Watch, Listen, Learn

Come and explore our world-class displays and galleries and discover where aviation has been…and where it's headed.

Homebuilts & Van's RV

EAA was founded in 1953 to support the burgeoning homebuilt aircraft movement. While the organization almost immediately expanded to include vintage and ex-military aircraft, homebuilding is at the core of who we are, and you’ll see this reflected proudly in our museum.

You’ll see examples of classic homebuilts like a Pietenpol Air Camper, powered by the engine from a Ford Model A, and the fantastic Taylor Aerocar, the flying car that came the closest to mass-production back in the ‘50s. There’s the tiny BD-5 and the downright miniscule Stits DS-1 Baby Bird, the smallest aircraft in the world. From the wonderful bare-bones Breezy to the intricate cutaway display of the AcroSport biplane, our Homebuilts display will give you a good look at this fascinating side of aviation history.

No discussion of the history homebuilt aircraft is complete without mentioning two people: Burt Rutan and Dick VanGrunsven. While Rutan’s legacy is presented in our Innovations Gallery, “Van” is well represented by a special exhibit in our Homebuilders area. Dick’s company, Van’s Aircraft, was founded in 1973, when he introduced a series of modifications to a Stits Playboy that became the centerpiece of our exhibit, the prototype RV-1. 

In the decades the followed, Van’s Aircraft became the most successful kitplane manufacturer in the world, with more than 7,500 RVs completed and flying as of 2012. In addition to the RV-1, we’re very proud to be able to display prototypes of two other key Van’s designs, the RV-3 and RV-4.  

1955 Corben Mechanix Illustrated Baby Ace Model C – N9050C
9/15/2016

That’s the first sentence in the last paragraph of Bill Parker’s “Editor’s Workbench” column in the May, 19... Read More

1933 Aeronca C-2-N Deluxe Scout - NC13089

The 1930 single place C-2 was Aeronca’s first production airplane. As the first certificated light-weight aircraft, it revolutioniz... Read More

1960 EAA Biplane A-1 (P-2) Prototype - N6077V

The EAA Biplane was one the first original designs published by the Experimental Aircraft Association. A popular and successful design in... Read More

1964 Roloff/Unger RLU-1 Breezy - N59Y

Charley Roloff, Carl Unger, and Bob Liposky designed and constructed the Breezy in 1964. An instant success from the beginning, the Breez... Read More

1970 Brock KB-2 'Gyroplane' Autogyro - N2303

Ken Brock was a leader in the development and promotion of autogyro flight and homebuilt autogyro kits. The museum’s 1970 KB-2 Gyro... Read More

1971 Van's RV-3 - N17RV

When Dick VanGrunsven’s RV-3 prototype first appeared at the 1972 EAA Oshkosh Convention, it didn’t attract a lot of attentio... Read More

1979 Van's RV-4 - N14RV

Dick VanGrunsven’s definition of sport flying included frolicking about the sky in a plane well endowed for three dimensional fligh... Read More

1982 Eipper/Burgher Quicksilver MX-1

A Quicksilver MX-1 had a true three-axis flight control system which allowed it to achieve unique maneuverability.

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1983 RotorWay/Nitz Executive - N3WN

Walter Nitz, a lifelong aviation enthusiast, bought his RotorWay Exec kit in 1982. The kit was a right to the last nut and bolt, 49% amat... Read More

1983 Stits DS-1 Baby Bird - N4453H

In 1980, Don Stits designed the Baby Bird, a tiny, high wing monoplane that was to be the smallest in the world.

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1984 Neibauer Lancer/Lancair 200 - N384L

If you said Lancer 200, you might get some strange looks, but if you said Lancair 200, then all the lights would go on and the bells woul... Read More

2000 Herron/Keech Little Wing LW-5 Autogyro - N100MK

Andrew Keech, Australian native and lifelong aviation enthusiast, is an accomplished skydiver and pilot. After an impressive start in a p... Read More

Antares MA-30

The Antares MA-30 was designed by Russian engineer Sergey Zozulya and manufactured in 1991. Sergey designed the aircraft with triangular ... Read More

Curtiss/Rosanik P-6E Hawk Replica - NX606PE

The Curtiss P-6E Hawk was a first-line pursuit aircraft for the Army Air Corps in the early 1930s. It was the last of the fabric-covered ... Read More

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