Piper J-3 Cub
Vintage doors-off, open-air joy.
About the Piper J-3 Cub
The iconic yellow tailwheel airplane that taught a generation of pilots to fly around the Second World War. Tandem seating and a door that opens in flight make it pure, old-school, open-air flying — low, slow and unforgettable.
The Story Behind the Piper J-3 Cub
The J-3 Cub first flew in 1938 from Piper's factory in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania — which is why its famous paint is still called "Cub Yellow." It was cheap, forgiving and fun, and almost overnight it became the airplane America learned to fly in.
When the Second World War began, the Cub trained huge numbers of new pilots through the Civilian Pilot Training Program, and a military version, the L-4 "Grasshopper," flew low over the front lines spotting artillery and carrying messages. Generals used them as flying jeeps.
Today, flying one with the door open is a direct link to that era — stick, rudder, the wind in your face and LA sliding by below you.
- Top speed
- 80 mph
- Range
- 200 miles
- Horsepower
- 65 hp
- Seats
- 2