Jurca History

History Of Jurca Plans

It all started with a contract. On October 23,1964 Kenneth Heit, a 35-year-old city of flint, Michigan fire fighter and pilot received this contract for a MJ-5 Sirocco. What happened next has become history and legend.

Ken had read about the Sirocco, and the man from France who had designed this beautiful sleek home built bird, in a magazine and it was love at first sight. Marcel Jurca, the designer, who lived in France outside of Paris, was in fact Romanian and was an ex-Luftwaffe pilot. He flew Henchel bombers in the beginning of the war. He wasn't a faithful Nazi though, and being a young boy when he was "recruited" he joined the Luftwaffe because they were going to teach him to fly and that was all he was interested in. Before the end of the war however, Marcel defected to France, becoming a citizen, and then becoming a successful and brilliant engineer.

In the 1950's Marcel began designing small and sleek little sport aircraft, the first among these being the Autan, Sirocco, and the Tempete. However, Marcel being a frustrated fighter pilot wanna-be, then began designing replica WWII fighters. The P-51 Mustang (originally he called it the Gnatsum, Mustang spelled backwards) was the first of these designs. He later went on to design several other replica fighter planes such as the FW-190, ME-109 and the P-40 Warhawk.

Marcel and Ken became friends when Ken purchased the Sirocco plans and soon after that Marcel visited him at his home in Michigan, the two became fast and close friends. Before long Marcel asked Ken to help him market his designs in the United States and eventually to the world. Ken and Marcel traveled extensively between France and the US, with Ken moving to France for 8 years after his retirement from the Fire Department in 1977. Both of them, but especially Ken were fixtures at the EAA fly-Ins from the very beginning in Rockford, Illinois. Right up to his death in October 2005, Ken had never missed an EAA-Fly-In. He could always be found in the Replica Warbird tent ready and willing to talk Warbirds and Jurca designs.

Marcel Jurca passed away in August of 2001 after a short and acute illness. Before his death he left the Warbird plans and business to his friend and partner of 40+ years. In October of 2005, Ken Heit passed away from complications of a long time illness.

These two men, the genius designer and his friend the passionate distributor and marketer for Jurca plans, had unknowingly created a legacy with the sole purpose of keeping the beautiful WWII fighters a living and ongoing piece of history. Their role in promoting the history of WWII aviation is undeniable and they would be proud to know the interest the younger generations displaying in these glorious aircraft.

It is our deepest desire here at Jurca Plans to continue the legacy of Marcel Jurca and Ken Heit and of Jurca Plans. Our mission is to continue to promote the history of WWII aviation and the men who flew these magnificent fighter aircraft, so that younger generation will not forget this momentous time in history.

Through our efforts and your desire to build and fly these magnificent Warbirds of the past, the legends will live----the saga will continue.

Happy Flying and Blue Skies

Jurca Plans West