American Eagle 251 Phaeton / A-139

The 1929 American Eagle 251 Phaeton (ATC 282) open-cockpit biplane was designed by Robert T McCrum for the sportsman-pilot audience. Priced at $5,995, eight were built with 1 as A-139 clipped-wing racer. ATC 2-123 was superseded by ATC 282.

The 1930 251 Phaeton (ATC 282) was refitted with 220hp J-5 engine, priced at $7,795. Two were built; NX516H and NX/C872E, both of which were refitted with Wright J-6 under (2-121). (2-166) approved 150hp Hisso A or 180hp Hisso B installation.

1929 American Eagle 251 Phaeton
Engine: 165hp Wright J-6
Wingspan: 31’0″
Length: 24’5″
Useful load: 801 lb
Max speed: 120 mph
Cruise: 100 mph
Stall: 42 mph
Range: 500 mi
Seats: 3

1930 251 Phaeton
Engine: 220hp J-5 / 150hp Hisso A or 180hp Hisso B
Wingspan: 31’0″
Length: 23’6″
Useful load: 907 lb
Max speed: 130 mph
Cruise: 110 mph
Stall: 47 mph
Seats: 4

American Eagle 201 / A-201

The 1929 American Eagle 201 (ATC 293) designed by Jack Foster as a successor to the Phaeton and the last of the American Eagle biplanes, the first one of which was converted in 1935 by Porterfield into the only biplane ever produced by that company; NC582H.

An open-cockpit biplane, forty-four were built, priced at $3,995.

Engine: 100hp Kinner K-5
Wingspan: 31’1″
Length: 22’11”
Useful load: 782 lb
Max speed: 115 mph
Cruise: 95 mph
Stall: 30 mph
Range: 475 mi
Seats: 3

Barker-Bowser B.1 Midniter

Barker-Bowser B.1 N9566C

In 1957 Gailard Barker & Kenneth Bowser built the Barker-Bowser B.1 Midniter aerobatic special N9566C c/n B1. First flying on 2 January 1957, it was powered by a 65hp Continental C-65 and featured strut-braced Luscombe wings. It was aerobatic.

Barker-Bowser B.1 N9566C

It got its name because my dad was a night-owl. He owned a welding shop in Phoenix and worked late at night, working on his many planes until the sun came up. Shonn Barker 11 December 2007

Engine: 65hp Continental C-65
Wingspan: 23’7″
Length: 16’0″
Useful load: 365 lb
Max speed: 115 mph
Cruise: 100 mph
Stall: 65 mph
Range: 350 mi
Seats: 1