Aeronca 65 CA Super Chief

While the light and economical features of Aeronca’s early designs such as C-2/C-3 line of aircraft had proved popular at the height of the Great Depression, by the mid 1930’s aviators were looking for something with more comfort, capacity, and power. Aeronca addressed this need when it introduced the Chief family of aircraft in 1936. The high wing design supported by a steel tube fuselage offered a more rugged design than its predecessors. This enabled Aeronca to gradually improve the design over the years with various configurations and engines ultimately being made available. 

The example here, a 65 CA Super Chief, sports a 65 hp Continental A-65 engine, an optional 8-gallon auxiliary fuel tank, and other certain luxuries such as a car style interior. Such aircraft became the mainstay of general aviation in the post-war years and helped make aviation accessible to a whole new generation. Aeronca ceased building light aircraft in 1951 and was taken over by Fleet Aerospace in 1986. It now operates as a division of Magellan Aerospace. This aircraft was acquired by Yanks in 2015.