The Wag-Aero CUBy is a replica of the

Piper J-3 The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is Pi ...

, designed by Dick Wagner and marketed by Wag-Aero of Lyons, Wisconsin as plans or in kit form.Plane and Pilot: ''1978 Aircraft Directory'', page 159. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. Purdy, Don: ''AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook'', page 289. BAI Communications. The aircraft is currently marketed under the name Wag-Aero Sport Trainer.

Design and development

Wag-Aero started with a line of inspection covers, then eventually a comprehensive line of aircraft parts, including a full line of parts for the Piper Cub. After several attempts to purchase the rights to the Piper Cub for new production, Wag-Aero owner Jack Wagner designed a homebuilt kit that would allow homebuilders to construct new aircraft similar to the Cub. While the CUBy was initially offered with wooden

wing ribs In an aircraft, ribs are forming elements of the structure of a wing, especially in traditional construction. By analogy with the anatomical definition of "rib", the ribs attach to the main spar, and by being repeated at frequent intervals, form ...

and

spar SPAR, originally DESPAR, styled as DE SPAR, is a Dutch multinational that provides branding, supplies and support services for independently owned and operated food retail stores. It was founded in the Netherlands in 1932, by Adriaan van Well, ...

s like the Piper Cub, aluminum ribs and spars were later added as an option, also like later Cubs. The aircraft does differ from the original Piper design in several ways including having its fuselage fabricated from 4130 steel instead of the Cub's original 1025 carbon steel and utilizing a conventional elevator-mounted

trim tab Trim tabs are small surfaces connected to the trailing edge of a larger control surface on a boat or aircraft, used to control the trim of the controls, i.e. to counteract hydro- or aerodynamic forces and stabilise the boat or aircraft in a pa ...

in place of the Cub's

jack screw A jackscrew, or screw jack, is a type of Jack (device), jack that is operated by turning a leadscrew. It is commonly used to lift moderately and heavy weights, such as vehicles; to raise and lower the horizontal stabilizers of aircraft; and as a ...

trimming system that adjusts the Cub's elevator angle of incidence. The CUBy drawings were drafted by Bill Blake. The prototype first flew on March 12, 1975 fitted with skis.

Operational history

The introductory model was displayed with a contrasting paint scheme, one half painted green with a yellow stripe, and the other half painted yellow with a green stripe. This unusual "court jester" paint scheme was used to differentiate the prototype from the standard yellow scheme used on the Piper Cub, for marketing purposes.

Paul Poberezny Paul Howard Poberezny (September 14, 1921 – August 22, 2013) was an American aviator, entrepreneur, and aircraft designer. He founded the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in 1953, and spent the greater part of his life promoting hom ...

became the first customer to build a CUBy. Poberezny's aircraft became part of the

EAA AirVenture Museum The EAA Aviation Museum, formerly the EAA AirVenture Museum (or Air Adventure Museum), is a museum dedicated to the preservation and display of historic and experimental aircraft as well as antiques, classics, and warbirds. The museum is lo ...

Foundation and was used to demonstrate the use of automotive fuel in aircraft engines for the

Experimental Aircraft Association The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is an international organization of aviation enthusiasts based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States. Since its inception, it has grown internationally with over 200,000 members and nearly 1,000 chapt ...

. The designer of the aircraft Dick Wagner flew the unpressurized aircraft as high as to demonstrate that auto fuel would not cause

vapor lock Vapor lock is a problem caused by liquid fuel changing state to gas while still in the fuel delivery system of gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines. This disrupts the operation of the fuel pump, causing loss of feed pressure to the carbur ...

Variants

Wag Aero Super Sport C-GETV and Piper PA-12 C-FBNZ

;CUBy :Base model, powered by a recommended standard Continental C-85 engine of ;CUBy Acro Trainer :Developed in 1977, the aircraft was fitted with a Lycoming and clipped wings. The prototype featured the unique split-down the middle paint scheme employed by Wag-Aero. ;Observer :Sport Trainer with modifications to alter the window installation to resemble the

Piper L-4 The Piper J-3 Cub is an American light aircraft that was built between 1938 and 1947 by Piper Aircraft. The aircraft has a simple, lightweight design which gives it good low-speed handling properties and short-field performance. The Cub is Pi ...

;Sport Trainer : Original CUBy renamed, powered by engines in the recommended range of . By December 2011 250 examples had been completed and flown.Vandermeullen, Richard: ''2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide'', Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 76. Belvoir Publications. ;Super Sport :Sport trainer with modifications to accept engines of up to 2005 Wag Aero Super Sport for Wiki

Specifications (Wag-Aero CUBy)

References

External links