Monday, September 21, 2009

My World Tuesday #49: "And This Is The Piper Cub"


"Mind You Don't Stall Her, Kirk"
Winston Salem, NC - September 2009 (Click to embiggen)

Be a virtual tour guide on That's My World Tuesday

If you tuned in last week, you saw a bunch of people (a big bunch of people) out watching a Piper Cub and here, under the hand of pilot Kirk Wicker, is the Piper Cub in question. The program says this is a J3 Cub, putting its vintage at somewhere between 1938 and 1947, and it's quite possible (even likely) that this - along with most J3's registered during and after WWII wactually began life as an L4 "elementary trainer" used by the US military. By the end of the war, over 80% of US military pilots had gotten their initial fligth training in a Cub. With only arond 65bhp on tap, a vertical climb like this one could easily stall the J3 if sustained for very long. What you're seeing here is actually one stage of an inside loop though, not a vertical climb. After seeing the high-performance stunt aircraft of John Klatt and the fearsome power of the B-1B, watching the Cub was almost like watching a kite in slow motion. But for all that, the demonostration was no less impressive. If airplanes were automobiles, the Cub would be the equivalent of the original VW Beetle. Even today a J3 (that cost $2500 USD new in 1938) would probably fetch around $30,000 USD. Which is less than the cost of a lot of new cars. The cars are probably faster (the Cub's top speed in level flight is only around 87 mph) but they still can't do this.
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20 comments:

Sylvia K said...

Great shot, Mojo! Love those old planes -- they move a lot better than I do! My first experience in an airplane was a thirty minute flight in a double wing, open cockpit plane when I was 12 -- not likely to forget that one!

Have a great week!

Sylvia

Eve said...

Wow - great timing on this photo - fantastic!

Carver said...

What a great shot and a beautiful plane.

Maude Lynn said...

I love this picture! You couldn't get me in that plane, but I love the picture!

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Mojo: What a neat shot of the vintage plane, come and see my airshow.

Joe Todd said...

Great post . I'm pretty sure with that plane recovering from a stall wouldn't be to difficult.Just a fun plane to fly

Anonymous said...

Nice post. Great to see that is still flying despite it's age.

Dirkjogt said...

Great shot, isn't this plane flying the wrong way? :-)

B i r g i t t a said...

Wow!
My entry has also a little about ww2 :)

SandyCarlson said...

Straight up, friend. That is a great shot.

I enjoyed the comparison to a Beetle and for a minute tried to think of mine from long ago striking that pose in the sky! She was a little too hippy, I think....

eileeninmd said...

WOW, what a great shot! And an excellent pilot. Thanks for sharing yoru part of the world for today.
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Marites said...

great shot! I like the blue sky background. I also like vintage planes, there's something sentimental about it and for sure, they have lots of stories to tell. my world is up here.

marcia@joyismygoal said...

nice contrast -the only time i flew in one of those i got sick:(

Unknown said...

holy cow what a ride! I used to work at a Chinese Restaurant and my boss took me up in his plane once - he had to stall it for me - scary! But fun!

Sistertex said...

Great shot, just glad I was not inside! Whoa.

Allison said...

You got the picture at the perfect time! I love watching old planes fly. Great post!

magiceye said...

brilliant capture and love your punch line!

Esther Garvi said...

Beautiful capture!

Samson said...

That's one hell of a shot... stunning...

Oman said...

are u using telephoto lens? great capture.