The Gere Sport was an American single-seat sport biplane of the 1930s. Designed for amateur construction by George E. Gere, Jr. (known as Bud Gere) while a young student at the University of Minnesota. It was later used as the basis of the 1960s EAA Biplane .
16-425: The Sport had a lightweight welded steel construction fuselage. The wings employed two solid wood spars each, with spruce leading edges. All structures were fabric covered. Only the lower wing had ailerons and only they were mounted with a moderate upward angle (dihedral); a typical arrangement. The conventional landing gear was rigid and relied on large balloon tires to absorb impacts. The spring steel tailskid came from
32-656: A freelance illustrator. Quoted in 2006, he said, "What could be nicer? I sit and draw funny pictures and people send me money." Doty died on March 18, 2015. Doty wrote 27 children's books and illustrated more than 170, including: Doty was recognized for his work with the National Cartoonists Society 's Reuben Illustrator of the Year Award (2006), Advertising Award (1978), Advertising and Illustration Award (1967, 1970, 1978, 1989, 1996 and 2005), Commercial Award (1989) and Greeting Card Award (1994). In 2011, his work
48-431: A front leaf spring from a Ford Model T. The sport had an open single-seat cockpit with a one-piece transparent windscreen. The prototype was fitted with a 19 hp Chevrolet 4-cylinder water-cooled automobile engine. The 19-year-old Gere was killed in a January 1931 accident with an ice sled; he slipped and fell into the propeller arc. At the time of his death the propeller and engine cowlings still needed to be fitted and
64-563: A new "Mimi" in the January issue. One Mimi did, however, hold the job for a few years in the sixties. An actress from Southern California, she left to live in Hawaii, and a readers' poll was conducted to choose a replacement from a short list. The readers' choice only lasted a short while, and was replaced by one of the runners-up. "Mimi" was discontinued with the change to Home Mechanix . A long-running cartoon feature, Roy Doty 's " Wordless Workshop ,"
80-415: A number of permutations over the years, being called at various points in its life, Modern Mechanics and Inventions , Modern Mechanix and Inventions , Modern Mechanix , Mechanix Illustrated , Home Mechanix , and, in its final incarnation, Today's Homeowner . Although it featured many how-to articles, the most eagerly awaited and read features were Tom McCahill 's monthly automobile tests which ran from
96-600: Is currently appearing in " The Family Handyman " magazine. John August Media, LLC acquired the Mechanix Illustrated trademark and revived the magazine as part of TechnicaCuriosa.com, along with sister titles Popular Electronics and Popular Astronomy. Roy Doty Roy Edward Doty (September 10, 1922 – March 18, 2015) was an American cartoonist , artist and illustrator . He created humorous cartoon illustrations for books, packaging, advertising, comic strips, television and not-for-profit organization campaigns. He
112-652: The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is believed at least three other aircraft were built near that time. An example of a Gere Sport is held in the collections and is on display at the Museum of Transport and Technology in New Zealand. Data from General characteristics Mechanix Illustrated Mechanix Illustrated is an American printed magazine that
128-598: The Sport was published in the October 1932 issue of Modern Mechanix and Inventions , which called it the Gere Sport Biplane and advertised the full blueprints for $ 5. The magazine touted the plane's ability to run with a range of Ford and Chevrolet engines, and sold conversion kits so builders could adapt the designs to their engine. Plans appeared the following year in the 1933 Flying Manual, copies of which remain available through
144-601: The Sunday morning DuMont Television Network children's program The Roy Doty Show . From 1969 to late March 1972, he wrote and drew the syndicated comic strip Laugh-In , based on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In . His "Wordless Workshop", a popular home improvement series, ran as a syndicated feature for 50 years, starting in Popular Science (1953-1989) and ending its run in The Family Handyman magazine. His work
160-656: The aircraft had not been flown. Gere's father, George Gere, Sr., with some of his son's friends, completed the aircraft. The Sport first flew in 1932 from Wold-Chamberlain Airport, piloted by Elmore Wall, a test pilot for the Mohawk Aircraft Company. Although underpowered with the Chevrolet, it was reputed to have flown well. After testing, the original Gere Sport was passed on to the University of Minnesota. A set of plans for
176-585: The company which published MI , and continued publishing the magazine, renaming it Home Mechanix starting in January 1985. In August, 1996, it was again renamed as Today's Homeowner , and ceased publication with the March/April issue in 2001, being merged into sister publication This Old House . In the 1980s, the magazine featured more and more home repair, remodel and woodworking projects while featuring fewer articles on general technology and automotive projects. A long-running feature of Mechanix Illustrated
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#1733084775797192-474: The late 1940s to the early 1970s. McCahill's feisty opinions were delivered in a prose laced with similes that are still quoted today among car enthusiasts: "As anyone brighter than a rusty spike must know..."; flooring the accelerator pedal on a certain car is "...like stepping on a wet sponge"; the clock/tachometer combination on another car is "...about as useful as feathers on a moose." McCahill died in 1974, and three years later CBS bought Fawcett Publications ,
208-401: Was "Mimi," a shapely young woman dressed in skimpy overalls with blue and white vertical stripes; and, in the early sixties, a matching railroad engineer's cap (later discontinued). She was in a picture holding, standing beside, sitting on, lying on or just in the picture with a new product each month. Each "Mimi" held the job for a year. Their names were never given except for the announcement of
224-751: Was one of only a dozen inductees into the National Cartoonists Society Hall of Fame. His former wife, Jean Slaughter Doty (1929–1991), was the author of several children's books. Born in Chicago , Doty grew up in Columbus, Ohio , served in World War II as a U.S. Army cartoonist, and began his career in New York City as a freelance cartoonist in 1946. He freelanced for his entire career, never having an agent. From May 10 to October 4, 1953, he hosted
240-462: Was originally published by Fawcett Publications . Its title was founded in 1928 to compete against the older Popular Science and Popular Mechanics . Billed as "The How-To-Do Magazine," Mechanix Illustrated ( MI ) aimed to guide readers through various projects from home improvements and advice on repairs to "build-your-own (sports car, telescope, helicopter, etc)." It was headquartered in New York City. From its debut in 1928, it went through
256-698: Was seen as part of the "Aha! Puzzle This" page in Make magazine. His work has appeared in The New York Times , Field & Stream , Popular Science , the (London) Daily Mail , Elle and many other magazines. He did several monthly newsletters, including a children's newsletter for the American Institute for Cancer Research. Some of his ad clients included Buick , Black & Decker , Ford , Macy's , Minute Maid , Mobil Oil , Texas Instruments and Perrier . Into his nineties, he remained active as
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