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MAX STUPAR
Early Chicago Plane Builder - Aviator

   Max Stupar was born at Mottling, Austria, September 23, 1885, the son of a cabinet maker. The family moved to the United States and settled in Chicago, Illinois, when he was a small boy and where he became a citizen with [[strikethrough]] his father [[strikethrough]] in 1894. He attended grammar school in Chicago, then Sayres Business College [[strikethrough]] there [[strikethrough]] in 1900, and Imperial Art School, Chicago, in 1904. Stupar developed an early interest in flight and followed the gliding experiments of Octave Chanute at Dunes Park. As a result he had built and was conducting tests with a Chanute-type biplane glider in 1908. Following this he made a second glider of his own design. After some gliding experiments at Dunes Park he began making a Santos-Dumont Demoiselle monoplane in 1909 and late that year organized Stupar Aero Works, Erie Avenue, Chicago, successor to the J. Stupar Pattern and Model Shop.
   Early in 1910 he began advertising his business: Propellers, Santos-Dumont planes to order, and aero supplies of all kinds. Reportedly he built and sold seven Santos-Dumont monoplanes at $1,000 each. By this time he was determined to make aviation his life work.
   His ads continued through 1910 and 1911 and during late 1919 Stupar built a Bleriot-copy monoplane, making some short flight with it in 1911. During late 1911 he reorganized the firm to become Chicago Aero Works, H.S. Renton, President, Max Stupar, Vice President and Engineering Manager. In 1912 they advertised: Planes to order, Parts, Accessories, Motors, Aviators taught, Flights furnished.
   Over the winter months of 1912-1913 the Chicago Aero Works made a looking new light exhibition tractor biplane for Hillery Beachey. Designed by Beachey and Stupar, it had a span of 38 fee[[t]], 26 foot lower wing and