The Piper Cub in Photos

Thursday, July 26, 2012 at 12:24 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The Piper Cub, an aviation icon, is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Widely considered one of the greatest trainer aircraft, it's known for its legendary handling traits attributed to the USA-35B airfoil wing design.
Key design elements include the Continental A-65 engine with its signature black piston jugs, and the model line expanded with the introduction of the Super Cub in 1949.
The aircraft holds significant historical value, with rare models like the Taylor E-2 Cub undergoing meticulous restoration.

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The Piper Cub, an aviation icon, turns 75.

Piper Cub — Many pilots know the joy, and challenge, of making a perfect three-point landing in the Piper Cub, widely considered one of the greatest trainers ever made.

Taylor E-2 Cub — After 50 years in storage, this rare Taylor E-2 Cub underwent meticulous restoration to flying condition at the Golden Age Air Museum in Bethel, Pennsylvania.

Piper Cub — For the Cub, C.G. Taylor chose a wing shape developed by the Army and wind-tunnel-tested by the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics. Known as the USA-35B airfoil, it produced lots of lift and had good low-speed characteristics, giving the J-3 its legendary handling traits.

Piper Super Cub — Piper introduced the Super Cub in 1949.

Piper Cub — There’s nothing quite like the view out the open door of a Piper Cub. This image was captured in a 1938 J-3 over Maryland’s Fallston Air Park with a GoPro HD camera.

Piper Cub — The black piston jugs protruding from the yellow cowl are a signature design element of the J-3 Cub, which most often flew with the venerable Continental A-65.

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