Ace Baby Ace

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Ace Baby Ace
Role Sports aircraft
National origin USA
Manufacturer Acro Sport
Designer Orland Corben
Unit cost approximately $2750 to build in 1971[1]
1958 Baby Ace

The Ace Baby Ace was the world's first aircraft to be marketed as a homebuilt aircraft when its plans were offered for sale in 1929. Plans are still available and Baby Aces are still being built today. Orland Corben designed a series of aircraft for the Ace Aircraft Manufacturing Company, the Baby Ace, Junior Ace, and Super Ace. Corbin's name was associated with the aircraft, and it is commonly known as the Corben Baby Ace.[2]

Contents

Design

It is a single-seat parasol wing monoplane of conventional taildragger configuration. The fuselage is of fabric-covered tubular construction and the wings are wood. A variety of aircraft powerplants may be used, typically in the 65-100 hp (50-75 kW) range. Examples have been built using 70hp Chevrolet Corvair engines. [3]

Operational History

In the mid-1950s Paul Poberezny, founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association bought the rights to the Ace aircraft, and produced a $500 Baby Ace that was featured in Popular Mechanics. The series of articles were in conjunction with a CAA effort to revitalize American aviation by promoting amateur built aircraft.[4] A 1958 Baby Ace is currently the oldest Canadian homebuilt aircraft flying presently.[5]

Specifications (Baby Ace D)

Data from Experimenter

General characteristics

  • Crew: one, pilot
  • Length: 17 ft 11 in (5.46 m)
  • Wingspan: 26 ft 6 in (8.08 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 7 in ()
  • Wing area: 110 ft² (10.22 m²)
  • Airfoil: Clark Y
  • Empty weight: 600 lb (270 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 950 lb (430 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1 × Salmson, Szekely, Continental, or Anzani engine choices., 65-100 hp (50-75 kW)

Performance

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

External links

References

  1. ^ Leo J. Kohn (Winter 1971). "The true cost of building your own plane". Air Trails: 63. 
  2. ^ "The Baby Ace". Experimenter. February 1955. 
  3. ^ Air Trails: 14. Winter 1971. 
  4. ^ "The Baby Ace". Experimenter. February 1955. 
  5. ^ "Tiger Boy's Airplane Works". http://www.tigerboys.com/bace.html. Retrieved 6 May 2011. 

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