Super Cub Photo Gallery - Plane & Pilot Magazine

The J-3 Cub is a classic. The PA-18 Super Cub is downright iconic.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 11:44 AM ET

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The Piper PA-18 Super Cub has been around for almost 70 years, and while it's the current darling of a new set of backcountry flyers, it's been a staple of bush flying pretty much since the get got. Photo by Bill Brine - CC by 2.0: Flickr

Key Takeaways:

The Piper PA-18 Super Cub has been a staple of bush flying for nearly 70 years, celebrated for its ruggedness and adaptability in backcountry operations.
Its exceptional short-field performance is significantly enhanced by modifications like big tires, floats, or skis, allowing it to land and take off from diverse, rough, and otherwise inaccessible terrains.
Evolved from earlier designs with increased power and features, the Super Cub's enduring utilitarian design and innovative owner modifications continue to influence modern backcountry aircraft.

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The Super Cub came about as a program evolved not into a single product but through a series of intermediate designs that feautred many of the Super’s powers. The end result, the PA-18, was a long way numerically from the J-3, but it wasn’t quite finished when it debuted in 1949. There were a few additions, including flaps and more fuel, but the big change was more power.

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