Page Four

     All during World War II, Al Meyers was crystallizing a new formula for a personal plane. The great advances in fighter plane design, and aviation generally, gave him the concept, data, and tool possibilities. However, the abrupt end to war production orders necessitated a "bread and butter" product to help finance the development of a new model Meyers airplane.

     The Meyers team put to work the "know how" with aluminum riveting, heliumargon welding, and functional design to start manufacturing an all-aluminum sports boat. The sales would help keep the plant going through the years of developing new models of the Meyers planes. In fact, Al Meyers used the hydraulic landing gear of a B-24 to help shape the first aluminum form of their boat. To this day the Meyers line of boats is recognized for its quality and safety features. They also produced Jeep cabs and Jeep winterization kits for the Army.
     In this period, the low wing, two -place, all-metal Meyers 145 began to take shape. It would have retractable gear, except for the steerable tail wheel. It had a saucy, sporty appearance.

     In the course of running tests for its Aircraft Type Certificate, Al Meyers put the first prototype through a series of spins. At one point, t he plane went into a flat spin. There was no choice, he was obliged to jump clear of the plane. He wore only a World War II surplus parachute, and landed hard on a ploughed, dry, field near the Meyers plant and airport. His right ankle was shattered; the local medics put the pieces together, but said he might not walk again. They did not count on the purposeful willpower of the man. He made himself walk again.
     Characteristically, he picked up the parts of his prototype, and in six months had built a new version, which eliminated the flaw in the design so that it finally earned its Aircraft Type Certificate. Even while in production of the two-place Meyers, private aviation began to develop rapidly in still another direction - the private executive and the family size airplane.
     Meyers used the experience gained in developing the two -place model to begin his next design, his more famous - the now classic, Meyers 200 - a low wing, four-place, with retractable, tricycle landing gear. A number of the components of the four-place Meyers are built of 41-30 steel, while other lifting surfaces are formed from aluminum to make it the most rugged, as well as swiftest, in its class.
    Years of blood, sweat, and probably tears, went into perfecting the prototype until it gained its Aircraft Type Certificate. It finally went into production during the early 1960's as the Meyers 200 A model. Its performance, design, and workmanship created excitement and enthusiasm amongst pilots. Its design was so advanced that, to this day, it still is accepted as a modern concept aircraft.

 

Al Meyers Airport - History