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Supercub wings on J3

kiwicubber

PATRON
Te Kowhai, New Zealand
Hi, does anyone know if there is an STC or other mod to put supercub wings onto a J3 and if so does it give an increased gross weight?

Asking for a friend. 😀

cheers Bill
 
Doesn’t sound easy. Wing attachment is significantly different. But I’ve been wrong before.
 
Atlee Dodge has a lot of strange STCs. Might check there. A better plan is to sell the J3 and buy a lightweight PA-18-95 or 105. Lots less expensive.
 
Atlee Dodge has a lot of strange STCs. Might check there. A better plan is to sell the J3 and buy a lightweight PA-18-95 or 105. Lots less expensive.

I didn't want to be the one to say it, but some 'mods' just scream out for the owner to buy the airplane that he's trying fabricate.

Web
 
I have a one time STC for same. Just put J-3 spars in the S.C. wings. Piece of cake. Jerry
 
Hi all, Just found out that it’s just had the two wing tanks installed, not a wing change ��
All the comments helped narrow down the issues though.
Panc over. ��

cheers Bill
 
You probably still need paperwork. The alteration has more to do with the diagonal through the tank than replacing the forward spar - as near as I can tell, most of the Super Cub wing components are identical to those of the '46 J-3.

We have one in the local system that has a PA-18 tank and PA-11 cable feed-throughs. I was able to get a field approval for that within two weeks. I am still working on a Cleveland wheel field approval after six months, so a lot of it depends on who gets assigned to your project.
 
There's a J-3 in New Zealand with a Super Cub top deck. I don't know if it has Super Cub wings or cut down front spars on the J-3 wings. It doesn't have flaps. The mod was done in the US; it turned up here like that. Picture attached and you can see the PA-18 tubes in the windscreen and the space where the headknocker spars should be.

Andrew.
 

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Seems the topdeck isn't the only Super Cub thing on it, in this picture it also looks like it wears a Super Cub rudder.
 

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Isn't the new top deck and balanced tail feathers what Piper did to make a J-3 into a PA18? Just sayin' . . . .

Web
 
There's a J-3 in New Zealand with a Super Cub top deck. I don't know if it has Super Cub wings or cut down front spars on the J-3 wings. It doesn't have flaps. The mod was done in the US; it turned up here like that. Picture attached and you can see the PA-18 tubes in the windscreen and the space where the headknocker spars should be.

Andrew.

Im pretty sure Atlee had an STC to adapt the SC top deck to the J-3/PA-11, with early SC style wings.

Atlee had a bunch (20 +, I recall) of STCs for the J-3/PA-11

MTV
 
My yellow cub is just that. 2 J3 parts plane and a 18 top deck. J3 wings with spars shortener to fit 18 top deck and one wing tank. 18 controls, seats and baggage

Glenn
 
For $200 Atlee sent me all his J-3/PA-11 STC's. He supported aviation in many ways.

Gary

Years ago, when I owned a 90 hp J-3 in Kodiak, I was in ANC and stopped at Atlee’s place to inquire about J-3 mods. I’d never met Atlee, but had heard many stories…he was a legend. I’m asking questions about certain mods and Atlee begins something of a rant about people copying (stealing) his designs, and the “GD FAA” then field approving these bootlegged mods……implying thats what I was up to. At a pause, I made it clear that I’d happily pay him for his STCs, but I just wanted to know more about them before I laid out cash.

Atlee looked at me and said: “I’ll tell you what, I’ll sell you ALL my J-3 STCs for $100 bucks, cash only, right now.” I drug out my wallet and handed him five twenties. He said he’d be right back, and disappeared into the other room.

Soon he came back and now the conversation was all about “Where ya from, what do you do there? Etc…..a very friendly visit. After a while, Atlees wife came out of the back with a stack of paper…..all Atlee’s J-3 STCs. I noted with amazement that was a LOT of STCs for $100, and Atlee laughed, and said he hadn’t sold any of those STCs for a couple years. I cant recall the actual number, but 20 something seems right.

And that was the beginning of a friendship. Every time I was in Anchorage after that, I’d go by Atlee’s place and visit. A true Alaskan character and legend. And someone I’m blessed to have known.

MTV
 
That characteristic of Atlee was felt thousands of miles away here in New Zealand. Every time I'd buy something I needed, like fuel caps, seat belt mods, he would include the STC for the top deck X-brace free of charge. With it would be a handwritten note saying sternly something to the effect that I must install this mod!

Andrew.
 
Thanks for all the cool answers. ��
Does anyone know if there is a Flight Manual Supplement for SA561GL. Deals with J3C wing fuel tank installation.
 
Doubt it. Without looking, I am not sure which tank that is, but my Air energy 11 gal tank came without anything more than an information sheet - didn't even have much in the way of installation instructions. He got approval for use without a header tank, which is really surprising - don't operate that way . . .
 
Thanks Bob. I flew one yesterday with two wing tanks. Seems to operate with wing tanks draining into the fuselage tank and engine feeding only off the fuselage tank. Wondering if fuselage tank will overflow if both wing tanks are selected on? Also placarded solo front seat only, but what if only fuselage tank is used? I had about 5 gals in fuselage tank and 3 gals in right tank and 5 gals in left and it needed nearly full aft trim.
 
Taylorcraft STC SA1-210 adds 6 gallon wing tanks. They feed the main fuselage tank through individual shutoff valves. The main tank then has a vent line added that runs up to one or both wing tanks which vent through either their caps or a single crossover vented outlet. A sealed cap is installed on the fuselage tank and an internal Rochester float fuel gauge added to the main. No fuel overflow.

Gary
 
Taylorcraft STC SA1-210 adds 6 gallon wing tanks. They feed the main fuselage tank through individual shutoff valves. The main tank then has a vent line added that runs up to one or both wing tanks which vent through either their caps or a single crossover vented outlet. A sealed cap is installed on the fuselage tank and an internal Rochester float fuel gauge added to the main. No fuel overflow.

Gary
My BC12D had a 6 gallon tank in the right wing with a shut off valve only. There was no vent connection to the main tank This was approved on the original type Certificate.
There was also this requirement: Note:3 Required placard adjacent to shutoff valve of right and left wing tanks: “Refill main tank in level flight only”

I see two reasons for this requirement. 1/ to ensure all the fuel will drain and 2/ preventing the fuel from overflowing the main when parked on the ground.. I remember seeing the fuel spray on the windshield when transferring fuel in flight. That was the clue it was full. .
 
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Unless you do something to beef up the landing gear, PA-18 wings will not get you a higher gross weight. That is the J-3 weak spot, from what I understand. The previous owner of my Dad’s PA-11 tried to mod it to a PA-18-90 but couldn’t get it approved. It still ended up with the PA-18 sliding window and engine.
 
Unless you do something to beef up the landing gear, PA-18 wings will not get you a higher gross weight. That is the J-3 weak spot, from what I understand. The previous owner of my Dad’s PA-11 tried to mod it to a PA-18-90 but couldn’t get it approved. It still ended up with the PA-18 sliding window and engine.

I was led to believe that the stock PA-11 landing gear was the same part number as the early SC gear. I had to verify that for installation of ABW Airstreaks. I don’t recall the reference, but the part numbers were the same.

No idea if the J-3 gear was the same, but Late J-3 and PA-11 had same gross weight.

MTV

MTV
 
They went from AN-4 to -5 hardware at the upper cabane V to fuselage fitting to up GW among others.

Gary
 
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