Howdy, Brian. Not exactly. Bob Sanders was the test pilot for ERCO on the `coupe. Page 43 of "The Ercoupe" shows him in the cockpit of the prototype (only one tail!). He even did the "maiden flight" on October 1, 1937 (ibid).
His company, Sanders Aviation, purchased "drawings, tools, parts, and materials that ERCO had on hand for the Ercoupe" in the summer of 1947. That was right at the post-war aviation crash when ERCO wanted out. ERCO kept making parts, and assembling `coupes for Sanders until he went under. He was able to keep going until 1952 on parts made in the boom. It is hard to believe that there were companies like Aeronca, Cessna, Globe, Piper, Stinson and Taylorcraft all making small planes then. Most of them died during the bust. Those that haven't are not in the best of shape, but I still wonder how much of the lack of planes is due to the "liability scare," or just plane (no pun) lack of market. Percy
<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
