1929 Butler Blackhawk

The Butler Blackhawk aircraft were made by Butler Manufacturing of Kansas City, MO. Butler's primary products were steel buildings, hangars, grain bins, livestock tanks and other sheet steel products; in fact, they only manufactured airplanes from 1928 to 1929! No more than 11, and maybe as few as 9, aircraft were built - and only two exist today. Designed by Waverly Stearman, brother to Lloyd Stearman, Butler entered the aircraft field a bit too late. The high price and heavy competition limited sales, and the Great Depression ended the endeavor. Butler went back to steel buildings, and they are still in business today. N593H is the next-to-last Blackhawk to be built. Powered by the Wright 220 hp J-5 engine, like the museum's Stearman C3-B, you can see a bit of family resemblance in the two airplanes. Built in November of 1929, N593H went through many owners and accidents. Don and Kent McMakin obtained the meager remains of the Blackhawk in the early ’90’s and restored it at Brodhead Airport. Don McMakin had previously owned this same airplane from 1942 to 1947, so it was good to get it back and restore it. Currently on long-term loan from Kent McMakin.