Ace Biplane
Specifications:
Wingspan: 28' 4"
Length: 19' 2"
Top Speed: 80 mph
Engine: 40 hp Keane "Acemotor"
Weight: 600 lbs.
On Loan: Friends For Long Island's Heritage
Aircraft Engineering Corporation "Ace"
Central Park (Bethpage), 1918
The "Ace" is historic in that it was the first American civil aircraft to be produced following World War I. First built at the end of 1918, along the lines of a World War I fighter, the "Ace" in our collection was partially built in New York City, with all finishing, final assembly, and flight test occurring at Central Park (Bethpage) Flying Field. Its engine was built in Queens. Apparently, this aircraft performed well for its day; it was fully aerobatic, and sold for $2,500 (approximately $53,500 in today's money). A total of seven "Aces" were built, with our aircraft being the sole surviving example. If the "Ace" had not been faced with the competition of the large numbers of surplus World War I JN-4 "Jennies" available, it may have seen widespread use as a low horsepower light aircraft.
ACE - Production model in front of a hangar at Central Park, Bethpage, L.I. This image can be found in our digital archives at https://nyheritage.org/contributors/cradle-aviation-museum
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