I'm just day dreaming here, so don't hope for a build thread just yet...

Anyway. As I understand, the PA-11 has a more comfortable front position than the J-3. Is that just because the fuel tank is moved from the front and up to the wings, or is there anything else to it? The PA-11 has a different windshield, but that might not be neccessary? Would a Wag-Aero Sport Trainer with only the wing tanks have pretty much the same driver comfort as a PA-11?

(And has anyone ever strapped a 9" surfboard to the outside of a Cub-type plane?....)

Both of those questions can be answered by forum members at Shortwingpipers.org . Lots of Wag Owners there

I assume the Sport Trainer is a J-3 Clone? If so, the big differences between the J-3 and PA 11 are the wing tank and removal of the nose tank on the -11, the windshield, as you noted, except that the -11 windshield increases cruise speeds substantially (5 to 7 mph in my experience), the front seat on the -11 is different (not necessarily any more comfortable, and pressure cowl on the -11.

I converted a J-3 to (more or less) PA-11 configuration years ago. The best parts of that conversion were the wing tanks and the windshield.

As to comfort....the back seat of a J-3 is frankly more comfortable than any PA-11 I've flown, and I've flown several. But, I do prefer flying from the front.

MTV

I fly a Wag Aero Cubby, dual wing tanks, front seat solo.

Much of the Cubby/Sport Trainer is identical dimensionally to the J3, however there are many small fabrication detail differences that are obvious if you are able to see a J3 and a Wag side by side. Most hard parts from the J3, 11, and 18 will almost always fit, but some experimental airplanes are more of an experiment than others. Note that depending on the year of kit construction, some are full wood wings and some are metal meaning small but meaningful differences in the wing. Most Cubby's have a pressure cowl, but few look identical to an 11.

The Cubby is as comfortable as any standard-width fuselage Cub is going to be, but for some the wing spar carry through inherent to the J3/11 gives it a cramped headroom feel. It doesn't bother me one bit.

As far as the FAA knows, I have never strapped on an external load to my Cubby. My normal summer DAs are 10K on the ground, but "if it fits, it flies" suits the Cubby well if it has anything over a C65.

Most of my time in various Cub models was in the back seat instructing. Sitting on the floor with one's feet almost straight out is hard on the back. After growing up on dozers, crashing hard in Vietnam, and 17 years Ag, I had a ruptured disk removed.

For pilots with similar experience, sitting in front where the seat is higher and the feet closer to the body is more comfortable. Also visibility is much better.

Oh, yeah....the surfboard. I don’t know where you’d strap that big a board on a wheel plane. I’ve carried much larger external loads on seaplane Cubs, attached to the vertical float struts.

No way I’d attach something that big to wing or struts on wheel plane. Maybe under belly. Atlee Dodge sells a lumber rack for super cubs, which goes under the belly. Something like that could work.

Legal? If experimental, why not? Don’t carry pax till you’ve flight tested

MTV

I own the plans for the Sport Trainer, the PA-11 conversion and the L-4 conversion and am idly thinking about combining them all for a homebuilt as well.

I scratch built a Cub like you are thinking about, completed in 1995. If you are thinking going that way and welding your own fuselage consider the PA 18 95 replica, the main difference is the upper deck, more head room and better seating, visibility. This is a big job, took all my spare time for 5 years. I love the plane and have 1400 hrs on it now. There are some very good kits with pre welded fuselages which would save a lot of time and maybe insure the project is completed. Mine has 0-200 no electric big tires and weighs 800. Good luck.







I

bush master wrote:I scratch built a Cub like you are thinking about, completed in 1995. If you are thinking going that way and welding your own fuselage consider the PA 18 95 replica, the main difference is the upper deck, more head room and better seating, visibility. This is a big job, took all my spare time for 5 years. I love the plane and have 1400 hrs on it now. There are some very good kits with pre welded fuselages which would save a lot of time and maybe insure the project is completed. Mine has 0-200 no electric big tires and weighs 800. Good luck.

Did you build a jig when you finished welded the fuselage? Or, use plumb bobs to ensure measurements and just tack then finish weld back and forth across sections to contain the warp?

I love my Wag-11 but want to start scratch building my next contraption...

I also scratch built a Clipwing cub/ pa-11 from wagaero plans. Powered with a 85 stroker, no electric, extended gear, 26’s , vg’s and a few other mods. Performs well out of my 900 ft strip.I can fly from either seat, but prefer the back.(more comfortable) The building process is long, but the satisfaction of building and flying your own cub is fantastic. Whether scratch or some prefab parts, don’t be afraid to pull the trigger.

I build a plywood jig with cleats to hold the tubing after drawing the center lines then tacked the side rails, set these up and tacked before diagonal finish welding. Built a few simple jigs for the forward section, upper deck and spar attach points, the last jig built from a Piper fuselage I had access to. As I recall the spar bolts have a 1 1/2 inch parallel off set. Used Wag Aero and Piper drawings. Started to build the PA-11 but decided on the 18 after I had the two side rails tacked together this is where the Piper drawing came in for the upper deck. Metal wings, very rewarding project. $12,500 in 1995.

bush master wrote:I scratch built a Cub like you are thinking about, completed in 1995. If you are thinking going that way and welding your own fuselage consider the PA 18 95 replica, the main difference is the upper deck, more head room and better seating, visibility. This is a big job, took all my spare time for 5 years. I love the plane and have 1400 hrs on it now. There are some very good kits with pre welded fuselages which would save a lot of time and maybe insure the project is completed. Mine has 0-200 no electric big tires and weighs 800. Good luck.

I

Yes sir, this is where I plan to go with mine.

I have the Northland drawings somewhere, and will have a Cub as a reference.

I was thinking no electric, O-200 with the C-90 cam, or the C-85 stroker as well, but will pry put a mini starter on because my lovely bride doesn't care for hand-propping. (She's a certified pilot, and I'm an A&P)

The goal is lightness, so will probably go with wood ribs on an aluminum spar. On another forum, someone posted comparative weights of parts, and evidently wooden ribs are significantly lighter than aluminum.

This is what I'm just finishing...Basically. PA11, O200 with B&C starter and 8A Gen, TK1 Shocks, 26" ABW, extended Baggage with ext door, adjustable front seat, 2-18 gal wing tanks, wood ribs, metal spars, Stewarts fabric and paint, balanced tailfeathers, I also have a set of Mead 1430 amphibious floats that I will rig eventually.

Very nice. Did you weld the fuselage, metal or wood wings, have you weighed it yet and also are those Tri Pacer balanced elevators?