- cy l inder ▁ 1 6 5   hp ▁engine . ▁ ▁The ▁fabric ▁wings ▁were ▁easily ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁fus el age , ▁converting ▁the ▁car ▁into ▁a ▁plane . ▁Four ▁pro tot ypes ▁were ▁built . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁the ▁Civil ▁Aer onaut ics ▁Administration ▁( CAA ) ▁( l ater ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁F AA ) ▁cert ified ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁pro tot ypes ▁and ▁gave ▁it ▁an ▁ 1 A 1 1 ▁A ircraft ▁Spec ification , ▁N 7 4 1 0 4 . ▁Lou ▁Ach ito ff , ▁was ▁the ▁C AA ▁test ▁pilot . ▁The ▁N 7 4 1 5 4 ▁is ▁the ▁aircraft ▁that ▁is ▁today ▁in ▁the ▁Steven ▁F . ▁U d var - H azy ▁Center . ▁ ▁The ▁craft ▁made ▁its ▁debut ▁in ▁November ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁at ▁Dan bury , ▁Connecticut . ▁Fin an cial ▁concerns ▁forced ▁F ult on ▁to ▁sell ▁to ▁a ▁company ▁that ▁never ▁developed ▁it . ▁ ▁Design ▁The ▁Air ph ib ian ▁took ▁the ▁approach ▁of ▁converting ▁from ▁an ▁aircraft ▁to ▁a ▁road able ▁vehicle ▁by ▁a ▁conversion ▁process ▁that ▁left ▁aircraft ▁sections ▁behind ▁during ▁road ▁use . ▁The ▁process ▁consisted ▁of ▁removing ▁a ▁three - bl aded ▁prop eller ▁and ▁placing ▁it ▁on ▁a ▁hook ▁on ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁fus el age , ▁c ran king ▁down ▁support ▁c aster s , ▁and ▁dis eng aging ▁lock ▁le vers ▁connecting ▁the ▁flight ▁unit ▁to ▁the ▁road