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Aviation History
1964
1964 - 0212.PDF
143 FLIGHT Internationa 23 January 1964 Four variations on the Baby Ace theme: (/) Encil Kleir of Inola, Oklahoma, used parts salvaged from an Aeronca Chief and added improvements including balanced elevators and a glass-fibre cowl; (2) Everett Hepler of Rochester, NY, redesigned the tail and nose cowl; (3) Baby Ace built by Jesse W. Ross and Melvin D. Straw of Fremont, Indiana; (4) greatly modified special built by Robert D. Stephens uses wing panels and nose cowl from a Luscombe; wing struts, fuel tank and landing gear from a Piper Cub. All four use 65 h.p. engines the modest sum of $200 he purchased the remaining physical assets of the company and all rights to three aircraft which it had mar- keted. Although a partly built Junior Ace was included in the pur- chase price, the Baby Ace seemed more likely to become popular. Accordingly this was selected for refurbishing and the plans were passed by Poberezny to his friend Stan Dzik who re-drew them and at the same time completely re-engineered and modernized the design, while retaining the same configuration. The first post-World War II Baby Ace eventually took shape in Poberezny's garage. Poberezny and Dzik were assisted by Mike Terlizzi, who made the wing ribs in his home and assembled the wings in his own garage. The new design was matched to the more efficient powerplants which had become available. It was engineered to take either Franklin, Lycoming or Continental engines from 50 to 85 h.p., utilizing a standard Piper Cub engine-mount. A somewhat dilapi- dated Continental A65 engine was purchased for $25 and com- pletely overhauled before being installed. Wheels, tyres and hydraulic brakes were salvaged from a Piper Cub. The Baby Ace cost about $500 to build but it was recognized that, primarily because so little money was expended on the power "nit, this was exceptionally low. The total time expended in its Hoi* modified can you get? Floatplane, biplane and nose-gear versions of me Saby Ace were built by Cal Latham, Will McGregor and partners I £ Rogers and Charles D. Grow respectively construction was approximately 800-950 man-hours. Registered N-9050C, this first post-war Baby Ace is widely regarded as the fountainhead from which the present-day homebuilt hobby, in North America, has sprung. A major factor in bringing the hobby to the attention of thou- sands of hobbyists was that a wide-circulation US magazine, Mechanix Illustrated, adopted the plane and ran an extensive and highly detailed article showing how it could be built by the average amateur using only simple tools. It is not known how many people read the article, but thereafter few homebuilt meets failed to attract at least one Baby Ace. Continued overleaf
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