THE MID-ATLANTIC AIR MUSEUM'S CURRENT AIRCRAFT RESTORATIONS PROJECTS

CURRENT RESTORATION PROJECTS

UPDATED JANUARY 9, 2012

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In addition to MAAM's P-61 Black Widow Recovery and Restoration Project, there are always other aircraft restorations underway in the busy museum shop, as well as off-site.  Here are some of those projects now underway.   Click on each photo to enlarge.

 

1934 KINNER B-1 "SPORTSTER"
N727W   SN 138


The Kinner Airplane & Motor Corporation, which had been producing radial engines since 1919, decided to enter the light aircraft market. The first design was a single-seat low-wing monoplane the Kinner Sportster K with a fixed tailwheel landing gear.  Further versions followed with different engines. In 1933, an improved version the Sportwing B-2 was introduced. An enlarged four-seat version was produced in 1935 as the Kinner Envoy. Kinner became bankrupt in 1937 and rights to the Sportster were acquired by the Timm Aircraft Company.

General characteristics

  • Crew: Two Side by side
  • Powerplant: 1 × Kinner B-5, 125 HP

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 120 km/h
  • Cruising speed: 70 km/h
  • Endurance: 4 hour
Kinner Sportster wing struts painted black and ready for installation metal inspection panels for wings painted black
top side of right hand Kinner wing top side of right hand Kinner wing
the Grimes model B navigation light mounted on the fin the Kinner factory logo on the verticle fin
bottom side of the left-hand Kinner wing -bottom side of the right-hand Kinner wing
one of the Kinner Sportster wing locker baggage compartments completed Kinner Sportster vertical fin
a bullet spinner for the Hamilton Standard ground adjustable propeller both Kinner Sportster wings are complete and await installation

N727W in the mid-'60s in Iowa

 

 

1933 PIETENPOL "AIR CAMPER"    
N4979E      Ford "B" powered

The Pietenpol Air Camper is a simple homebuilt aircraft designed by Bernard H. Pietenpol. The first prototype that became the Air Camper was built and flown by Pietenpol in 1928.

The Air Camper was designed to be built of spruce and plywood. One of Pietenpol's goal was to create a plane that was affordable and easy to construct for home builders. Building an Air Camper requires basic woodworking skills and tools. Builders also need to fabricate some metal fittings to attach the wooden parts together. Some welding is required. The plans for the Pietenpol Aircamper were originally published in a four part serial in the "Flying and Glider" Manual of 1932-33.  The original model was flown using an Ace four cylinder water-cooled engine. The Model A Ford engine later became the standard powerplant used.

General characteristics

  • Crew: One pilot
  • Capacity: One passenger
  • Length: 17 ft 8 in (5.39 m)
  • Wingspan: 29 ft 0 in (8.84 m)
  • Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
  • Wing area: 135 ft² (12.5 m²)
  • Empty weight: 610 lb (277 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 995 lb (452 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 1080 lb (490 kg)
  • Powerplant: 1× Ford Model A engine (adapted for aero use), ()

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 86 knots (100 mph, 160 km/h)
  • Stall speed: 30 knots (35 mph, 56 km/h)
  • Rate of climb: 500 ft/min (152 m/min)
  • Wing loading: 7 lb/ft² (36 kg/m²)

 

 
A Sister ship Model A Pietenpol Air Camper 1929 Configuration
 

1943 CESSNA UC-78B / T-50  "BOBCAT" or "BAMBOO BOMBER"   
N41793           43-31917         SN 5855
 

DONOR AIRCRAFT
AUGUST 31, 2007
 
  THE BOBCAT RESTORATION TEAM  
    JACK KOSKO    
GENE AMBROSE DON CALDWELL   FRANK DARNEY BILL DEHAVEN
WADE MONN DICK SANTORA   BOB SCHORR FRANK SLYKER
 

SISTERSHIP

Just as is the case with these project aircraft, this page is continuously under construction.  Stop back occasionally and check on our progress. 

If you would like to help with these and other restorations of historic aircraft, please consider becoming a Member of the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum.

We need sponsors and donations to complete our projects and to begin others.  If you would like to help financially, or have an aircraft, parts, or other aviation artifacts you wish to donate, we would be most grateful.  Check out our Donations and Sponsorship page for all the details.