Good morning, Stephane.
The airplane in storage at the Army Aviation Museum is Windecker Eagle S/N 005, N4196G, not the YE-5. The YE-5 was a highly modified Windecker Eagle, S/N 009. Sometime in the late '80s (I don't remember the exact year off the top of my head) the YE-5 was loaned to a group for testing. During those tests, I am told, the pilot lost control of the YE-5 during an intentional spin and bailed out. (Because of the extensive modifications that significantly altered the airplane's weight and balance, the YE-5 was placarded against intentional spins.) The airplane was so badly damaged in the crash that I deemed that it could not be returned to flight. I suggested to the group that they buy '96G to complete the tests, which they did. They then returned '96G to the Museum, as was their agreement.
'96G was originally delivered to our dealer in Boulder, CO in early 1971. They sold it to an individual in Cincinnati, OH who sold it to the group testing the YE-5. I have not seen '96G since it was acquired by the Museum, but there are some hints in the photograph that it has been modified as a result of the tests back in the '80s.
