One of the most successful airplanes in air‑racing history—Steve Wittman’s Chief Oshkosh, later reconfigured as the Special 20 “Buster”—will be on display all week in the Homebuilders Hangar, represented by a meticulously detailed replica. This version is not intended to fly. It will not be air-worthy. Instead, members of the local EAA Chapter 252 combined old, classic parts found in the back of hangars with newly fabricated pieces and the welding skills of Charlie Becker to produce a nearly exact replica of the famous racer. The original rests in the Smithsonian’s Aerobatic Flight section of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.
Buster is a Continental-powered, midwing monoplane with a tripod landing gear. Its wheels were too small to permit brakes. A highly successful racer was active from 1931 until 1954 and reached a recorded level-flight speed of 177.3 mph to wing the Goodyear Trophy. The team building the replica spared no effort in duplicating the original Buster. They combed through period information, reviewed photographs, recovered wings, cowl, and other original pieces, and measured dimensions to ensure accuracy. The result is a loving tribute to Steve Wittman and his design genius.
