Piper J-3 Cub — a rectangular wing that worksvsCessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviation
root section usa35b → naca2412 · dihedral 1.00° → 1.73° · tip cap reach 0.300 → 0.200 · taper 1.000 → 0.804 · tip chord 1545 mm → 1310 mm · aspect ratio 6.945 → 7.350
units
These analyses are not directly comparable
- different trim loads (5396 N vs 10791 N) — each wing is carrying a different weight
The geometry comparison below is unaffected — it is a comparison of shapes, not of runs.
- Piper J-3 Cub — a rectangular wing that works
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk — the most-built wing in aviation
What changed
| Property | Piper J-3 Cub | Cessna 172 Skyhawk | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | ||||
| Span | 10730 mm | 11000 mm | +270 mm | +2.5% |
| Root chord | 1545 mm | 1630 mm | +85 mm | +5.5% |
| Tip chord | 1545 mm | 1310 mm | -235 mm | -15.2% |
| Sweep parameter | 0.000 | 1.666 | +1.666 | — |
| Dihedral | 1.00° | 1.73° | +0.73° | +73.0% |
| Tip twist | 0.00° | -3.00° | -3.00° | — |
| Tip cap reach | 0.300 | 0.200 | -0.100 | -33.3% |
| Derived | ||||
| Aspect ratio | 6.945 | 7.350 | +0.405 | +5.8% |
| Area | 16577850 mm² | 16463140 mm² | -114710 mm² | -0.7% |
| Taper | 1.000 | 0.804 | -0.196 | -19.6% |
| MAC | 1545 mm | 1504 mm | -41 mm | -2.7% |
| Sections | ||||
| Root section | usa35b | naca2412 | changed | — |
| Shapedeviation at matched span fractions, 64 samples | ||||
| Chord deviation (max) | 235 mm | |||
| Chord deviation (RMS) | 115 mm | |||
| Twist deviation (max) | 3.00° | |||
| Dihedral deviation (max) | 72 mm | |||
| Tip cap deviation (max) | 206 mm | |||
Performance
CoefficientsDimensionless — how good the shape is, independent of size and speed.
ForcesNewtons and watts — what each wing actually carries and costs at this condition.
Spanwise
withheld — “Piper J-3 Cub” integrates to CL 0.002 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.330 (0.01×); “Cessna 172 Skyhawk” integrates to CL 0.034 against the polar’s CL at the same α (this analysis predates the loading reporting its own) 0.344 (0.10×). A loading that does not integrate back to its own wing’s CL is not a coarse curve, it is a wrong one.
air, ρ = 1.225 kg/m³
data
| V (kt) | Piper J-3 Cub | Cessna 172 Skyhawk |
|---|---|---|
| 66.29 | 24.68 | 17.11 |
| 67.79 | 25.06 | 17.77 |
| 72.89 | 25.88 | 20.00 |
| 76.83 | 26.16 | 21.72 |
| 78.00 | 26.25 | 22.15 |
| 83.10 | 26.21 | 24.04 |
| 87.38 | 25.91 | 25.62 |
| 88.20 | 25.85 | 25.82 |
| 93.30 | 25.19 | 27.05 |