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Corben Baby Ace
The restoration of a 1928 designed (built in 1935) Corben Baby Ace Cabin Model.
The Corben Baby Ace is a piece of home built history. This was one of the designs that inspired the founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association, Paul Poberenzy. It is significant to say the least, and extremely rare (this plane may be the oldest known surviving cabin version anywhere in the world) It also runs the great granddaddy of all modern flat 4's, the Continental A40-4. This motor revolutionised the GA power plants of the day and is historic in itself. It powered many of the early Taylor Craft and Cubs on only 40HP!
Where am
I at with the reconstruction. A typical "found in a barn story"
in Malong Central NSW's.
It was started by Roy Barrett before WWII and not completed due to the
unavailability of a suitable engine( Szekely , Continental A40-4 or Sampson
Radial, Heath).
It was purchased by Alan Egan from Parkes and restored with a VW engine. Due to the regulations of the time never got in the air primarily due to the engine being not specified for the plane.
I purchased it and have had an exhaustive 6 years tracking down every conceivable piece of information on the type. Found a zero timed engine out of the USA with the help of Graham Orphan (Editor of" Classic Wing Downunder") after running the aircraft in a mystery aeroplane competition in the magazine. Made many contacts particularly the Old Cub, Taylorcraft fraternity of the 1930's era.
Even tracked down the original owner/ builder. Did he get a shock when I rang him asking about something he built 65 years earlier! He was quite impressed and even visited me in Perth from NSW to check on progress many years later.
Its currently stripped down and are starting redoing all the fuselage woodwork on the rag and tube fuz.
The wings, all wood needs careful evaluation as to the condition and way forward. Spruce strip built-up ribs with casein glue and brass nails was used.
It will be rebuilt to original with only mods critical to safety and coverered in Stits or Ceconite. There are a few things in the design that are very vague which is taking me back into my engineering text books. I've even had to verify some of the design and collected many prewar technical text to enable this to be done. And I have a great collection of very rare aviation technical books dating from post war to 1918!
(If anyone is chasing critical information on a particular rare old engine / airpart I may be able to help).
Well I'm probably 80% done and 90% to go on this one. It's been fun and a real learning experience. I like the old rag and tube designs so much I purchased 1946 J3Cub. Its a classic in itself.
Both require hanger space at Serpentine. It would be good to be able to get either or both aircraft hangered.
IS THERE ANY HANGER SPACE AVAILABLE WITH ANYONE ?? I WOULD BE VERY KEEN TO DISCUSS. Surely this project could get a place somewhere on the strip and I would be keen to build joint hanger or on my own, buy or share.
Attached some interesting information on the Ace.
David Mills
April 2003
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