Each day, the team at Aircraft For Sale picks an airplane that catches our attention because it is unique, represents a good deal, or has other interesting qualities. You can read Aircraft For Sale: Today’s Top Pick at FLYINGMag.com daily.
Today’s Top Pick is a 1946 Piper J-3 Cub.
While there are still many types of fabric-covered antique taildraggers operating at airports across the country, the Piper J-3 Cub tends to rank as the original. The model and its successors have trained so many pilots over the decades and remained popular for so long that people not familiar with light aircraft in general often can identify a Cub.
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While some find the basic old aircraft almost primitive, others revel in the pure flying experience it offers, without a hint of automation or gadgetry. It flies well and reliably but demands the pilot’s attention and effort to maintain airspeed, manage the tiny Continental engine’s meager power, and keep the turns coordinated.
If you want to learn the finer points of tailwheel flying, the Cub will teach you.
Despite its age, the aircraft for sale today represents an opportunity to explore small airfields and other destinations that are less practical in larger, faster models. It also gives its owner an instant connection with the community of vintage aircraft fans and is sure to fetch many invitations to antique fly-ins and other special events.
This 1946 Piper J-3 Cub has 2,726 hours on the airframe, 22 hours since overhaul on its 85 hp Continental C-85-8 engine, and 22 hours on its propeller. The aircraft’s basic VFR panel includes airspeed, altimeter, slip indicator, compass, tachometer, and oil temperature and pressure instruments.
Pilots looking for a classic flying experience that can feel like a journey back in time should consider this 1946 Piper J-3 Cub, which is available for $57,000 on AircraftForSale.
If you’re interested in financing, you can do so with FLYING Finance. Use our airplane loan calculator to calculate your estimated monthly payments. Or, to speak with an aviation finance specialist, visit flyingfinance.com.
- FLYING Magazine: Piper Cub
- FLYING Magazine: A Virtual History of the Piper Cub
- FLYING Magazine: Redbird Introduces Piper Cub Simulator
- FLYING Magazine: Piper Cub Followers
- Plane & Pilot: Piper J-3 Cub
- Plane & Pilot: Piper J-5 Cub Cruiser/PA-12 Super Cub
- Plane & Pilot: Piper J-3 Cub
- The Aviation Consumer: Used Aircraft Guide: Old Yellow Classic: Piper J-3 Cub
- AVweb: Piper J-3 Cub Now Official Pennsylvania Aircraft
