.

But, yeah, that yellow... [:@]

TFF

In WW2 depending on the training it was the first plane you got to fly; even before the PT planes. Many were built without engines as gliders to teach the invasion glider pilots how to fly. It also came in during the Depression and was one of the only affordable planes; Wacos, Ryans, Bellancas, and Monocoupes were for the very rich. It took the place of the Jenny in training as they had pretty much fell apart by that time. They were safer and performed better than the old type WW1 planes. The engine was modern in design which is still used as the bases of 99% of the new engines made today. The biggest one was just about anyone could learn to fly it. Its just a happy airplane. Not bad for a plane that was designed around 1935 and is still in production today.

abufletcher

And if you don't think the Cub's "manly" enough (and just have to have the P-51) check out these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XYFcw1c-Oo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21El1...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2BPcurREpo

1320Fastback

Set up a cub with a realistic power to weight ratio of about 1/11 and see how boring it is then

TFF

In high school, a friends dad bought a J4 for the kids, his dad was a professional pilot. The plane was newly restored and unflown. The ailerons were rigged backwards. What did he do? Flew it home ailerons rigged backwards and all. What other plane could you do that in.

phatbob02

My Feedback: (126)

Cubs are in no way a trainer and there's a lot more than yellow out there.
Fly it with scale power and a breeze, you'll see who the real pilots are.

Scar

My Feedback: (3)

Why a cub?

Why do Scots eat Haggis? Haggis is a dish more traditional than tasty.

If it's not the Cub "Flavor" you're looking for, there are plenty of other planes out there. If it's tradition you seek, the Cub is a good selection.

Mine's a ¼ scale from BUSA, always draws comments, I enjoy it. I also usually take something more nimble to the field, too.

Best wishes,
Dave Olson

vertical grimmace

My Feedback: (1)

A Cub would certainly be good practice if you aspire to fly WW1 aircraft. I have never really been a fan myself and never owned one, but I have flown them. I am more sick of P-51 mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts than I am Cubs honestly! With the Warbird craze now, these are very prevelant just because they are easy to fly mostly I believe.

JL1

My Feedback: (93)

"A Cub is a very safe airplane, It will only kill you a little bit" - Professional test pilot

abufletcher

I agree and would say that my Cub flew very similarly to my Flair Puppeteer. Both are pretty docile and both have their quirks. I'd take a Cub over the ubiquitous warbird ARFs or Extra-types anyday!

abufletcher

While that's true, I do think it would be possible to train on a Cub if the instructor is using a buddy box.

1fasthitman

Great answers! I'll probably never own one, but if I'm ever offered the opportunity to fly a Cub, I won't pass it up.

wildbills21

Why a Cub ?

What other plane could you put on wheels, floats and skis and have a blast with. I know there are some out there but I love the Cub

Wild Bill

gluemaster

I have 2 Cubs and love them both. They are both from Hangar 9. One is the older 80" version part # HAN1500 and my other one is the newer 80" version I got as the Plug and Play version evidently before they got discontinued. I love them both and they both have their own personalities. I also fly electric and have several other planes, but it is the Cubs that are my favorites.

sj3cub

My Feedback: (9)

What kills me is the people that think they are "great" pilots, you know them, the "big shots", and they try to fly a Cub and they could'nt take it off if their life depended on it. People just don't know how to use the left stick anymore. A Cub will teach you how to fly a aircraft properly.

weathervane

Why a Cub?

I love mine. I have 5 of them. A small park flyer, (3) 1/5 scale and a 1/4 scale. I was trained on an LT-40 and flew that for a year. I built a Sig Four Start Forty and have a blast with it. The Cub is just a lot of fun. Most people reconize them. It is all in what kind of flying you want to do.
-Andrew

Boomerang1

Just like a full size Cessna 172/182 and most Toyotas. Most people are average & just want to get there without hassles & too much excitement. That's why what appears to be the most boring things are usually the most popular.

Average Joe flys average aircraft, others fly warbirds, jets & Extras. - John.

Daddyo57

My Feedback: (15)

I bought an older Ikon n West 1/4 scale Cub at a club swap meet a few years back, it had an old Supertiger 2500 in it and could have used a recover job. To this day I have NEVER flown a more enjoyable airplane! it was majestic, beautiful and just a joy to take off and land with. It was however huge and a bit of a pain to assemble every time I flew it so I let a friend talk me out of it for a new Kaos. I still have the Kaos but I keep looking at the big Cubs like the saying goes, "Nothing flies like a Cub" it is still true. BTW my friend recovered the Cub and flew it for a few years. I am building a Goldberg Cub right now with a Saito .80 twin in it... like he said, it is nostalgic but it is something more as well.

phatbob02

My Feedback: (126)

The Cub is not "average" or "boring". It's the pilot that makes the plane.
I always take at least two aircraft when I visit our field. A 120 Corsair and my Cub, P-40 and my Cub, Eindecker and my Cub, F-16 and yes, my Cub.

Anybody can tear up the sky. Real men fly scale.

Did I mention that I LUV my J-3?

viperdada

with 3+ years flying now, a cub is not a trainer, but will teach you to fly proper, rudder turns and all. They are not boring, they become a cute, slow flying little plane. I have a Sig J3. 70" OS 25 powered, and she flys real scale. Great for slow and low fly bys, and does a real tight loop. I roll it, but that's a neat combo event, of all three control surfaces, and does not really "look" right. Landing, the thing is a kite, to me can be bipe like. I also fly a old Robbe PA-18 Super Cub. 86" wing span, 9 1/2 lbs and OS 120 gemini powered, for glider tug work. That also flys like a dream, I don't use flaps, even on our small runway

BradSD

My Feedback: (9)

I actually learned to fly on a Goldberg Cub, I had it about 4 years or so before it was shot down. I always enjoyed flying this plane.

TimT2000

My Feedback: (1)

Here is the best Cub video I have seen. I got to see this act
at the Branson Airshow. It was thrilling to see live.

Tim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0WykKgQFLs

TimT2000

My Feedback: (1)

Holy Crap Here is a vid of the show I attended in branson, cool

Tim

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_R5Jd5hwiyU