L-4 Bush cub

just showing some progress pics of my J-3/L-4/PA-11 custom cub.
1.and now flack for the weight bashers
2.moved elevator bellcrank out of baggage, this opens up the baggage SIGNIFICANTLY.
3.extended the cabin 1 inch more then a super cub...11 inches longer than a J-3 and lighter. this will allow me to stuff an entire 1500 lb dead bear in the baggage.
4.second baggage door for my sluggun. so i can shoot the bear (in self defense of course)
5.rear seat will be fully adjustable and easily removable. front as well.
6.moved the elevator trim outside the cockpit, this gains a half inch in the rear seat width. now i can get that 2,000lb dead moose in the back..... next to the 1500 lb bear.
7.left window will be a full door window with a slide window. because it cool and the stock j-3 window is crap.
8.dual 18 gallon headerless fuel system, so that when i cant hold it anymore and have to land after 2 hrs, at least i wont have to fuel up
9.extra lift handle higher up on left side of fuselage, my back sucks and now and then when your drunck its harde two mooov your cub wit dat stupit low set handler thinger.
10. and harness points. to keep you in your seat dureing a drunken crash, long enough to let the dead bear, moose, guns, and pissed off passenger to all plow you through the firewall

theres more on the list, but i dont have time to sit here and type.

constructive suggestions being taken,
personal opinions ignored (maybe).

Fantastic. Looks like some great ideas. I like the external trim run. I look forward to watching the progress.

Bill

Cool project. Never seen the spine tingler(elev bellcrank) mounted like that. I've seen it laid horizontal a couple of times. Keep us posted.

down to a 2 page list of tiny things. a fuel tank, leading edge for one wing, a header tank, landing lights, wheels and brakes, a left aileron, fabric and paper work.

major head scratching and identity issues where a major part of the "scratchbuild" of this cub. originaly thought to be an E-2, then a J-3, then a WAG aero being converted to an E-2 or a J-3, then confessions of a 98 yr old WWII vet where made that it was a very repaired, modifed to an E-2, then extremely neglected 1938 J-3. i aquired the E-2 wings and tail feathers and wings in my digging through the property. the frame has gone through and extensive rebuild. %60 new lower longerons, whole new tail, new cabin bellie framing with super cub attach fittings, re-;located elevator bell crank, PA-11 frameing, redesigned rudder and seat mounts, lengthened cockpit,, widened cockpit, scratch built turle deck and birdcage, moded left side cabin window, scratchbuilt seats.
the wings are scratch built with restored cub ribs. no flaps for weight savings. heavy duty PA-18 struts with 13 ribs. leading edge will be a 25-75 ratio, fuel bay having full leading edges and the aileron bay having partial leading edges.
my approach changed from a "STOL" L-4 to a the "generals" L-4.......its 1945, the general is tired of being cold, cramped, and barley clearing the trees. find it in the scrap yard and make him comferteable, and clear the trees. and make a case of wine, a rifle, and suitcase fit in the baggage. all my gauges are WWII era and the bellie pod is old stearman stringers froma scrap bin. my intercom is out of an original birddog, interior fabric was off a WWII roll and snaps in and out for seasonal use. all interior is easily removable if i wana fly it light.
empty weight is projected to be about 815 with all the toys attached 780ish stripped. and i hope im being heavy with that. no electrical, just remote battery for nav lights.
this airplane was made possible and is a tribute to Ed "Skeeter" carlson and addison pemberton.

I like it.

Owning an L-4, I like what you are doing. I wish I could do some mods on mine but it is historically correct with the original civilian logbooks. I don't dare modify it too much for risk of incurring the wrath of the keep it original crowd. Keep us posted on your progress.

Here's a good read to go with the L-4. Written by an L-4 artillery liaison pilot, WW II.

I would love, some day, to fly a stock E-2 Cub. I hear it stalls at 28 mph.

bob turner said:

I would love, some day, to fly a stock E-2 Cub. I hear it stalls at 28 mph.

