A preliminary design was produced for the EAA by a team of Allison engineers led by EAA member Jim D. Stewart in 1955.[2] This team took the Gere Sport of the 1930s as their starting point and eventually developed a completely new design, which also incorporated several later design changes made by Robert D. Blacker, the prototype's builder and one of its test pilots.[3]
Blacker's design changes included adding a +2 degree of dihedral to the upper wing, redesign of the horizontal stabilizer, installation of a diagonal brace at Stations 2 and 3, a change to the fuselage truss assembly, strengthening of the control column support, and a ball-bearing arrangement.[4][5]
The design is a single-seat biplane of conventional configuration, with staggered, single-bay equal-span wings braced with N-struts. The undercarriage is of fixed tailwheel type. The fuselage is fabric-covered welded steel tube, and the wings fabric-covered wood.[6]
This prototype EAA Biplane was built by Blacker and his students at St. Rita of Cascia High SchoolinChicago, Illinois, as the second airplane completed as part of EAA's Project Schoolflight.[7][3][8][9][10][11] The EAA Biplane construction began in September 1957, with a first flight in June, 1960.[12][8] During the construction of the prototype, Blacker wrote several "EAA Biplane Progress Reports" published in EAA's Sport Aviation magazine.[13][14][15][16] Blacker put the prototype's incomplete fuselage as on display at EAA's 1958 fly-in. The prototype EAA Biplane work, along with the other facets of Project Schoolflight, resulted in the award of the Mechanix Illustrated trophy for "Outstanding Achievement in Home-Built Aircraft".[17] The completed prototype EAA Biplane was first publicly shown at the 1961 Rockford, Illinois Fly-In.[2]
^Blacker, Robert D (March 1958). "Progress Report on the EAA Biplane". Sport Aviation. March Issue: 24 – via EAA.org.
^Cole, Duane (2002). This is EAA. Milwaukee, Wi: Ken Cook TransNational. pp. P 89. Bob Blacker......taken on the project of building the EAA Biplane project in 1957.
^Plane and Pilot: 1978 Aircraft Directory, page 139. Werner & Werner Corp, Santa Monica CA, 1977. ISBN0-918312-00-0
^Blacker, Bob (March 1983). "SCHOOLFLIGHT- It Really Works". Sport Aviation. March Issue: 62 – via EAA.org.
^ abLande, D.A. (2002). Oshkosh- GATEWAY TO AVIATION - 50 Years of EAA Fly-Ins. Oshkosh, WI: Experimental Aircraft Association. p. 22. ISBN1-58932-005-0. " .....Bob Blacker and his students......completed the EAA Biplane......which resides in the EAA Museum".
^Blacker, Robert D. (March 1956). "A Place for Amateur Built Aircraft in Education". EAA Sport Aviation. pp. 4–5.
^Blacker, Robert D. (June 1959). "How EAA can Further Aviation Education". EAA Sport Aviation Magazine. pp. 18–19.
^Blacker, Robert D. (April 1958). "One High School's Aviation Program". Sport Aviation. April Issue: 11–12 – via EAA.org.
^Cole, Duane (1972). THIS IS EAA. Milwaukee, WI: Ken Cook Transnational. p. 89.
^Blacker, Robert D (June 1959). "Progress Report on the EAA Biplane". Sport Aviation. June Issue: 17 – via EAA.org.
^Blacker, Robert D. (March 1958). "EAA Biplane Progress Report". Sport Aviation. March Issue: 24 – via EAA.org. "Blacker reports that a few too many Design changes are needed in certain areas." Causing schedule delay
^Blacker, Robert D (August 1960). "EAA Bi-Plane Report". Sport Aviation. August: 23 – via EAA.org.
^Blacker, Robert D. (February 1960). "Progress on the EAA Biplane". Sport Aviation. February Issue: 31.
^Cole, Duane (2002). This is EAA. Milwaukee, Wi: Ken Cook transNational. p. 60. no one was surprised when the 1958 trophy went to Bob Blacker for his outstanding work in Project Schoolflight with his students at St. Rita High School.
^Poberenzy, Paul (March 2002). "Homebuilding's Heritage". Sport Aviation. March Issue: 72 – via EAA.org. PHOTO: Paul Poberezny in the original EAA Biplane built by Robert D. Blacker & Project Schoolflight at St. Rita's High School.
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