The Piper L-21B Super Cub is a two-seat high-wing liaison aircraft. The Piper PA-18
Super Cub flew for the first time in 1949, and the FAA Type certification was
awarded on November 18, 1949. The first production Super Cubs were delivered in 1949. Over
10.000 Super Cubs were built, including about 8,500 civilian Super Cubs and more than 1,800
delivered to the U.S. and several foreign military services as L-18Cs and L-21s for liaison;
training; transport and target tugs work. Most of the Super Cubs were built until 1981 when
production originally ceased. Super Cub production resumed by WTA between 1982 and 1988 totalled
250. Between 1988 and 1994 Piper Aircraft built another 102.
The 1955-built Piper L-21B Super Cub R-163 (ex 54-2453) was photographed on August 29nd 1975 at
Groningen Airport Eelde in the Netherlands when in service with the Groep Lichte Vliegtuigen.
The Royal Netherlands Air Force operated over 100 L-18C, L-21A en L-21B Super Cubs. The aircraft
were owned by the Army but flown and technical supported by the Groep Lichte Vliegtuigen, formed by
the 298, 299 and 300 squadron of the K.Lu. The Piper L-21B Super Cub R-163 was, as many of the Dutch
military Super Cubs, after retirement from the military duties transferred to the KNVvL. It was registered
February 23, 1977 as PH-LET with the type changed to a Piper PA-18-135 and used as glider-tug. The
Super Cub was sold in the UK and registered G-BIRH on March 19, 1981. In 2004 it was still in use with
the Aquila Gliding Club based at Hinton in the Hedges airfield near Brackley in Northamptonshire, England.
Luchtvaart déjà vu