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It will spoil you, best Cub ever. Come out East and I can probably make it happen.

Glenn

cubdriver2 said:

It will spoil you, best Cub ever. Come out East and I can probably make it happen.



Glenn

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Whats makes the L4 great? What were the empty weights?

my first Cub was a PA-11. 799 lbs and a real sweetheart!

if it is the light weight, and any of you havent flown a carbon cub or the 180 hp Legend Cub, you owe yourself a test flight in one.

I resisted a long time, but then did some items for freinds on their new Carbon Cubs. They are somethin' else.

Get a test flight in one!!

bob turner said:

I would love, some day, to fly a stock E-2 Cub. I hear it stalls at 28 mph.

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Dave, put your glasses on

Glenn

Glen. How many guys say what a plane stalls at when all they know is an airspeed indication?

I hear you on 28 mph, but guys will aay that and think nothing of Pitot AOA and indication error.

Ok?

Dave we were talking " E2 " Cub not L4 Cub. The E2 A40 single mag 37hp one that I have gotten to fly a few hours in weighted something like 568 lbs. Johnson airspeed indicators are spot on when calibrated right ;-)

Glenn

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Cub junkie said:

I think an exact replica of the E2 like Mr Taylor built them in the early thirties would be awesome with a 912 rotax FWF. The E2 is the original LSA.

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It flies great on 37hp, one of the sweetest Cubs I've ever flown

Glenn

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Cub junkie said:

So, whats wrong with the same weight airframe and twice the horsepower ?

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Because that short stack A40 sounds sweet just as it is

Glenn

funny you guys talk about E-2, because i just got paper work and a data plate to serial #222 taylor E-2. i also have most the tail, wings, and ailerons. problem with building an E-2 is resale, they aint worth squat wich is a shame considering there history.

my cub and E2 came from skeeter carlson who also owned a thomas morse scout, a jenny and about 30 other flying or dimantled antiuqe airplanes stored in a full blown horder fashin. skeeter went to Europe in 1944 and had more storys then any one movie could handle, and he could back most of them up. long story short he had some german POWS rebuild a gearless cub and then flew it (risking court martial) around europe. i had the pleasure to fly his other L-4 for 247 hrs to work and play. the compass and paint scheme was from the POW cub. he had storys of towing german gliders behind jeeps and MP's that where in search of a cub.

the L-4 i flew was 789 empty with an 85. was getting 800+ fpm at 50 indicated with 36 gallons and me weighing 118 at 80 degrees. angle climb and slip abilities, in my opinion are better in a J-3 or L-4 then a super cub, climbing at 50 mph in a supercub always feels like the drag/weight/control ratio are not as good, climbing at 65 VS 50 eats up alot of room in those narrow canyons. i like staying over the airport during initial climbout so i have an out, the closer i can stay the happier i am.

L-4's will always be a little cooler then other cubs because they blew up tanks

skeeter is the guy holding the tail of the fuselage with the green bill hat. the property had been cleaned up ALOT in most these pics. the jenny pic is the peak of the parts piles. to give an idea, there was a jenny wing strut propping open a window, and an OX-5 oil pan under pine needles.

bogey said:

View attachment 31462

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How old is this picture? Does the Jenny still exist like this? Looks like the proverbial "old plane in a barn find".

that pic i took about 5 yrs ago. wish i had more pics of it all. take 2 large hangers and stuff them with antiuqe airplane parts...now take all that stuff and stuff it in 7 old buildings and hangers and a house with what seems like no orginization with a large touch of hording, that was skeeters. we found 4 cubs before i found mine hanging in the rafters, that took 4 months alone. the jenny got sold and moved to the east along with his thomas morse scout. both where considered the most original WWI era birds still flying. the jenny hanger was relatively clean and orginized compared to the rest.

I can feel the emotion of those fellows in the pictures. This sort of thing gives me goose bumps and heart palpitations. What a find!