Almost lost to time, and for reasons still unclear to this day, the prints and materials were largely forgotten and lost. They simply vanished. Becoming a legend of the Manitowoc community.
The Invincible D-D Model 400- Blowing the Dust off the Book Cover
Then, in the mid 1990’s one of the founding members of EAA Chapter 383 Mr. Don Gruett, in Manitowoc Wisconsin, came across the legend of the Invincible D-D Monoplane.
Don was well known in the area for his business prowess and his love for all things aviation. Especially local aviation. So, through various conversations and friendships, he amassed a collection of old photo’s, stories and even hand written notes about the Invincible D-D, and with this information, he built a quarter scale replica of the Model 400 and had it displayed prominently in the RAHR Hanger inside the EAA Chapter 383 meeting room, along with all the artifacts he was able to collect. It was rumored, that in fact ,some how, he may have even found the original prints.
There was little doubt, that he yearned to build the Invincible D-D one day, however that day never came, and the story once again, started to fade with Don’s passing in 2019. And the prints, the photo’s, the notes…they dissolved in time once again.
A Chapter Left Unread…..
Curiosity and Discovery ……..
In the winter of 2023, a EAA Chapter 383 meeting at the RAHR Hanger took place and a young man was invited to listen in by a local Chapter member and good friend of his.
The Chapter was like many EAA Chapters , dwindling in numbers and struggling to gain new members. It had been left to chance and time for so long, and now it was looking bleak.
Josh Honey was anxious to help grow the chapter and be apart of what he could tell, something special…but there was this odd center wing vintage model hanging from the ceiling that very few knew anything about, and he got curious. Real curious.
The EAA Chapter took on a new initiative , building a youth program that could help re-invigorate the members and get more of the community involved in local aviation.
To kick this off, they built a flight simulator , thinking that this may help some of the current members, but also attract the youth to want to learn to fly or at least learn about flight. But space was limited , so the Chapter board decided to do a “clean-up” effort in the small meeting room and office to accommodate this new large and complicated simulator. And that’s when something cool happened…
One of the longer time members came out of the disheveled and cluttered hanger office and presented the Original 1929 blueprint drawings and an assorted original photo’s of the Invincible D-D. Not only the Model 400 but the Model 200 prototype as well.
The long forgotten and assumed missing prints, were neatly rolled up in machinist paper and tucked away in a dusty old forgotten corner of the office. Simply forgotten to time, remembered only by a couple older members and unknown to most in the chapter and at the airport.
The moment they were carefully unrolled and shown to the Josh Honey, he knew it. His excitement and passion bubbled over. His skin tingled and his hair stood up. This plane, this legend deserved to be reborn!
The Re-Discovery
The Plans…Set In Motion
With the permission of the EAA Chapter 383 Board and RAHR Hanger Foundation, Joshua Honey , a Lifetime EAA Member and now self appointed Chapter historian, started to embark on the study , restoration and preservation of the prints, photos, and legend of the Invincible D-D Monoplane
The prints were scanned, and digitized, along with the photo’s , to ensure there preservation in history. The EAA Chapter President had the prints duplicate. Josh had the prints and photo’s housed in a dedicated secured and environmentally controlled facility , to help preserve the originals.
Josh contacted both EAA Oshkosh and The Smithsonian Air and Space Museums as well as the Manitowoc County Historical Society to let them know of the discovery and verify the prints authenticity .
Of course all wanted these historical heirlooms of aviation history, but Jim and Josh knew this amazing find belonged to the people of Manitowoc.
With the input and advise of these prestigious institutions, and the RAHR boards permission, Josh made a plan of attack.
After almost a year of exhaustive research and careful study of the prints, the photos, along with countless hours of conversations with aviation historians and local pilots, it was time….
….it’s time to bring the Invincible back to life. But one last thing had to be done. With application of modern technology, the young man gained permission to 3D scan the last physical remnant of the Invincible D-D Model 400. A single Rib Jig Template.
The Start of Something Invincible ……
And so it begins. With the first measurement and trace, in the basement of the young man on an old pool table, a rib jig was built.
In hopes to start the wing build this early spring, the C, D, and E rib jigs have been built and wood sourcing has began.
Because the project will need to incorporate multiple disciplines, such as aluminum welding , wood shaping and milling, design planning, marketing, fixture and fitting metal casting, just to name a few, and all of this coming at a cost… any volunteer help or donations are going to be critical to binging the Invincible D-D Model 400 to life.
With the 3D scans completed and with copies of the originals in hand , Josh started the process of building the first wing rib jig in December 2025.
