19 Facts About Bert Kinner

Winfield Bertrum "Bert" Kinner was an American aircraft engine designer and designer of the first folding wing aircraft.

Bert Kinner was born on December 16,1882, in Benton County, Iowa.

Bert Kinner's mother was born in England and her maiden name was Lee.

Bert Kinner worked, as a streetcar operator, in Denver before going to Minnesota, there working as a barber, taxi service operator, and car dealer.

Later that year, he and his family went to California, where Bert Kinner opened a business as an automobile coachbuilder.

In 1918, Bert Kinner served in the United States Army Air Service, but he didn't see active duty, and was not trained to fly, because, on 11 November 1918 the First World War ended.

In 1920, Bert Kinner was working as an aircraft engineer in Los Angeles, but had an aspiration to design and build aircraft.

At Long Beach Boulevard and Tweedy Boulevard, on a 230-acre property, Bert Kinner opened an airport and a company to manufacture airplanes.

Bert Kinner was the manager of Kinner Field, the first municipally-owned airport in Los Angeles, located on the west side of Long Beach Boulevard and Tweedy Road, in what is South Gate, California.

Bert Kinner hired Snook to test fly his aircraft and to provide flight instruction for a prospective training school.

In 1923, Bert Kinner moved his airplane and engine manufacturing firm to Glendale.

Bert Kinner remained as an officer of The Crown Motor Carriage Company which assumed the aircraft assembly business.

Bert Kinner continued to design and build a limited series of light aircraft; the Bert Kinner series of engines powered aircraft from the late 1920s to the early 1930s.

The earliest Bert Kinner engines had three cylinders, and were modeled after the French Anzani 3-cylinder fan engines.

Bert Kinner became the West Coast's largest producer of aircraft engines in 1941.

About 1939, Bert Kinner retired from active business, transferring his business to Otto Timm, turning to aircraft inspection, due to ill health.

Bert Kinner lived to age of 74, dying on 4 July 1957, in Long Beach, California.

Bert Kinner was buried in the Portal of Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation with other aviation pioneers in Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery.

When she wasn't able to raise more than the deposit, Bert Kinner made a deal with her so that the Airster could be on hand as a demonstration aircraft in exchange for upkeep and hangar fees.