1882-1927 |
Contributor Bob Wylie from Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame |
HOME-BUILT FLYING MACHINE |
On June 23, 1911, near this location, Wasau native John Schwister became a pioneer of Wisconsin aviation. Research indicates that on this date Schwister flew the state's first home- built airplane capable of sustained, powered flight. Constructed of wooden ribs covered with light cotton cloth and powered by an early-model aircraft engine, Schwister's biplane flew for several hundred feet at a mmaximum altitude of twenty feet. Calling his plane the Minnesota-Badger, Schwister began the design and constructon of his "flying machine" in St. Paul, Minnesota, but finished it in Rothschild, Wisconsin. Initially, Schwister flight-tested his biplane as a glider, towing it behind an automobile like a kite. He also built his own airplane hangar here. Schwister made many flights in 1911, including a 27-mile flight in which he soared to 2,000 feet, higher than nearby Rib Montain. In 1912, Schwister was seriously injured in a plane crash, yet he continued to construct and fly his own airplanes making he Wisconsin's first- successful "home-builder." from Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame> |
Kirkham Motor Collection of J. B. Blanchard, 10-12-07 |
Collection of J. B. Blanchard, 10-18-07 |
Collection of J. B. Blanchard, 10-18-07 |
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