For years until the 1960s, whenever someone saw a single-engine plane overhead, they would invariably refer to it as a “Piper Cub.” For many, the name was synonymous with “airplane.” The Cub is often referred to as the aeronautical equivalent of the Ford Model T, and this is not far from the truth. However, in the postwar era, the J-3 Cub lacked the extra oomph needed to serve in its natural environment: the unimproved runway. So Piper considered his options and, with an army of engineers, came up with the Piper Super Cub.

The Piper Super Cub addressed the shortcomings of the old J-3 Cub in a manner analogous to Ford’s upgrade of the Model A with the Deuce V8. The J-3 Cub’s payload capacity was marginal at around 450 pounds. including fuel, and she couldn’t carry much fuel in the small head tank anyway. The Piper Super Cub received a much larger engine: first a 90 HP Continental, then the newer four-cylinder Lycoming developed during the war. From the original 108 HP mill, the Super Cub progressed rapidly until it was fitted with the 150 HP Lycoming 0-320. This gave an increase in payload to 820 pounds. It also meant increased fuel consumption, with fuel being moved to two tanks in the wing roots.

This additional horsepower had several desirable effects on performance. Cruising speed increased significantly, from 65 knots to 100, and the service ceiling was raised to 19,500 feet. This 7,500-foot increase in ceiling made the aircraft more useful in the west, where mountain passes can be up to two miles high. Takeoff roll was now reduced to just 200 feet, and the steep climb allowed the aircraft to take off from almost any makeshift runway. However, the landing speed had increased with the additional weight, making very short-field approaches a problem. The solution was simple: flaps. Initially, a very simple flap was installed on the rear spar behind the fuel tanks. Acting primarily as an air brake, it allowed the aircraft to make very steep approaches at low speeds. This proved so successful that a suitable flap was fitted between the ailerons and the cockpit, improving both landing and takeoff performance.

The Super Cub could now go almost anywhere. Spray equipment was developed for agricultural purposes. The Super Cubs were equipped with floats and skis, and their yellow silhouettes were soon seen in the skies over newly developed Alaska. The Super Cub could land on the smallest gravel bar or frozen lake, and was the mountain taxi of choice for a generation of sportsmen and gold prospectors. Even today, the Super Cub remains the best aircraft on unimproved runways around the world.