page_title: Piper PA-11 Cub Special
section_title: Modifications
hierarchical_section_title: Piper PA-11 Cub Special / Design and development / Modifications
caption_attribution_description: English: Piper PA-11S Cub Special floatplane N4580M at Seattle Renton in 1973
context_page_description: The Piper PA-11 Cub Special is a later-production variant of the J-3 Cub manufactured by Piper Aircraft.
context_section_description: A small number of PA-11s have been modified to use a Tricycle landing gear.
  The PA-11 was one of the first aircraft to be used by Piper for experiments with the nose wheel (also known as tricycle gear) configuration. Although its original design is intended to be a tail-dragger, a modification was created to mount a nose wheel.
  The nose wheel is attached to the two rear engine mounts by y-shaped steel tubes attached to a steel tube with a shaft that slides freely with the wheel. Cables run underneath the belly directly from fixtures on the rudder pedals to the nose wheel shaft. This gave the ability to steer by pivoting the nose wheel shaft with the rudder pedals. The shock system consisted of six circular bungee cords, sometimes four for softer landings, located on either side of the nose wheel shaft to ears on the top tube and the bottom shaft connected to the wheel.
  For the aircraft to balance properly with the nose wheel, the main gear was flipped around so that the center of balance would move forward. The pilot would sit in the front seat for added stability.
  A number of Cub Specials have been converted for flight operation using floats.
caption: Float-equipped PA-11S at Seattle Renton in 1973
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