4 Amazing DIY Planes—And How to Build Your Own

Of the 23,000 amateur-built planes in the U.S., most were built from professional designs or kits. Not these four. The pilots behind these DIY aircraft tell us their inspiration, and we tell you how to realize your own aviation ambitions. Plus, check out our full cover story on DIY flight. By Jeff Wise

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David Rose

LOCATION: San Diego
PLANE: RP-4

David Rose obviously built the overpowered RP-4 for speed. The experimental counter-rotating propellers, inspired by a NASA project, run at an impressive 4800 rpm. Rose can connect both propellers directly to their engines without heavy reduction gearing. The props can change pitch for maximum efficiency at any speed. "It's a drag-racer frame with skin on it to keep the wind out," says Jerry Baer, a former pilot who helped Rose build RP-4.

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