By Robbie Culver

Each year, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh showcases unique aircraft. If it’s rare or unusual, chances are it will make an appearance. This year, the world’s only known flying Cirigliano SC-1 biplane is on the lawn in front of the VAA Red Barn, courtesy of Walt Bowe’s Ala Doble Flying Collection of Esparto, California.

If you’ve never heard of the Cirigliano, you may be forgiven — it is the only known flying example of the type. Its unique lines and classic shape could be mistaken for a converted Pietenpol, Brunner-Winkle Bird A, or Waco 10 to the uninitiated.

The radiator is nestled between the main gear, a tailskid flows beneath the empennage instead of a tail wheel, and positive stagger adds to the lines of the wings and its classic golden age look. You can almost hear the whistling of the wind in the wires just sitting on the ground. The Cirigliano graces the sky with the sounds of a classic Curtiss OX-5 engine tucked inside an aluminum cowling. The OX-5 is a V-8, liquid-cooled engine that was one of the first mass-produced engines designed for aviation and built in America.

A leather helmet and scarf may be a prerequisite for flight, and one could be forgiven for the oil spatters on the goggles. Images of leathered faces with permanent grins come to mind — likely some bugs stuck to the teeth, but no mind. The siren song of evening’s still smooth air and a fading sunset would be too strong to resist. Aircraft such as this are examples of an age long gone, but treasured by those who continue the dream. Old biplanes call to many of us with whispers of magical moments.

Pilot Andrew King flew the SC-1 from its current home in Brodhead, Wisconsin, to EAA’s Pioneer Airport, via Hartford, Wisconsin, for a fuel stop. The aircraft has a 14-gallon fuel tank, and with the Curtiss OX-5 engine, cross-country flights are a well-planned challenge.

Currently listed in the FAA Registry as an experimental amateur-built aircraft, it was originally built in 1927 or 1928 by Serafin Cirigliano and is believed to have been first flown around 1931. Cirigliano was originally from Colombia but was an engineer for Bellanca Aircraft at the time. The SC-1 began as a scaled-down version of the Curtiss P-1 Hawk (Curtiss Model 34) fighter.

The Ala Doble Flying Collection website says Stuart Chadwick made the first flight, and the aircraft was eventually purchased by Eddie Edwards and Mike Guidas. The Cirigliano SC-1 was modified, and according to information compiled by Mark Zilinsky of Chandelle Aeroplane Restoration LLC in Naperville, Illinois, a Continental A70 was installed later. “In the late 1940s, its appearance completely changed, making it unrecognizable from the original design,” Mark said.

Ed Smith purchased the aircraft after finding it in the proverbial barn and rebuilt it with a completely redesigned tail, a canopy, and a stretched fuselage.

“Modifications included a 145 Warner engine and cowling, spring-type landing gear, fuselage formers, cockpit canopy, and a Bellanca-type three tails configuration,” Mark said.

In the 1970s, Jack Haggarty further modified the aircraft and installed a 145-hp Warner engine, as detailed in the January 1975 issue of The Vintage Airplane magazine.

According to Mark, “Denny Trone and Carlene Mendieta acquired the remains of the highly modified Cirigliano. Denny was a collector and restorer of many forgotten historic airplanes from the 1920s and ’30s. He started the restoration before his untimely passing, and the project ended up in California with Carlene and Walt Bowe.”

Mark then restored the aircraft to its current pristine condition.

“When Chandelle Aeroplane Restoration received the project from Walt and Carlene, it consisted mainly of the steel tube fuselage, lower wings, top wing, and was partially restored — wing struts, some tail components, fuel tank, and a box full of OX-5 engine parts,” he said. “Walt sent me four pictures of the original airplane and said, ‘Make it look like the pictures.’ Fortunately, one of the pictures was of the uncovered fuselage on the gear with the engine, cockpit components, and turtledeck installed. I was able to scale and fabricate the landing gear, engine mount, and all the components from that photo.”

The attention to detail and stunning craftsmanship is evident, with a vintage presence that is unmistakable. As with any project, Mark added that a long list of dedicated volunteers and craftspeople were involved.

“Drew Hallam for his expertise with the OX-5 and help with countless more aspects of the project,” he said. “My dad, Bob Zilinsky, for his expertise and knowledge of 1920s-1930s aircraft and access to his awesome reference library. Luke DiCiurcio and Brian Stansberry for their extraordinary expertise in sheet metal work. Jim Rezich for his technical expertise and guidance through the final paperwork. Chris Price for performing the initial test flight, and Andrew King for safely flying it up to Oshkosh.”

The first flight following restoration was in 2024.

You can find the Cirigliano SC-1 in front of the VAA Red Barn.