Pietenpol Air Camper

Bernard H. Pietenpol Bernard Pietenpol was born in 1901 and lived in the southern Minnesota community of Cherry Grove. From the beginning, Bernard showed an aptitude for all things mechanical and became the town’s “mechanical genius.” Bernard was also intrigued by the new “flying machines” that had gained notoriety and a fair amount of acceptance […]

Christen Eagle

Personal History of this craft TBD Design Designed to compete with the Pitts Special by Frank Christensen originally of Salt Lake City, Utah,[1] the Eagle II is marketed in kit form for homebuilding. It set a new standard for completely documented homebuilding kits that revolutionized the homebuilding industry. The Eagle II is a small aircraft of conventional configuration with […]

American Eagle, Model A-101

Our 1928 American Eagle, Model A-101, NC7172, s/n 283. The engine is a WW1 design with two spark plugs per cylinder (two magnetos) and was advanced for its day.  However, the engine has an exposed valve operating mechanism and required being greased before each flight.  In other ways, the Eagle was modern for its day with […]

Bowlus BA-100 Baby Albatross

Bowlus BA-100 Baby Albatross The Baby Albatross is a single-seat, high-wing monoplane glider with a wooden monocoque fuselage pod, an aluminum tube tail boom, and wooden empennage; fabric covered rudder and elevators and strut-braced wooden wings partially covered with fabric. Bowlus considered the needs and skills of the amateur builder from the beginning by adopting […]