Percival Hopkins “Spence” Spencer was born in Windsor, Connecticut, USA, on April 30, 1897, as the third child of then 63 year old inventor genius Christopher Miner Spencer. Percival always hated his name and preferred to be called “Spence”.
On April 11, 1911, Spence makes his first solo flight from Prospect Hill, when flying a hang glider built by himself from plans published in Popular Mechanics Magazine.
Spence makes his first flight in a motor powered airplane, flying a Curtiss-type flying boat from Connecticut River in Hartford, was on 15 May 1914.
In 1937, the Spencer-Larsen Aircraft Corporation is organized. Spencer and ex Sikorsky engineer Vincent A. Larsen design the single engine SL-12C amphibian.
Spencer leaves Spencer-Larsen in September 1940 and starts the work on his own S-12 Air Car amphibian design.
On 1 March 1941, the first parts are cut for the Spencer Amphibian Air Car.
In 1942 Spence starts working with Republic Aviation Corporation as a test pilot on their P-47 Thunderbolt fighters. Flight testing 134 Thunderbolts.
At 9:17 a.m, 1 December 1945, the first prototype Model RC-3 Seabee, NX87451, makes her first flight, taken to the air by designer and test pilot Percival H. Spencer from Republic Airport, Farmingdale.
1984: Spencer Amphibian Air Car, 8725 Cland Ave., Sun Valley, Calif. 91352, USA.
Offers plans and kits to construct the Amphibian Air Car four-seat pusher-engined amphibian, originally patented in 1950 and thereafter marketed until 1988 by Spencer Amphibian Air Car Inc.
1995: PO Box 327, Kansas, IL 61933, USA.
Percival H. Spencer died in 1995, aged 90.
