A Forum for those interest in vintage NON-military aircraft
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Westbrook Sportster

Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:02 pm

Does anyone out there have any info on the Westbrook Sportster. The Westbrook Aeronautical Corp. was started by my Grandfater in 1929 and went out of buisness in 1931. I have quite a few originional pictures of the Sportster and have three or four magazine articles and lots of stories about the airplane and the company (from my Father).
I am considering building a replica some time down the road and am just gathering up info untill that time.

Fri Feb 01, 2008 11:07 am

Hi;
This sounds familiar to me. Is this possibly the plane that was built on Long Island NY? and one of the two partners was Art Romeo. That is what my memory suggests? Art used to visit me regularly, and gave me some orignal photos and a brochure . I THINK it was for the Westbrook Sportster, that they built and tried to market, before joining Grumman in its infancy,but I may be confusing it with something else. Can you tell us your father's name and any other info that might be of help? I have a lot of old aviation records and most periodicals in all languages, back to the days of the pre-Wright Bros. think there used to be regular small ads in the back of such magazines and Aviation Weekly and Aerial age etc for te Westbrook Sportster. Any info that could help pin it down more, would be of some help before startinng the search.

Mon Feb 04, 2008 12:00 am

The company had two partners Neil Perdew and John McAfee Sr.(my grandfather). Neil and my John were college roomates at MIT together. My grandfater went into building architecture and was very succesful (financially) his friend Neil actually designed the airplane and teamed up with my grandfather to start the Westbrook Auronautical Corp. The company was in Teterboro, NJ. There were abut five complete flying airplanes built before they went out of buisness in 1931. Interestingly enough my dad ( John Jr.) ended up working with Neil Perdew years later at Republic in Farmingdale, NY. Neil and my dad spoke a lot about the Westbrook Sportster. Neil actually still had the plans for the airplane. My dad eventually lost contact with Neil and I think Neil died and I wonder what ever happened to the plans.
I have a bunch of origional pictures of the airplanes and of Neil and my grandfater. I also have an origional brochure for the airplane. My dad told me stories of the airplanes and how some of them crashed.
It is my intention to build and fly a replica of the Sportster. I have a T-6 that I am restoring and when it is finnished I will start on the Sportster.
I rember Art Romeo from when I lived on Long Island. I wonder if he would have any info (that would be so cool). Do you have a contact number for him?
If you want more info send me an email at stumcafee@yahoo.co. I actually have quite a bit of info on the Sportster

Mon Feb 04, 2008 6:51 am

found this on Ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0204740145

Wed Feb 06, 2008 5:05 pm

Thanks! I just bought it
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