In 1928 the Brunner-Winkle Aircraft Corporation was founded to manufacture a three-seat open cockpit commercial biplane known as the Bird biplane. In March 1929 the Bird Aircraft Corporation was incorporated, with William E. Winkle as vice-president, to continue production of the Bird biplane with a variety of engines ranging from 100- 165 hp. It was made available subsequently in four- and five-seat forms.
Final assembly and flight-testing of the Bird was done at Roosevelt Field in Garden City. Originally powered by a 90 hp Curtiss OX-5, the Bird was able to carry three people in its two open cockpits.
There were approximately 225 Birds built from 1929 thru 1931. The “A” model was powered by the OX-5 engine, the “BK” model used the 100HP Kinner engine and the “CK” used the larger 125 HP Kinner engine. In addition, they also had several individual models. One had the Packard diesel engine and another the Jacobs radial engine.
The BK was a three-seater.
McCrum revised the plans for the Bird Wing again in the 1950s to install a 450 hp 336 kW Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior radial engine and a 3 inch fuselage widening to convert the design into an agricultural aircraft which never went into production.
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