The Piper J-3 Cub is a small, simple, light aircraft that was built between 1937 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft Company. With tandem seating, it was intended for flight training but became one of the most popular and best-known light aircraft of all time. The Cub's simplicity, affordability and popularity invokes comparisons to the Ford Model T automobile. The aircraft's standard chrome yellow paint has come to be known as Cub Yellow or Lock Haven Yellow--the Piper factory was located in Lock Haven, PA. Approximately 20,000 J-3 Cubs were produced; during World War II; a Cub was being rolled off the assembly line every 20 minutes. Cubs were powered with flat-four air-cooled engines manufactured by Continental, Lycoming and Franklin. Price at the factory was $1,000.00. In 2011 airworthy Piper J-3 Cubs fetch from $30,000.00 to over $50,000.00.
The Piper PA-15 Vagabond is a two-seat, high wing, light aircraft that was designed for personal use and for flight training and built by Piper Aircraft starting in 1948. Vagabonds used a new fuselage with side-by-side seating for two instead of the Cubs' tandem seating. Six hundred one Vagabonds were built; in March 2010 224 PA-15 aircraft were still registered in the United States.
The Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser is a three-seat, high wing, single engine light aircraft; 3,760 were produced by Piper Aircraft between 1946 and 1948.
The Vultee BT-13 Valiant is a single-engine, two-seat, cantilevered low-wing monoplane. Although all-metal construction, the control surfaces were fabric covered. The BT-13 was the basic trainer flown by most American pilots during World War II. It had a continuous canopy with its crew of two sitting in tandem behind dual controls and was also equipped with blind flying instruments to teach new pilots the basics of flying at night or in foul weather. BT-13 students soon gave the airplane a nickname which described its most memorable characteristic: Vultee Vibrator. Having flown a few times in a BT-13 as a child, I can confirm the veracity of that moniker!
An estimated total of 11,537 BT-13's were produced in five different configurations. After World War II, virtually all were sold as surplus for a few hundred dollars each. Many were purchased just to obtain their engines, which were mounted on surplus biplanes such as Stearmans to replace their less powerful engines for use as cropdusters.
An estimated total of 11,537 BT-13's were produced in five different configurations. After World War II, virtually all were sold as surplus for a few hundred dollars each. Many were purchased just to obtain their engines, which were mounted on surplus biplanes such as Stearmans to replace their less powerful engines for use as cropdusters.
The Republic RC-3 Seabee is an all-metal, amphibious sports aircraft designed by Percival Spencer and manufactured by the Republic Aircraft Corporation between 1946 and 1947. It was designed for one pilot and three passengers. A total of 1,060 Seabees were built; original price at the factory in 1946 was $6,000.00. In the late 1940s aircraft manufacturers hoped that military pilots returning from the war would want to continue flying civilian aircraft for pleasure and sport, and the Seabee was built to respond to that expected demand. In 2006, over 250 Seabees were still registered and flying, a number that is increasing yearly as new aircraft are assembled from parts and wrecks. A few Seabees are still operating commercially as bush planes and air taxis. In the history of aviation few aircraft have had longer, or more successful, careers than the Seabee. What I remember most about this particular Seabee is that it seemed to lumber slowly through the sky--its maximum speed was only 148 MPH! At the same time, the Seabee emitted a tremendous noise [certainly because the hollow fuselage amplified the sound of the motor]. The Seabee pictured here was not owned by Abken.
The Piper PA-11 Cub Special is a later production, two-place variant of the J-3 Cub light propeller-driven aircraft, manufactured by Piper Aircraft between 1947 and 1949. The airframe is basically the same as a J-3, but the engine mount is slightly lower, the windshield more sloped, the cowling is fully closed and the fuel tank was raised and placed in the port wing. Both seats were slightly moved back, and solo flying was usually from the front seat. A total of 1,541 were built and a number of them are still in operation. Given that the PA-11 falls into the modern day category of light sport aircraft, it is a popular airplane to acquire and commands a premium price.
Photo Courtesy William E. Martin. Sources: Wikipedia, Warbird Alley
Revised September 18, 2011
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