Identifying a biplane

[PT17av8r]

Hello,

I have a set of drawings for a single seat biplane called the "American Eagle", but it is not the American Eagle series of aircraft that became popular from 1925 to 1931.

My drawings/plans are of a single seat biplane designed in Los Angeles by Kirby Dinney (Denney?), Powered by a converted Henderson Motorcycle engine. These drawings were owned by Earl S. Daugherty of Long Beach, so they are earlier than 1928 since that is when he died.

Does anyone know anything about this airplane?

Thanks, Dan

[Varese2002]

Just a hint. As on the blueprint it is stated that

...an aircool[ed] Henderson motor cycle engine built over for more h.p. and less weight

was used, this might be the Heath four cylinder inline upright air cooled type, which was basically a converted Henderson motorcycle engine. The Heath four-cylinder delivered something like 25 hp and was heavily used in the home building scene of the 1920's.

The blueprints you own could depict a home build machine from that time. Unfortunately these historic home builts are not very well documented.

I could not make much from the name of the designer on the blue print, Kirby Linney or Linnuy

Interesting blueprint though, what is the size ?

Cheers

Kees

[PT17av8r]

Hello Kees,

Each drawing is approximately 21" x 30". There are multiple pages, with enough detail to build every component. I have quite a few plans for aircraft of the era, and these seem to be every bit as professional and complete as my factory Jenny palns. I would be surprised if a homebuilder would go through this much trouble for the drawings for a "one off", but maybe he was thinking of selling plans for others to build? I have the drawings that Earl Daugherty used to build the "Daugherty Stupar", and they are very crude compared to these American Eagle drawings.

I have been trying to get in touch with John Underwood, who seems to know everything about the planes from the Los Angeles area, but I can't seem to find his number. Does anyone here know how to get in touch with him?

Dan

[Varese2002]

You are sure right that John Underwood could recognize this one, if he can't it is probably not to be done. Mr. Underwood may be quite on age now, as I remember articles from him written almost 40 till 50 years ago.

Unfortunately I have no address of him.

Cheers

Kees

[Jim]

I'm not sure it would have been able to get into the air with just a motorcycle engine. At least I would not have wanted to have been the one to try.

One possibility is that it might have been one of those designs that were made and sold to aspiring do it yourself builders/pilots with a promise that with just a bit of work and a some materials you can buy at your local hardware store or find in your barn that you too can have your own airplane.

I would be interested to find out if it turns out to have been a design for a serious aircraft.

[Varese2002]

Originally Posted by Jim

I'm not sure it would have been able to get into the air with just a motocycle engine. At least I would not have wanted to have been the one to try.

One possibility is that it might have been one of those designs that were made and sold to aspiring do it yourself builders/pilots with a promise that with just a bit of work and a some materials you can buy at your local hardware store or find in your barn that you too can have your own airplane.

I would be interested to find out if it turns out to have been a design for a serious aircraft.

IMO the Heath-Robinson B-4 an inline 4-cylinder Henderson motorcycle specially converted for use in an aircraft was quite reliable. It powered lots of Heath Parasols, which flew in the 1930's and some are probably still flying.

An example of the Heath-Robinson B-4 is in the Smithsonian NASM here.

All about Heath and his machines - built in the thousands - can be read in one of the books published here.

Searching this out, I think it would be great to fly once in a carefully maintained Heath Parasol

Cheers

Kees