The Kelch Aviation Museum’s 1937 Pietenpol with a Ford Model A engine in flight on July 20th during the annual Brodhead Airport Pietenpol fly-in. This is the definition of “low and slow” flight and Great Depression-era ingenuity; powered by an automobile engine and built out of wood, Pietenpols are the original homebuilts.
We had an awesome fly-in weekend! Special thanks to volunteer pilot Frank Pavliga, who also restored this aircraft in 2009. The Pietenpol was donated by Gary Baglien to the museum in 2019. Fun fact: Bernard Pietenpol himself built this airplane! Listen to that sweet Model A engine sound, and se if you can spot the 1930s-style tailskid (instead of a tailwheel). Would YOU fly this airplane?
Comment(1)
LInda Pietenpol Kelley says:
June 1, 2026 at 1:49 pmFond memories of flying with my grandpa Bernie since I was a baby, I’ve been told. I remember flying with grandpa every summer when my sister Nancy and I were around grade school age and would spend a week with grandpa Bernie and grandma Edna every summer. We could walk out to the airport from their home in Cherry Grove which was around a mile or so.