Art Chester "Jeep" - A 2024 rebuild of the Chester Jeep model, originally built by Bob Bender.

This balsa and tissue scale model of the Art Chester's racing aircraft known as the "Jeep" was built by the late Bob Bender decades ago. It was donated by his family to the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in 2018, along with several of Bob's other beautifully-built scale models. Nearly all of the other models were in pristine condition...this model was likely the oldest of the bunch and it was by far in the worst condition of all of them. It was rebuilt in 2024 and although it retains most of its brittle inner structure, it was given a couple of final test glides before being returned to the Aerodrome. It will join Bob's other models in the "History of Flight" museum building, where it will represent one of the successful and innovative home-built racing aircraft of the 1930s. If the shape of the nose looks a little familiar, it's designer (Art Chester) later went on to design the nose of the famous P-51 "Mustang" fighter of WWII.