The Pitcairn-Brewer Model F engine was developed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during 1927 and 1928. This engine was designed by Captain Robert W. A. Brewer and sponsored by Harold F. Pitcairn. The objective was an engine that was more reliable and lighter than existing engines, specifically, a replacement for the Curtiss OX-5 that could power Pitcairn Aircraft, Inc. and other aircraft as well. T
In 1951, Betty Skelton retired from aerobatic competition and air shows and sold Little Stinker to Bob Davis. She went on to automobile racing including setting Feminine Land Speed records. Subsequently George Young, Paul Lehman, and Drexell Scott owned the aircraft until Skelton repurchased it in 1967. In 1976, Betty and her husband Don Frankman lent the aircraft for display (in a new paint schem
The S-1S competition version has four ailerons (to boost the roll rate), symmetrical airfoils (allowing the aircraft to perform maneuvers from any attitude) and generally, a 180-hp Lycoming engine for more power. The S-1S gave U.S. aerobatic pilots the equipment they needed to compete successfully in international contests. Five members of the winning 1972 U.S. Aerobatic Team flew the S-1S and two