John, those are beautiful airplanes but the title of the thread is "cheap taildraggers.."

cheap taildragger/airplane is an oxymoron.
gary

There is a lot of good information about the options for a "tail dragger" here. The term "tail dragger" covers a lot of territory and includes airplanes with almost nothing else in common other than the placement of the third wheel.

From a Cub to a Maule to a 180 to a Decathlon, you are moving about as far from one primary capability and use to another as you can go. IMO, comparing the utilities of a Decathon and a Cub is like comparing a Caravan to a TBM.

The first thing one needs to do is ask themselves what they really want from a "cheap tail dragger". If it is to experience the most basic experience of flying then forget the 180, the Maule, the Husky, the Stinson 108 and go with the seat of the pants experience that the Cub and Champ offer. If "cheap" to you is $100,000, then you can even throw the Stearman in the mix.

I bought the Cub in 1994 to teach my boys, then 9 and 11, to fly; I mean really fly. It served its purpose well and in the years that they were away at college, grad school, law school etc., when they came home, they didn't want to fly the Decathlon that I had for them, or the Mooney, or the Aerostar. They wanted to fly the Cub. I figure that over ten airplanes have come and gone since we got the Cub. I don't miss a one of them. Had I ever, in a foolish moment, sold the Cub, it would be sorely missed.

When you settle down your "wants" and find something that consistently rewards you when you strap it on, then, you don't get tired of it. Sometimes, I get bored as hell flying from point A to point B, but I never get tired of getting in the Cub on a late, lazy summer day, opening both windows and tooling over the country side at 500' or just shooting touch and goes to keep that "finesse" that a "cheap tail dragger" demands.

After twenty years of flying the Cub, I had her rebuilt. Now, she's good for another 20 and hopefully for me to teach my grandson to fly. Then, I'll be gone and John Jr. can escape the big city law practice at times and just be free, him and his Cub and the country side sliding by at 85 mph. And maybe he'll think of me and the hours we spent together sharing a part of life. Maybe even, he will have a son to teach to fly in Granddad's Cub. It may be the most prominent thing the grandson will ever know about me. There are worse things to be remembered by.

So, pick something that will reward you for years, not just in a passing fancy of something new.

Happy flying. , and peace.

Jgreen

The Maule is actually based on the Piper Pacer. BD Maule added a slight fuselage stretch aft of the trailing edge of the wing, enlarged the rudder fin, and extended the wings. The M4 is the fastest of the bunch on a given horsepower because it has the shortest wings, the factory extended the wings twice more on the M5 and M7 series to create what they have today. The actual useful load is "everything that fits."

There's just something very special about flying an old taildragger on a grass runway.

Pardon the rabbit trail.....

If you're looking at Cubs, what performance difference would you expect between a J-3 with a C-85 or C-90 upgrade vs a PA-12 or PA-18-90 with the same engine? I ask because the prices can be wildly different.

I still miss this one.

There are a lot of cheap tail draggers that are under utilized. Go around to the local airports and see if some one would want a partner.

Get your conventional gear rating first.

Stuart,

Wow, you have really asked "how long is a piece of string". The evolution of the Cub from the J-3C-50 to the PA-18 encompasses a plethora of changes. There was the J-3-50, J-3P-50, J-3C-65, PA-11-65, PA-11-90, PA-18-90, PA-18-108, PA-18-125, and PA-18-150. The engines step ups were just the tip of the iceberg even if, to the untrained eye, the airplanes looked "mostly" the same.

For instance, the horizontal stabilizer on the PA-18 is 18" wider ON EACH SIDE than the J-3C. Not even the fuselages are interchangeable.

There is a book that you can buy on Amazon: The Piper Classics by Joe Christy, that will give you a good understanding of the airplanes as well as the PA-12, PA-14, PA-15, PA-16, PA-17, PA-20, PA-22 Tri Pacer and PA-22 Colt.

But! You my friend asked a very specific question and I'll try to answer.

The J-3C-65 will cruise about 75 mph and climb 400 fpm on a GOOD day. My J-3C, modified to the configuration of a PA-11 and with an O-200 putting out somewhere around 90-100 horsepower will cruise 92 and climb 700 fpm on that same good day.

As to the disparity in prices, you are correct. There are countless ways to modify the airplanes and all can be expensive. Today, to take a J-3C-65 and make all the mods on my airplane would cost over a $100,000 just in the mods. I know a gentleman that had Top Cub build him a J-3 just like mine ten years ago and it cost him $100,000 then.

As to the PA-12, it looks like a Cub but is actually a three seat airplane and "cleaned up" a little. It is a very nice airplane and the first airplane I ever flew at the ripe old age of ten years.

Hope I have not muddied the water too much.

Jgreen

Thanks John,

Got my education, smile and cry today, all in your paragraphs above. Thanks for making this Gpa feel good today!!

JGG,

We are but keepers of family heirlooms and can only hope that our children will have the same passion for flying.

Our 140 has been passed down 3 Generations. My Dad had 1977 - 2013 and taught us to fly in it. My Baby Bro and I have taken up the torch ( Dad supervised the rebuild but said at 65, he already rebuilt it once in 1985.

It's well on its way to the 4th Generation; my 9year old nephew calls to prod his Uncle after I have either flown over their house or it's been too long since he's flown in it.

Any one of these lovely "cheap tail dragger" is good to cherish for a lifetime of memories; won't break the bank; plentiful parts and Economy of operation. Plus, they are just plain Fun.


Regards,
Nigel

If this thread doesn't get some fence sitter to go get a cheap tailwheel, I'll become tempted to go find another!!

Nigel, I can honestly & personally say, your C140 is beautiful & a dream to fly, I absolutely loved it and will remember it for ever, say hi to your Dad again for me.

Indy Air Sales has a nice polished C140. They're really close to my house.

Change the subject!

No has mentioned the Swift a O-300 one can be had cheap and they are much fun to fly as well.