01/31/2018. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Dudley R. Kelly of Versailles, Kentucky designed a biplane known as the Kelly-D, with the emphasis on improved efficiency and easier and cheaper construction than that of other designs in the same category, with full accommodation for two adults. Design was initiated on May 22, 1977, and the prototype, built by Jim Foster and registered N24JF, made its first flight on December 20, 1981, after an elapsed construction time of under two years. Plans became available to amateur constructors on January 1, 1983. Two Kelly-Ds factory-built by Rogers Aircraft of Sanford, Florida, were the first to be completed after the prototype.

A modified Kelly-D was developed on the basis of experience with these aircraft, to offer greatly improved ground handling and a lower landing speed. It used a new wing section and has a 2 ft (61 cm) increase in span. This version became the only one released for home building and pre-welded component parts for the Kelly-D were available, the details below refer to it. At least fifteen Kelly-Ds have been constructed.

The pictured aircraft was constructed by Rogers and subsequently registered to Robert D. Robinson of Warrensburg on February 22, 1985, the aircraft was listed as a Robinson/Rogers Kelly-D; the aircraft changed hands on September 19, 1992. Latest owner, since December 16, 2013, is Larry Plank of Perkins, Oklahoma.

Type: Two-seat homebuilt aerobatic biplane.
Airframe: Single-bay biplane, with wire-braced N type interplane struts each side. Inverted V-center section struts and streamline section landing and flying wires. Wing section NACA 4412. Dihedral 3°, on lower wings only. Incidence 2° on both wings. Constant chord, with no sweepback but considerable stagger. Wooden two-spar structure, with fabric covering. Aerodynamically balanced ailerons of wooden construction, fabric covered, on lower wing only. Conventional welded steel tube fuselage and wire-braced tail unit, with fabric covering. Fixed incidence tail plane. Trim tab in port elevator.
Landing gear: Non-retractable tail wheel type. Two side Vs and half-axles hinged to fuselage structure. Shock absorption of main units by steel coil spring on each compression strut. Main wheel tires size 6.00-6, pressure 1.24 bars (18 lb/sq.in, 87.89 kg/sq.m). Tail wheel diameter 6 in (15 cm). Cleveland hydraulic disc brakes. Fairings over main wheels optional.
Power plant: An 115 hp Avco Lycoming O-235 flat-four engine, driving a Sensenich two-blade fixed-pitch propeller. Fuel tank in fuselage, aft of firewall, with capacity of 24 gal (91 l). Refueling point on upper surface of fuselage, forward of front cockpit. Oil capacity 1.5 gal (5.7 l).
Accommodation: Two seats in tandem in open cockpits. Baggage space aft of pilot's seat in rear cockpit, capacity 40 lb (18 kg).
Systems: Hydraulic system for brakes only. Electrical system includes starter/generator and 12V storage battery.
Avionics and equipment: Genave Alpha 200B radio. Navigation lights.

Span (both): 26 ft 4 in (8.03 m)
Length: 19 ft 3 in (5.87 m)
Height: 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m)
Wing area: 210.38 sq.ft (19.54 sq.m)
Wing chord, constant (both): 4 ft 2 in (1.27 m)
Wing aspect ratio: 5.84
Tail plane span: 9 ft 3 in (2.82 m)
Wheel track: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Wheel base: 13 ft 3 in (4.04 m)
Propeller diameter: 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Empty weight: 950 lb (431 kg)
Max take off weight: 1,600 lb (726 kg)
Wing loading: 7.61 lb/sq.ft (37.15 kg/sq.m)
Power loading: 13.91 lb/hp (6.31 kg/hp)
Cruise speed: 90 mph (145 kmh)
Stall speed: 45 mph (73 kmh)
Climb at sea level, pilot only: 900 ft (274 m)/min
Range: 280 mls (450 km)

The prototype of a new single-seat Kelly-DI was being constructed in 1986, but this was not completed. It was said to be powered by a 40 hp engine.

At the Sun 'n Fun Fly-in, held at Lakeland, Florida, March 1987, was exhibited the new Kelly-DII, for which a complete kit (including all welded assemblies and engine) was marketed by Rogers Aircraft of Sanford, Florida. It retained the general appearance of the Kelly-D, except for the nose cowlings. Although it had smaller overall dimensions, was very much lighter and lower powered by a 40 hp Rotax503 two-cylinder two-stroke engine, it remained a full-size biplane for two adults. However, development was not continued."