Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Single-seat, parasol wing, light sport monoplane

Power Plant:

One 30 kw (40 hp) Ford Model A converted automobile four-cylinder engine

Specifications:

History:

The Corben Super Ace was one of a number of light aircraft designed for sport pilots in the United States by Orland G Corben. His first design, the Ace, was first marketed in 1923 and this was followed in later years by the Baby Ace, Junior Ace, Cabin Ace and Super Ace. Some numbers were built but in later years the design was refined by designers such as Paul Poberezny, Cliff DuCharne, Thurman Baird, Dennis Meadows and others. Examples are still being built.

The designs were known for their simplicity and economy, being able to be constructed from low-cost materials. Plans were published in the American magazine ‘Popular Aviation’ in 1935 and were later marketed by Corben. In later times the designs have been modernised and factory produced by the Ace Aircraft Company in Toccoa, Georgia.

Only six Super Aces were said to have been constructed in the United States, four prior to 1940. The prototype Super Ace (13697) had a 7.62 m (25 ft) wingspan but this was increased to 8.32 m (27 ft 3½ in) in detailed drawings. Eventually rights to the design were sold to Paul Poberezny, for many years President of the American Experimental Aircraft Association. New aircraft have been fitted with modern Continental engines, but one has had a Model A Ford unit.

At least one is known to have been built in Australia and this was acquired in 2009 by the Narromine Aviation Museum, NSW. Mr John Coomber built the light parasol wing aircraft with a metal fuselage with fabric covering and wooden structure wings with fabric covering. It was powered by a 63 kw (85 hp) Salmson radial engine driving a two-blade propeller. It was sometimes known as the “Super Comper” and also the “Coomber monoplane”. Mr Coomber built the aircraft with the help of Walter Treseder in 1938. It was the first locally-built aircraft and was constructed in the back of the McCutcheon Garage on Dandaloo Street, Narromine. The test pilot was Captain George Mendham.

The aircraft was regularly flown in the Narromine and Dubbo areas of New South Wales until dismantled in 1942 for the war years. It was re-assembled in 1947 and sold in 1949 to Mr M Pengilly of Tamworth, NSW at which time it was overhauled. It was sold again to a member of the Newcastle Aero Club in 1955, Mr R Willis of Boggabri, who made some modifications to the aircraft.

The aircraft was stored for some years and in 1965 at a clearance sale was purchased by a 15 year old lad for £65 ($130) who stored it in a hangar at Gunnedah, NSW until 2009 when it was located and conveyed to the Narromine Museum. It was subsequently rebuilt with its Salmson engine and placed on display beside a Wright A flyer replica, an Australian-built CAC Sabre and other aircraft.