Most people remember the late Peter M. Bowers as the designer of experimental aircraft, an eminent aviation historian and the writer of “Of Wings & Things” in General Aviation News.
He is perhaps best remembered for the single-place FlyBaby, but did you know that he also created a two-place mid-wing design in the 1970s?
The airplane was known as the Bowers Model 4 or “Namu II” because it looked like an Orca of the same name at the Seattle Aquarium.
The airplane is currently owned by Don Norman of Oak Harbor, Wash.
“This is the prototype built in 1975,” Norman noted with pride. “It is my understanding that people were asking for a two-place, side-by-side airplane. His wife also wanted something that they could fly back to Oshkosh in comfort, so he designed this.”
Norman has been told that four sets of plans were sold, but only one other airplane was built.
Although the design didn’t really catch on with the homebuilding crowd, the airplane sure was a crowd pleaser at this year’s Arlington Fly-In in Washington state in July.
“People who know about the airplane are really glad to see it here,” Norman said. “They are glad it is back in Washington. It spent some time in California before it came back. I picked it up from someone in Spokane.”
The Arlington show was the Namu’s first public appearance in the Seattle area.
Norman added that he is actively seeking more information about the airplane.