On a cross-country fuel stop at Hagerstown, Maryland, with Wittman's design, the Buttercup, Fairchild engineers expressed an interest in the design and even entered into negotiations for possible production of the aircraft.
With the onset of World War II, production plans were shelved, but Fairchild contacted Wittman and proposed that a four-seat version would be marketable.
[1][2] When Fairchild did not follow up on production offers, Wittman was contacted by Cessna in Wichita, Kansas, to demonstrate the lightweight and strong spring steel landing gear of the Big X. Cessna bought the plane and its production rights in order to use the gear on its new Cessna 195 taildragger.
It was steel tube fuselage with fabric covering and all-wood wings.
Big X was used as a companion plane and baggage hauler during Wittman's years as an air racer.