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If the first production Super Cub had been human, it
probably would have suffered from a severe identity
crisis. It ended up with the model designation PA-18,
but could have been a PA-19 . . . and should have been a
PA-20. According to Roger Peperell's exhaustive reference
work, Piper Aircraft, the convoluted tale unfolded
as follows.
- Early in 1948, Piper assigned the model
designation PA-18 to an improved version of the PA-17
Vagabond, which was to be introduced to the
marketplace in 1949. A Continental C-90 powered
prototype was built and tested, but Piper decided to
cancel the program early in 1949.
- At the same time the company was developing the
PA-19, which was a version of the PA-11 cub Special
for the U.S. Army. Only three were built and one of
them, N5011H (Ser. No. 19-1), would serve as the
certification test bed for the installation of the
Continental (1-90-12F; Lycoming 0-235- C1 and O-290-D.
The PA-11 airframe was unchanged, except for a revised
center section and the use of the more rounded rudder
that was first used on the J-4 Cub Coupe. The PA-11,
which was an updated J-3, had retained the more
angular Cub rudder. (An interesting side note: When Dick
Wagner developed his Cuby, Wagabond and 2+2 kits,
all were fitted with J-3 rudders. Reason: Dick had
purchased all the J-3 inventory left at Piper's old
Ponca City, OK plant, which included a barn full of
J-3 elevators, stabilizers, gear legs and rudders.
Golda and I were there in Lyons. WI to see them shoals
after Dick returned home with the first semi load of
goodies)
- Military orders for the PA-19 that Piper Aircraft
hoped for did not immediately materialize, so the
company decided to ''civilianize'' the design and
market it as the Super Cub. Rather than advancing to
the next model designation, which would have been
PA-20, Piper chose to go backward and assign the
unused PA-18 designation to the Super Cub. Actually,
by this time the PA-20 designation had already been
assigned to the four-place Pacer, so the only other
alternative would have been to jump ahead to PA-21!
All this model designation confustion came about
because these different airplanes were under
development at the same time.
Finally, however, things
were sorted out and the Super Cubs went into
production - replacing the PA-11 on the production
line in November of 1949. The very first Super Cub was
N5410H, Ser. No. 18-1 . It is still on the FAA'S books
today - registered to Eugene Frank of Caldwell, ID,
who has been deceased for a number of years. There's a
vintage treasure for someone to unearth and restore.
Super Cubs were certified
and produced by Piper Aircraft with five different
engines (plus several dash number variants of those
engines).
- PA-18-95 (ATC #1A2), powered with
a Continental C-90 engine. Like the PA-11 from which
it was derived, it had no flaps, had a straight
elevator (no counterbalancing horns) and one 18 gallon
fuel tank in the left wing. Another 18 gallon tank for
the right wing was optional. The initial price in 1949
was $5,850. Surprisingly, even though more powerful
models were being manufactured, the PA-18-95 continued
in production until 1961.
- PA-18-105, powered with a
Lycoming 0-235-C1. It had a larger horizontal tail,
with balanced elevators and flaps (from the PA-20
parts bin). The PA-18-105s were only built from
January to October of 1950 when that model was
replaced by the PA18-125.
- PA-18-125, powered by a Lycoming
O-290-D. Oil cooler scoop on top of the cowling.
- PA-18-135, Lycoming O-290-D2.
Production began in May of 1952. Oil cooler scoop
moved to the bottom of the cowling. Two wing tanks
standard with this model.
- PA-18-150/160, Lycoming 0-320.
Production began in October of 1954 and continued
until November 22, 1982 when the Super Cub was
terminated. Production was resumed at Vero Beach, FL
in 1988, however - as a $45.000 completed airplane or
a $21,000 kit (minus engine and prop). Production
continued until December of 1994 when the last Piper
built Super Cub, N41594, rolled off the production
line.
Along the way a variety of sub models were produced,
including PA-18s seaplanes and PA-18A ag planes. A total
of 1,493 were built for the Air Force and Army as L-18s
and L-21s, and many of those were sent to foreign
countries under the Mutual Defense Aid Pact. The
military models were ordered and built in blocks of
serial numbered right along with the civilian
production.
In total, Piper Aircraft built 10,326 Super Cubs
between 1949 and 1994. Just 44 were built at Vero Beach
- all the rest at Lock Haven. The biggest year for Super
Cub production was 1953, when 1043 were built.
Like the J-3s and PA-11s before them, most Super Cubs
were initially used as working airplanes. They served as
trainers, dusters and sprayers, banner towers, pipeline
and bowerlike patrollers, border patrollers, military
liaison aircraft, bush planes and in any other way
pilots could use and abuse them. Few aircraft have ever
been subjected to more aftermarket modifications than
the Super Cub - in fact in their efforts to squeeze out
more performance, Alaskan bush pilots have sometimes
rendered them virtually unidentifiable as PA-18s.
The Super Cub, however, did not die when Piper
Aircraft ceased production in 1994. A host of small
companies simply tooled up and began building their own
versions of the airplane - in kit form to avoid the cost
of certification. There are even turboprop versions
flying today!
All the various models of Super cubs are highly
prized today - as evidenced by the prices being asked
for them in Trade-A-Plane ads. In a recent
issue, for example, a rebuilt, highly modified 1963
model was listed for $159,000! Many continue to be
working airplanes, but, increasingly, they are being
restored as showplanes by enthusiasts like Ron and Nancy Normark.
Want to read more about the Piper high wings? Check
out Budd Davisson's Piper High Wings
Good books related to Cubs and building:
Other books
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