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The Piper PA-18-135 Super Cub is a two-seat high-wing light utility aircraft.
The Piper PA-18 Super Cub flew for the first time in 1949, and the FAA Type certification was
awarded on 18 November 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 ICAO Aircraft
Type Designator for the Piper PA-18-135 is PA18 |
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The 1954 built Piper PA-18-135 Super Cub s/n 18-3841 was built under USAF number 54-2411 and was one of a batch of 298 L-21’s delivered in 1954.
There were 584 L-21B’s produced by Piper for military use, the ‘L’ standing for Liaison. The L-21B’s were PA-18-135’s with civil Lycoming O-290-D2
engines, glasswork as most L-21A’s and L-18’s and a gross weight of 1760 lbs. Piper PA-18-135 Super Cub s/n 18-3841 was built as a Piper L-21B-PI
Super Cub under USAF number 54-2411. On 1 July 1954, the aircraft was delivered to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht, registered R-151 and and entered
service as 'A-96' with 298 Squadron as replacement of the Auster. The aircraft was transferred to 299 Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force
at Deelen AB where it was operated as '5G-96' and in the late 1950s it was finally operated without squadron code as R-151.
The Royal
Netherlands Air Force received 155 Piper L-18C, L-21A and L-21B Super Cubs. The aircraft were owned by the Army but flown and technical supported
by Groep Lichte Vliegtuigen, formed by 298, 299 and 300 squadron of the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (RNethAF). After retirement from the military duties
several of the Dutch military Super Cubs were transferred to the KNVvL and/or flying clubs, including Piper L-21B Super Cub R-151.
On 2 Juni 1976,
the Piper L-21B Super Cub R-151 was registered PH-GER as a Piper PA-18-135 with Vliegclub Hoogeveen. Piper PA-18-135 Super Cub PH-GER was used as glider-tug
at Hoogeveen airfield (EHHO). On 8 August 1978, the PH-GER was registered with Gérard Kiers, Ruinen, one of the board members of Vliegclub Hoogeveen. On 27
March 1981, the aircraft was delivered to the UK and on 13 April 1981, registration PH-GER was cancelled as exported to the UK. On 26 May 1981, the aircraft
was registered G-BIYR in the UK (G-BIYB was ntu) with Watson Aviation Ltd., East Croydon. On 24 August 1982, the G-BIYR was registered with Cormack (Aircraft
Services), Glasgow. On 3 February 1983, Truman Aviation at Nottingham Airport, was registered as the next owner of the G-BIYR. On 19 January 1984, Piper PA-18-135
Super Cub G-BIYR was registered with three privat owners, together the trustees of the assets of the Delta Foxtrot Flying Group at Tollaton. In 1992, the G-BIYR was
re-engined with a 150hp Lycoming O-320-A2B engine. On 2 June 1995, the aircraft was repainted in original Dutch insignia and given CAA permission to use the original
call-sign, R-151. Today, the G-BIYR is registered as a Piper L-21B (modified), based in South Devon, England, and owned by five members of the Delta Foxtrot Flying
Group.
On 4 May 1978, the 1954-built Piper PA-18-135 Super Cub PH-GER was seen at Hoogeveen airfield (EHHO). |
