Taylor E-2
Cub By David Fortuna
AT A GLANCE Type:
Taylor’s “First Cub” makes a great small field, electric scale model!
PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID FORTUNA T
he Taylor E-2 Cub came about from my desire to try my hand at an elec- tric model. In selecting the appro- priate airplane I wanted one that
would be easy to build and be a good flyer. The first thing to do was to decide on what motor to use. A 400 brushless motor was chosen since they are widely available and reasonably priced. Now I needed to find a suitable airplane.
I had already decided on a cabin type light plane such as the J-3 Cub, but to be honest, even though I have flown the real J-3, I have seen just about all the yellow Cub models I care to see. I considered about a dozen dif- ferent airplanes, then chose the E-2. With a wingspan around 50 inches it had enough wing area to carry the equipment and still have a decent wing loading. Also, the battery would fit between the firewall and landing gear making it easy to remove. With a box fuselage and straight wing and tail it would be easy to build, look like a Cub of sorts, but wouldn’t be yellow. The color scheme is what was used on the real air- craft. It’s simple, different and shows up well in the air. Did I mention it’s not yellow? The E-2 Cub came about in the late ’20s.
At that time aircraft designers began look- ing for an airplane that would be low cost, easy to manufacture and be stable enough to
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be flown by the average pilot. Clarence Tay- lor, a self-taught aeronautical engineer, be- gan working on just such an aircraft. By 1926 he had designed and built a two-place, light aircraft. With the help of his brother, they formed the Taylor Brothers Aircraft Corp. in Rochester, New York. While looking for investors in their com-
pany, one person who showed interest was an oil company businessman named William Piper. With his financial backing, he became a partner. In 1930 the E-2 was designed. Needing an engine, several were tried. One was the Brownback Tiger Kitten engine. When the engine was installed in the E-2, the design- ers thought that if the engine was a kitten, then the airplane should be a Cub. From then on, all tandem seating decendants of the E-2 were known as Cubs. ln 1936 an updated model of the E-2 ap- peared, which was known as the J-2. The Taylor J-2 features were revised, making it look much more like the J-3, except it was still all silver. About this time, Piper had disagreements
with Taylor, and Piper bought the company out, and Taylor started a new firm, making the popular Taylorcraft series of light- planes. In March 1937, a fire destroyed the plant.
Construction: Wing span: Wing area: Length: Weight:
Wing loading: Prop:
Motor: ESC:
Battery: Radio:
Servos:
R/C electric scale balsa and ply 50 inches 370 sq. in. 31 inches 30 ounces
11.5 oz./sq.ft. 7–4
400 brushless 20-amp
3S 2200 mAh Li-Po 3–4-channel 2–3 micro
Piper immediately began looking for new fa- cilities. An abandoned silk mill plant in Lock Haven, PA was chosen. By late 1937 the first J-3 Cubs were being produced. They were painted all yellow with the well-known black stripe. At the time, the price for a new J-3 was $1,270.00, about what a propeller now costs for one. So now you know the rest of the story. Getting back to the E-2. By today’s stan-
dards the real E-2 was little more than an ultralight. It weighed 525 pounds empty and had a cruise speed of 68 mph, with an engine of only 35 to 37 hp. The first E-2s had only four instruments and no breaks, just a tail skid. The pilot sat on a plywood seat and side windows were optional at an extra $45.00. Now that’s what you could call prim- itive flying.
AUGUST 2012
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