All Aero

In 1912 Reinhardt Ausmus built a single-place, open cockpit mid-wing monoplane. A Blériot-influenced copy with an uncovered fuselage powered by a 2-cyl rotary, lacking money for plans or materials, Ausmus resorted to laying out the shape on the floor of a vacant building, then sawed pieces out of discarded barn doors and used broken glass as a plane to shape the wood. Covering was starched muslin bedsheets, seal-coated and varnished. Working nights by the light of an oil lamp. The craft first flew on 10 June 1912, which was Ausmus’ solo flight, as well.