ERCOUPE

Founded in 1930 by Henry Berliner, Engineering and Research Corporation (ERCO) began as a manufacturer of tools for metal aircraft and propellers. Berliner met aeronautical engineer Fred Weick, who had been working on propellers for the USS Akron, and soon Weick joined ERCO to work on his “safety airplane”. In 1937, Berliner purchased 50 acres of land in Riverdale, Maryland, and built a factory and airstrip, where ERCO developed the Ercoupe aircraft. During World War II, ERCO produced various products for the U.S. government and received an “E” award for excellence. In 1947, Berliner sold the Ercoupe to Sanders Aviation.