01/31/2012. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "The Cub Special was Piper's first post war model to get beyond the prototype stage. It was a development of the J-3, but had the engine fully cowled, a modernized interior and the fuel tank raised and put into the port wing. The shock strut assemblies were faired in and the wing lift struts were more streamlined. The engine was still the 65 hp Continental A-65-8. The first aircraft (c/n 11-1) had registration NC91913 and was completed on the 14th August 1946.

Two further test aircraft were built in late 1946, these were c/n 11-2 (NC2000M) completed September 26 and c/n 11-3 (NC2001M) completed on October 29. These three airplanes were built using a modified J-3 fuselage and wings. The PA-11 used the same TC of the J-3. Production got under way with the 65 hp engine version in March 1947, starting with c/n 11-4 (NC4500M) completed on March 10.

The first installation of the 90 hp Continental C-90-8 engine was in c/n 11-5 (NC4501M) and either the 65 hp or the 90 hp engine was available in 1948. In early 1948 Piper had many unsold 65 hp Cub Specials in its inventory. The engines in these airplanes were replaced with the 90 hp version before being sold. Production continued at Lock Haven until September 26, 1949, the last produced included 105 aircraft (c/n 11-1249/1353) ordered by the USAF under designation L-18B (s/n 49-2774 to 49-2878) for MDAP delivery to Turkey.

In the meantime a second line had been set up at Ponca City where production commenced in September 1947 with c/n 11-1354 (NC78536) and continued there until January 26, 1948. The float equipped PA-11S seaplane was also available and a small number of PA-11 aircraft have been fitted with a tricycle landing gear. In all 1541 PA-11/L-18B aircraft were produced, of which 25 were exported to Argentina in June 1948 along with vast numbers of the PA-12."