06/30/2009. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "Harry Crosby designed the all-metal CR-4 racer to carry a 420 hp Ranger V-770 twelve-cylinder air-cooled inverted V-engine, however, eventually Crosby used the 350 hp Menasco C-6S4 Super Buccaneer six-cylinder air-cooled inverted engine. The aircraft was built at the Aero-Industries-Technical-Institute at Los Angeles, and registered in the experimental section as NX92Y and listed as Racer number "52".

Although flown in April 1938, the aircraft did not race until 1939, placing fourth in the Thompson Trophy Race at Cleveland, Ohio, with an average speed of 244.522 mph (393.52 kmh). After the race, filming for the movie 'Tailspin' took place, subsequently the aircraft was stored in California. Crosby went to Northrop to test the XP-56, the N-9M, the MX-324, and he made his last flight in the XP-79B. After Crosby's untimely death his widow sold the CR-4 to the USAAF pilot Harry Austell, after which the aircraft disappeared into obscurity.

Only in 1990 the remains were discovered at a farm outside Norlina, North Carolina, by Morton Lester, who started a long-term restoration, that was completed in 2000 by the EAA staff after the aircraft was donated to the museum."