Classic Aircraft Simulations has recently released its rendition of the Piper J-3 Cub for Microsoft Flight Simulator. This popular high-wing monoplane, built by Piper Aircraft between 1938 and 1947, had nearly 20,000 manufactured units.

The Cub's story begins in the late 1920s with C.G. Taylor, an aeronautical engineer with a vision for a simple, affordable airplane. His initial design, the Taylor Cub, laid the groundwork for the J-3. In 1937, the Piper Aircraft Company acquired the rights to the Taylor Cub and introduced the J-3, boasting a more powerful engine and several improvements. The J-3's key strength was its simplicity: its lightweight fabric-and-steel construction, paired with a low-horsepower engine, made it easy to fly and maintain. Its ease of use and affordable price tag opened the skies to a new generation of pilots.

The J-3's impact indeed soared during World War II. The U.S. Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP) adopted the J-3 as its primary trainer, churning out thousands of qualified pilots for the war effort. Nicknamed the "Grasshopper" for its ability to take off and land in short fields, the J-3 played a crucial role in training pilots for combat aircraft. Even after the war, surplus J-3s flooded the civilian market, further democratizing aviation and fueling a surge in recreational flying.

Thanks to its ability to land in remote locations, J-3's influence extends far beyond pilot training. It is invaluable for tasks like crop dusting, aerial photography, and banner towing. It even played a part in search-and-rescue missions and disaster relief efforts. J-3's versatility and reliability cemented its reputation as a workhorse of the skies.

While production of the J-3 ended in 1947, its legacy lives on. Over 20,000 J-3s were built, making it the most-produced airplane in Piper's history. Many remain operational today, cherished by private owners and flown in airshows and recreational outings. Several companies continue producing certified replicas, ensuring the J-3's design inspires new aviators.

The add-on features an accurate rendition of the aircraft, with a computational fluid dynamics flight model, hand-prop start procedure simulation, physics-based animations, aircraft state and condition persistence, landing gear failure simulation, interactive refueling, custom visual effects, compact and hideable custom avionics, and much more. The complete feature list follows below:

• Hand-prop start procedure and engine start simulation.
• Engine oil consumption
• Engine damage and failure
• Physics-based animations
• Bespoke MSFS CFD flight model
• Aircraft state/condition persistence
• Variety of aircraft options
• Landing gear failure on hard landing
• Compact, hideable custom avionics (XPDR and Radio)
• Tablet for aircraft settings/configuration
• Enhanced vibration and camera movement effects
• Synchronized high dynamic range engine sounds
• Animated passenger (movable with interaction)
• Custom Pilot/passenger models
• Landing gear failure simulation
• Prop strike
• Interactive refueling
• Custom visual effects

It's available on Contrail for roughly $16.11, requiring at least 2.1 GB of free hard disk space to install.

Shout out to DragonRuins for the news scoop! Stay tuned to Threshold for more flight simulation news!

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