Robert Bushby — Aircraft mechanic, aviator and designer of the Mustang II
American aircraft mechanic and homebuilt aircraft designer; founder-member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and creator of the Bushby Mustang II, a popular two-seat homebuilt design.
Robert "Bob" Bushby (February 24, 1927 – October 14, 2018) was an American aircraft mechanic, pilot and homebuilt aircraft designer. Born and raised near Joliet, Illinois, he combined hands-on maintenance skills with a lifelong interest in light airplanes.
Bushby began learning to fly while still in high school in Minooka, Illinois and later turned that early experience into a career and avocation: repairing, modifying and ultimately designing small aircraft suited to amateur construction. He remained known for practical, builder-friendly approaches and for supporting fellow homebuilders.
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Aircraft design — the Mustang II
His best-known creation is the Bushby Mustang II, a two-seat, low-wing homebuilt that evolved from the single-seat sport racers in the Midget Mustang lineage. Marketed as plans and later as kits by companies such as Mustang Aeronautics, the Mustang II offers a compact aerodynamic fuselage, side-by-side seating and fixed landing gear. It was intended to deliver sporty handling and relatively high performance for a homebuilt aircraft while remaining within the capabilities of amateur constructors.
Career and contributions to the homebuilt movement
Outside aircraft design, Bushby worked in engine research during the 1950s and 1960s, notably at Sinclair Oil Company where he balanced technical employment with aircraft development. He was one of the original founders of the Experimental Aircraft Association in 1953, a pivotal organization that promoted standards, education and camaraderie in the experimental and homebuilt aviation community.
Legacy
Through plans, kits and his continuing support for builders, Bushby helped establish the Mustang II as a recognizable option for pilots seeking a compact, performance-oriented homebuilt. His dual role as mechanic and designer reflects the practical spirit of postwar American amateur aviation, where innovation often came from hands-on experience. Bushby died in Joliet in October 2018 at the age of 91.
- Roles: mechanic, pilot, aircraft designer
- Notable design: Bushby Mustang II (two-seat homebuilt)
- Community impact: early founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Robert Bushby — Aircraft mechanic, aviator and designer of the Mustang II Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/83278
Sources
- experimentalairplane.com : "Robert 'Bob' Bushby"
- wesleybushby.blogspot.com : "My Dad - Robert Wesley Bushby"