EAA and the
Mechanix Illustrated
Baby Ace
EAA
In early 1955, William S. Parker, then
editor of Mechanix Illustrated magazine,
contacted EAA President Paul Poberezny,
wondering if someone among his
developing group of aircraft homebuilders
would be willing to write a series of
articles for the magazine. Paul sought
help from a number of members, but no
one seemed ready to take on the task.
Recognizing the opportunity and having
recently completed building a modified
Corben Baby Ace, “Paul (and Audrey)
spent many long hours struggling with
the content, knowing this exposure
would mean much to the movement. Paul
was absolutely on target. The articles
generated inquiries not only from other
interested homebuilders but also from a
variety or organizations, politicians and
bureaucrats. The scope and intensity
of the response helped establish EAA
as the leader of private aviation in the
minds of CAA [now FAA] personnel. That
[publicity], coupled with Paul’s resolve
to play the role of mediator rather than
wild-eyed reactionary, served him and
the organization well.” (Excerpted from
Poberezny, The Story Begins available
through EAA’s Aeronautica Gift Shop or
online at http://shop.eaa.org.)
The exposure from the Mechanix
Illustrated articles, which appeared
in the May and June 1955 issues, did
propel the small Midwestern group into
a national and international organization.
By 1965, hundreds of Baby Aces had
been built around the world and, as the
accompanying story illustrates, still
continue to be built today.
