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Two builds from 6 years ago: Unjustly ridiculed, mercilessly laughed at, the chubby Gwinn Aircar seems to be puffed in turn with justified pride. The Aircar flew flawlessly and accomplished the goals and hopes of its designer in every possible way, participating in numerous demonstrations, airshows, air meetings and other public events. In spite of that, the only fact normally known about this remarkable plane is that famous pilot Frank Hawks was killed while flying it. Even that fact is only partially known, since it is hardly ever mentioned that the plane itself was not to blame, but Hawks, taking off in a demo flight with a passenger from a Polo field, squeezed between two tall tress only to encounter high voltage lines he could not avoid. There were two Aircars, another fact not vastly known, and the surviving one faded in the mid-forties without leaving a trace, its final fate unknown. There is enough about it on the Net so I won’t tell you more, but the Gwinn Aircar incorporated many innovations, was a pleasure to fly, extremely safe, and was designed and marketed as an aerial-car of sorts, proposing to bring the simplicity, low maintenance and low cost of the car to the aviation field. Unfortunately it did not succeed, but surely not as a result of its own fault. The plane was small, and so of course consequently is the model. In the photos you can see it compared to a “normal” monoplane to give an idea of its relative size, with a span of only 24 feet (7.31 meters). Nevertheless it could carry its pilot and a passenger, even if only propelled by the smallish 90hp Pobjoy (later replaced for an 110hp model of the same brand). The engineering approach I took to model it can be seen in the photos, and I think needs no further explanation. An Aeroclub Pobjoy engine was used. Sources: Skyways Magazine # 33, Jan 1995 Critical Past clips: http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675038359_auto-plane_taking-off_running-on-road_biplane http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675056259_Frank-Monroe-Hawks_Gwinn-Aircar_hits-high-tension-wires_damaged-aircraft Golden Pylons newsletter, Mar-Apr 2013 My thanks to James Schubert-Boing, Helga, the Florida Unbuilders, Zönke Evil Enterprises, Wasilla Styrene Mines & Co, and Mr. C. Psarras and the Woof-Woof team for their kindness and diligence in providing the decals needed for this project.