I took my private check ride 41 years ago in a J-3 (N2099M). Since then I have flown lots of planes, from military jets to modern airliners. The Cub is still my all time favorite for pure flying enjoyment and teaching basic flying skills. I have owned a Reed Clipped, 85hp Cub (NC98889) for over 20 years and don't plan on ever selling her.

Friends and I bought N1071N 1945 Army L-4J Piper J-3 C-64A in the 70s and flew her alot, my favorite of all my flying. She still flies and is in the WAAAM Museum in Hood River, Oregon, completely restored back to the original L-4J configuration, wish I had another here in Guatemala

well i soloed a 1946 J3 in sept. of last year.i have to say its my favorite flying that ive done

I soloed in 1960 in a 1946 J-3 Cub. Some 45 years later while browsing a list of active aircraft I was amazed to find that old Cub (now 60 years old !) still active and owned by a party in Indiana. They were kind enough to send me a photo and I have to say the years have been much kinder to the Cub then to me.

Soloed in July 1942, flight instructor for Air Force giving Aviation Students 10 hours to evaluate as good enough to become AF Aviation Cadets. Flew 1200 hours 1943-44 in J-3's, then activated and sent thru A/C program. Stearmans, At-6's and finally B-25's. War over just as training ended for me.

My first time in an airplane was in 1946 at Long Beach Seaplane Base,L.I., NY. After 4:45 dual I soloed and went on to fly everything up to and including the B-727. I retired in 1990 after flying for Meteor Air Transport, Mohawk/Allegheny, USAIR with a total of 32,000 hours. It all started with the J-3 65HP on floats. I was 18 then and 82 now. My son is now with Continental soon to be United and I started him in Gliders at 15 in Salem, NH and then 10 hours in our Cessna 170B.

I signed up for the CPT program in 1939 at the University of Buffalo. After 35 hours of instruction and solo flying I passed my private pilot's test on May 11, 1940 in a Piper Cub J3L with a Lycoming 55 and aircraft license nbr NC-25027. I then went into the Army Air Corps Flying Cadet program at Glenview, Il and Maxwell Field and continued as a pilot in the US Air Force and ANG until retiring in 1962. The Piper J-3 started my career in aviation that changed my life.

In Apr 1958 @ the age of 21 I had my first Solo in the J-3 cub. It was at the alliance airport located on Rt 62 just East of town. My instructor was a man 6' tall and weighed about 220 lbs. I remember we were down wind leg and he reached up and turned the Mags OFF. (At that time I thought S---!!! I got it down all in one piece. He got out and I turned the mags on and he stuck his head back in the a/c and and said give me three t/o and landings. On t/o I rolled about 200' and was airborn scarred me!! I think that to this day after about 15,000 hrs those were the best landings I ever made.
Bob Marsh

In Apr 1958 @ the age of 21 I had my first Solo in the J-3 cub. It was at the alliance airport located on Rt 62 just East of town. My instructor was a man 6' tall and weighed about 220 lbs. I remember we were down wind leg and he reached up and turned the Mags OFF. (At that time I thought S---!!! I got it down all in one piece. He got out and I turned the mags on and he stuck his head back in the a/c and and said give me three t/o and landings. On t/o I rolled about 200' and was airborn scarred me!! I think that to this day after about 15,000 hrs those were the best landings I ever made.
Bob Marsh

I made my solo flight after 8 hours of instruction in a J-3 while a member of a flying club in Panama, Panama. I will never forget the experience. The tail number was HP-45. What a surprise I had with my first take off without the instructor in the front seat. Off the ground quickly. I hated the heel brakes and had much trouble landing.

When I moved to South West washington in 1982, I found a flying club with an old J-3, No. 21667. Built in September 1938, It was originally a 40hp, but had a 65hp continental by this time. I have flown a lot of ariplanes, but none more fun. 21667 is still happily plugging away after more than 70 years.

An interesting side note: When I was going through my fathers original log book from the Civilian Pilot Training Program, I found that he soled in 1938, in J-3 #21670.

Anyone out there have an empty weight on a early wood spar J3?
Local mech says mine weighs 765 empty. Weighed 642 when born.

My first flight in an sircraft was in a J-3 Cub. Flight lesson number one. That was over 50 years ago.... Lots of air under many wings since then.

I learned to fly in a 50 horse power Piper Cub in the Civilian Pilot Training program in the summer of 1941, with a woman instructor. Later I enlisted in the Army Air Corps and flew a number of different planes including the P-38, but that first solo flight in a Piper Cub was the most thrilling flight of all.

My first time at the controls of a plane was in 1949 at the 8,100' airstrip at Westcliffe, Colorado. As I told a flying buddy later, "My first time at the controls was the most exciting time of my life, even better than my first sexual experience." His reply..."Yeah, and it lasted a lot longer too !" Soon after soloing I was offered a Cub for $541 (the trade-in value on a PA-16) and bought it. My wages were 85 cents an hour. I had 82 hours on it before I ever got below 5,000 feet altitude and then was amazed to get off in about 250 feet instead of a 2,000 foot run. One day, flying out of Salida, Co., "we" got in an updraft and went to 15,200 feet when I got weak from lack of oxygen. That was the highest I ever got in a prop driven plane, even in the Air Force later. (T-6 and B-25)I flew it from western Colorado to Minneapolios, back to Denver, then to Waco, Texas, later back to Minneapolis. That was all pilotage and dead reackoning. The Cub met it's demise when an 87 mph wind coming over the tail pushed a wing down to the ground in Iowa. In 1950 it cost much more to rebuild than to buy another plane..a 1941 T-craft for $450.

Linda, get back to me about your late husband's airplane
Paul n36973@hotmail.com

Our Airclub has been flying a 1941 J3F since 1985,licencing dozen of pilots.Now the plane is grounded and we are needing an STC to change from the original Franklin to Continental A-65 or C-90.

I am collecting provenance of my late husband's Piper Cub L4 H. The English registration is G-BCPH, but has exemption American markings of 72 B. I have information when it was registered in France in 1964, F-BCZA. no. 329934 but nothing prior to this. I believe the plane was built in 1943.

As an aviation Cadet in training to be a navigator, I was given ten hours of flight training in a J-4 Cub. I've been in love with it ever since, and have built and flown at least six radio-controlled models ranging in size from 24 inches to nine feet in span.

My first flight in a J-3 Cub, NC22995, was Feb.14,1944, when I was 16 yrs. old. This took place at the old Milton, PA airport. I soloed it 8.5 hrs. later on May 1, 1944. WHAT A
THRILL!!On 12/10/48,bought a J-2 CUB, NC16993,CONT. 40HP, single mag, NO BRAKES. Paid $400! VLA pilots beat that!