The Alaskan owner of a 1958 Piper Super Cub that looked a lot like the one shown above made a terrible mistake. Depending on which unqualified version of events you choose to believe, he either left the plane at a remote fishing spot with a container of bait inside, or he left his plane at a remote Alaskan runway without cleaning it out properly after a salmon fishing expedition.

In spite of the causal divergence in the various reports, what happened next is not disputed. The plane was set upon by a hungry bear that was attracted to the delicious odors emanating from within.

In the ravenous predator’s quest for food, the aircraft suffered extensive damage to the fuselage and both wheels. What happened next is where this story becomes really, really interesting.

While most folks would entrust their plane to the competent hands of a qualified aviation mechanic, this pilot was made of more capable stuff. After fitting the mangled flying machine with two new wheels and selectively applying several cases of duct tape and some packaging cellophane, he had patched it up to the point that it could actually fly. He then took to the skies and flew his duct taped, cellophaned 1958 Piper Super Cub home.

[Images: Army Paratrooper]

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