1931 American Eagle Eaglet 231 NC479V 8x10 Photo, 1 of Only 2 Built For Sale

1931 American Eagle Eaglet 231 NC479V
8x10 Photo, 1 of Only 2 Built
"Mr. Average Man's Airplane," Kansas City's Depression-Era Personal PlaneDESCRIPTIONOriginal 8x10 photograph of a 1931 American Eagle Eaglet 231, registration NC-479V, manufacturer serial number 1031, on the ramp at what the MDC St. Louis stamp on the verso identifies as a McDonnell Douglas company archive print. The Eaglet was built by the American Eagle Aircraft Corporation of Kansas City, Kansas, a company that grew out of a flight school founded by Edward E. Porterfield in 1925 and briefly became the third-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, producing more than 700 airplanes across six models before the Depression forced it into bankruptcy in 1931. The Eaglet itself was the company's answer to the collapsing luxury market, a small, inexpensive high-wing monoplane marketed nationally under the slogan "Mr. Average Man's Airplane" and priced to bring flying within reach of ordinary buyers rather than wealthy sportsmen. This particular aircraft, NC-479V, holds a documented place in that story: it was one of only two Eaglets converted to the 231 configuration, refitted with a 40 horsepower Salmson AD-9 nine-cylinder radial engine in place of the standard three-cylinder Szekely powerplant. That engine is clearly visible in this photograph, its nine cylinders left fully exposed with no cowling at all, exactly as built. The Salmson conversion proved too costly to carry into regular production, which is why only two 231s were ever completed, making this specific registration and serial number a documented, uncommon variant within an already short-lived and largely forgotten manufacturer's lineup. This is a period-sourced MDC St. Louis archive reprint of the original negative, produced and stamped September 19, 1979, "negatives not filed," and mailed to noted West Coast aviation photograph collector Donald B. Aitken of Irvine, California. It comes from the Aitken Collection, a large single-owner binder archive of vintage aviation photography being catalogued and released individually. It is represented honestly as a 1979 company reprint rather than an original period-taken photograph, and priced accordingly.Every effort is made toward fact checking and provenance, including background research through news and historical archives. If any listing is incorrect in any way and you're unsatisfied with the item, please connect with me and I'll make it right. Orders placed before Noon CDT will ship same day Ground Advantage with tracking so you know exactly when it will arrive. Returns accepted on all items exceeding $25 in cost. Rigid, professional packaging on all shipments, sealed and protected in acid free protectors. Shipping is free and already built into the price, so the BIN price is exactly what you pay, no surprise shipping costs at checkout.CONDITION8x10 glossy photographic paper, MDC St. Louis archive reprint stamped and dated September 19, 1979. Clean overall with strong contrast and sharp detail throughout. Corners and edges show light handling wear consistent with age and archive storage. No tears, creases, or writing on the image side. Verso carries the MDC ST. LOUIS rubber stamp, "SEP 19 1979" date stamp, "NEGATIVES NOT FILED" stamp, and a typed mailing label to Donald B. Aitken, 13672 Typee Way, Irvine, CA 92720. Scanned at 600dpi so you can inspect every detail before you buy.