[1] It bears some family resemblance to the Piper Cherokee,[clarification needed] a design that Thorp later significantly contributed to.

Thorp constructed eight prototypes, had the design certified by the FAA but was unable to find a foothold in the Cessna-dominated post-war US market.

This feature simplified construction, reduced the number of rivets (and weight), and helped control the spanwise flow of air over the wings.

The project was therefore shelved until the homebuilding boom saw the rights to the aircraft acquired first by Adams Industries and then by Thorp Aero in the 1970s, the latter firm building five examples as the Thorp Arrow or T-211 Aero Sport built in Sturgis Kentucky, but only sold overseas or to part 141 operations due to current liability laws.

The Thorp T-211 was the first US-designed Special Light Sport Aircraft to receive certification from the Federal Aviation Administration.