When Jason Petroelje first scanned the plans for the Italian World War I
fighter plane he hoped to build, this is what greeted him:

"Idrovolante a scafo e galleggiantini laterali, biplano, monomotre,
monoposto ..."

Petroelje is Frisian, not Italian. And although he spent a couple of
years in post-WWII Italy serving with the U.S. Army, he was hardly an
expert at the language.

Ten years later, though, his dream-come-true was launched from the
shores of Muskegon County's Little Black Lake and took to the skies for
a maiden flight that delighted Petroelje and his friends, family members
and onlookers.

"I still get a lump in my throat," said the 80-year-old Holland
resident, remembering the day last October when his friend volunteered
to serve as pilot during the inaugural ascent.

Petroelje -- who has held a pilot's license since 1962 -- would have
taken to the skies himself if not for a stroke about 12 years ago that
left his right side affected, and tremors in that hand.

....

The Macchi M.5 Italian fighter is mostly authentic, except for not
sporting machine guns like those used during the plane's heyday.

And it's actually the sixth plane Petroelje has built since giving up a
boat-building business for more lofty pursuits.

Petroelje was born in Zeeland and, after attending high school there,
worked alongside his father and older brother in construction.


http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/in...rld_war_i.html