There are lots of stories about Piper Cubs actually flying backwards, relative to the ground. Here's one from the advertisement page for a book of aviation memoirs/funnies:

...The battle wasn’t over yet. I reduced the power, raised the nose and extended full flap. I trimmed the Cub to hang from its propeller at 45 mph. Then I turned the airplane 180 degrees and flew into the wind.
On a heading of 230, the Cub floated slowly backward over the ground. The controller’s radar would show that I was tracking 050 degrees at five mph. This went unnoticed for several minutes before someone in the tower must have picked up the binoculars.
“Charlie Uniform Bravo,” the controller barked, “what are you doing now?”
“Uniform Bravo is flying downwind, slowly,” I said.
There was a long pause. “Charlie Uniform Bravo, you’re number four following the Learjet.”
“Negative contact, Uniform Bravo.”
Of course I couldn’t see the traffic. It was still ten miles away and I was flying with my back to it.
“United Express 233, cleared to land 24 Right.”
“Cleared to land 24 Right, 233.”
“Charlie Uniform Bravo, what airspeed can you give me on final?”
“Anywhere from 30 to 85 knots, Uniform Bravo.”
That translated from a minus five to a plus 50-knot forward ground speed. The other traffic would be approaching at 100 to 120 knots over the ground.
“This is not going to work, Charlie Uniform Bravo.”

www.happylanding.com/you'd/You'd%20Fly%20Laughing%20Too.htm