The Great Eaglerock: The Biplane That Outspeeds Granny’s Knitting and Dodges Nosey In-Laws
Capacity: boasts an exclusive three-seater arrangement
Length: a towering 25 feet 11 inches of vintage beauty
Maximum speed: a blistering 100 mph – faster than your granny’s knitting speed!
Cruise speed: a casual 85 mph – perfect for in-flight napping.
Range: a whopping 500 miles, just far enough to escape the in-laws.
Service ceiling: soaring to 10,500 feet, close enough to eavesdrop on migrating birds.
Ah, the illustrious Alexander Eaglerock, a marvel of the skies and an open-cockpit biplane sensation! This versatile flying contraption could be customized with engines ranging from a gentle 90 horsepower to a hearty 260 horsepower – because diversity is key, especially in aviary engineering.
The Eaglerock Model A-15, graced with the formidable 100-horsepower Kinner K-5 engine, received its type certificate in July 1929. Rumor has it that around 15 (or more, who’s counting?) units were assembled by the dedicated hands of the Alexander Aircraft Co. As for the wallet, these flying gems could be secured for the princely sum of $4,157, or a discounted $2,250 if you fancied pushing it yourself without an engine or propeller.
During the grand shenanigans of World War II, the Civil Air Patrol proudly flew NC638W, marking it as the sole Alexander Eaglerock in CAP’s wartime escapades out of the Michigan Wing. A peculiar honor, indeed.
Enter Maj. Ron Finger, a maestro with a paintbrush and an illustrious member of Minnesota Wing’s Crow Wing Composite Squadron. As one of the blessed few artists in the Air Force Art Program assigned “art missions,” Finger endeavors to chronicle every nook and cranny of U.S. Air Force operations. His latest mission? To immortalize each aircraft flown by Civil Air Patrol as part of our historical emergency services. Just 22 in on his second series, but who’s really keeping count?
Feast your eyes on his creations at redpine.net, adorned with “Silvered Wings” masterpieces featuring:
- Fleetwings Sea Bird F-401 – because why not start with a challenge?
- Curtiss-Wright 15-D Sedan – for the aviation elite with discerning taste.
- Rearwin Sportster 7000 – who said the sporty look was dead?
- Cessna U-3B “Blue Canoe” – adding a splash of color to your aerial jaunts.
- Aeronca C-3 (1932) – retro charm, now in airplane form.
- Rearwin Sportster 900-L – because bigger is always better.
- Travel Air C-4000 – the original “mile-high” club member.
- Kinner “Sportster B” – a sportster not made for the land.
- Boeing Model 40-A/B – where the sky’s the limit, literally.
- Brunner-Winkle “Bird,” BK (1929) – for those who prefer their flight plans with a side of “flap.”
- Meyers OTW-125 “Out-To-Win” – the subtle art of competitive flying.
- Cessna 0-1/L-19 Bird Dog – wingman of the aviation world.
- Monocoupe 90A – adding some mono to your flight stereo.
- Silvered Wings: North American/Ryan L-17A Navion – got wings?
- Aeronca LB – defying logic by staying airborne.
- Helio U-10D/HT-295 Super Courier – delivering more than just air miles.
- Aero Commander L-26/U-4B 55-4647 – because every plane model number needs more digits.
- Bellanca “Cruisair” 14-12-F3 (1941) – redefining “cruise control.”
- Cessna 150D (1964) – the distant cousin you didn’t know you had.
- Boeing Model 100/P-12 (1929) – the aviator’s version of “vintage style.”
- Bellanca ‘Junior’ 14-9 (1940) – flying junior to no one.
So there you have it, the whimsical escapade of the Alexander Eaglerock, a biplane legacy puffed up by dreams and just a splash of satire.