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Rose Aeroplane & Motor Co.
3521 Armitage Avenue - Bldg. B, Chicago, IL
Jennings W. "Jack" Rose, Owner (b. abt.1901, d.
1979)
According to FAA documents signed by Jack Rose, he established Rose Aeroplane and Motor Co. in 1930.
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In 1910 a young Jack Rose witnessed a demonstration flight by the Wright Brothers. By 1917 Jack Rose was working as a
construction hand at Chanute Airfield (not Chenault Field as reported by Carpenter in Bib. #9 ),
Rantoul, Illinois where he saw his first Curtis JN-4 "Jenny". He routinely snuck into the Officer's Club Library to read about flying. Eventually they gave up throwing him out and allowed him
read as much as he wanted to. (Bib. #5)
In 1923 (at age 21 or 22) he became an Army Flight Cadet at Brooks Field, Texas. He
soloed in 11 hours in a Hispano-Suisa powered JN-6H. At 13 hours was released from flight training. He spent some time in California where he was exposed to lots of flying activity and home
built aircraft. He subsequently returned to Illinois and completed his flight training as a civilian. In 1924 he bought a Curtis Oriole and started to work as a Flight Instructor.
During 1925 & 26 he also flew as a Barnstormer. At some point he "put together" an OX-5 engine, a Cannuck (Canadian built JN-4) and British Avro wings. He called it a "Hornet". In
1928, he received his Mechanics ID. By 1929, he owned a Waco 10 and received a Transport Pilot License.
Jack knew Ed Heath who had design his Heath Parasol with a 20 Hp Henderson motorcycle engine. According to Jack, "We spent a lot
of time at Heath's place discussing technical developments" (Bib. #5). About 1927 he began designing his own aircraft (Bib. #9). For more information on the early development and manufacture of the
Rose Parrakeet, see Barry Taylor's article "A Curious History". Jack Rose established the Rose Aeroplane & Motor Company in 1930. By 1931 had his production prototype S/N 60, NX12084 certified as an experimental aircraft. It took until 1935 to complete the CAA commercial type II certification under normal category. From 1935 to 1941 Rose Aeroplane & Motor company manufactured and sold eight certified aircraft under type certificate II-514.
During W.W.II general aviation aircraft production ceased and Rose Aeroplane and Motor Co. subcontracted parts to larger companies
with defense department contracts.
Sometime in 1946, Jack Rose agreed to allow Blackhawk Aircraft Co. to produce five Blackhawk Rose A-4 Parrakeets under license. He even welded up the first five airframes himself. After completion of the first aircraft, S/N 00, N40100, in 1947, the company
folded due to under capitalization.
By March 1948, Rose had a licensing agreement with Foster Hannaford to produce five Hannaford Rose A-4 Parrakeets. Hannaford Aircraft Co. acquired one completed airframe S/N 00, N40100 and four uncompleted airframes from Blackhawk Aircraft Co. at this time. In 1950, Hannaford Aircraft Co. sold a completed Hanniford A-4, S/N 01, N34253 as an experimental aircraft to Roy Pavlik. N34254 was also completed, but all CAA/FAA documents are unaccounted for at this time. At some point, Jack Rose discovered that Foster Hannaford had changed the name on the Rose Aeroplane & Motor Co. plans to Hanniford Aircraft Co. and changed the aircraft designation to Hannaford Parrakeet A-4, not Hannaford Rose Parrakeet A-4. He was also alerted by the CAA/FAA that Hannaford was seeking certification of the Hanniford A-4 with C85 engine under TC II-514. Jack Rose was furious and filed an injunction against Hannaford Aircraft Co., which was settled out of court.
By the early 60's an antique airplane enthusiast and an Experimental Aircraft Association member by the name of Doug Rhinehart fell in love with the Rose Parrakeet. Over the years he acquired and restored four of the original 1930's Rose Parrakeets. He promoted the Rose Parrakeet as an air show pilot. He flew his Parrakeets back to the Antique Airplane Association fly-Ins at Ottumwa, IA as well as fly-ins in Texas and Arizona. Through his efforts he became friends with Jack Rose. By 1965, Doug had negotiated a licensing agreement to produce five Rhinehart Rose Parrakeets at his Farmington/Aztec, NM shop under TC II-514. Rhinehart Rose Manufacturing, Inc. certified its first airplane (S/N 505, NC12084
) in 1969 and sold five aircraft by 1978. Unfortunately, Doug died as a result of a crash while flying his Luscombe in April
1978. There is some evidence that Doug planned to extend his license with Jack Rose beyond the first five aircraft, but that initiative was cut short by his death. The following year,
Jack Rose died as the result of a long term health condition.
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Below - Two clippings from Aero Digest Magazine announcing new private aircraft. The upper one is from the April 1935 issue. The lower one is from March 1938. The aircraft in the photos is is NC13677. Although the drawing is the same, you can see that the cowling shape in the lower photo has changed to what we recognize today as typical of the Rose Parrakeet. As a side note, the Gardner wood propeller was standard equipment on the A-1 Parrakeets with the Continental 37 hp & 40 hp, engines. Here is a link to some additional information on these propellers www.modernwoodenpropellers.com/gardner.htm
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Above - Jack W. Rose in front of pre-production prototype S/N 60 NX12084. Photo from Antique Airplane Association News, vol. XI, nos. 9 & 10, May-June 1968.
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Pal-Waukee Airport (KPWK), Wheeling, Illinois
As a side bar, it is interesting to note that photographs dating from the mid to late thirties of at least three Rose Parrakeets (NC13677, NC14843 & NC14844) were taken on the grass field in front of the Pal-Waukee Airport hangar The airport is located near Wheeling, IL just north of Chicago.
It must have been convenient for Jack Rose who lived in Wheeling. Although renamed, it still exists today. The following is reprinted from the web site www.palwaukee.org.
"Like most
airports across our nation, Chicago Executive Airport was once a modest grass strip created by early aviation enthusiast, in the days when airplanes were a novelty and travel by air was an uncommon
luxury. In the roaring twenties the grassy 40 acre plot, with dirt and sod runways, was known as Gauthier's Flying Field.
In the 1928, the field was renamed Palwaukee [Pal-Waukee], after the two highways that formed its southern and eastern boarders [Palatine Road
& Milwaukee Avenue]. The airport was purchased, in 1953, by George Priester who over the next 33 years expanded and developed [the] facility until 1986, when it was purchased by the neighboring
Illinois Villages of Wheeling and Prospect Heights. Re-named Chicago Executive Airport in 2007, to more accurately reflect its regional importance, the facility now covers 411 acres and is a key building
block and powerful economic engine for both communities as well as the surrounding area.
Today, a thriving Chicago Executive Airport, serves the general and business aviation sector, and is the third busiest airport in Illinois, after
O'Hare International and Midway. Approximately three hundred aircraft are based on the field and approximately 200,000 take-offs and landings occur annually."
Note the picture below. The old hangar is still in use by the Palwaukee Flyers Club.
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