Boeing Stearman - Kaydet
The aircraft that will be used for the BRAVO 369 Northern Route Flight Expedition is a Boeing Stearman PT-13D open cockpit biplane with a 225 HP Lycoming radial engine. It has a fixed pitch propeller and a cruising speed of approximately 105 miles per hour. Under full power it has a climb rate of 500 to 600 feet per minute.
A classic airplane, the Stearman draws attention wherever it is flown. Originally built as a trainer it has an extremely solid airframe. Even though it is a fabric airplane with wooden struts, its longerons and fuselage are metal and chrome alloy. From a pilot’s perspective, the PT-13D is a “natural flying” airplane. Extremely reliable and forgiving, many Stearman aircraft went on to be used as crop dusters after the end of WWII.
As part of this project, the PT-13D will tie in aviation and remind us of some of the romance and challenges associated with the early days of flight. Used as a trainer during WWII, it played a significant role in training Army Air Corps and Navy pilots.
The Stearman will be carrying a modern avionics package for navigation, altitude reporting, communications, GPS and radar tracking.
The aircraft will also be equipped with a satellite data transceiver which will allow the transmission of voice, video and aircraft operating data. This data will be transmitted to the BRAVO 369 flight operations center, the flight tracking web site, and integrated with online Microsoft Flight Simulator X sessions.
For educational purposes, on-board cameras as well as tracking devices will allow students to “fly along” using Microsoft Flight Simulator XTM and Google EarthTM.
The Ultimate Trainer
Upon completion of basic flight training, Army Air Corps pilots would transition from the Stearman into aircraft such as the T6 Texan then into fighters such as the P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair and medium-to-heavy bombers like the B17 and B29. Picture shown is Jeff Geer with a PT-17 Stearman after his initial Stearman training flight in July of 2000.
Brief Stearman Model 75 History (Courtesy Wikipedia)
The Stearman (Boeing) Model 75 is a biplane, of which 8584 were built in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s as a military trainer aircraft. Stearman became a subsidiary of Boeing in 1934. Widely known as the Stearman, Boeing Stearman or Kaydet, it served as a Primary trainer for the USAAF, as a basic trainer for the US Navy (as the NS1 & N2S), and with the RCAF as the Kaydet throughout World War II. After the conflict was over, thousands of surplus aircraft were sold on the civil market. In the immediate post-war years they became popular as crop dusters and as sports planes.
Stearman Variants
The US Army Air Forces Kaydet had three different designations based on its power plant:
PT-13, with a Lycoming R-680 engine,
PT-13 Initial production. R-680-B4B engine. 26 built. Boeing Model 75.
PT-13A R-680-7 engine. 92 delivered 1937-38. Model A-75.
PT-13B R-680-11 engine. 255 delivered 1939-40.
PT-13C Six PT-13Bs modified for instrument flying.
PT-13D PT-13As equipped with the R-680-17 engine. 318 delivered.
PT-17 with a Continental R-670 engine.
PT-17A 18 PT-17s were equipped with blind-flying instrumention.
PT-17B Three PT-17s were equipped with agricultural spraying equipment for pest-control.
PT-18 with a Jacobs R-755 engine.
PT-18A Six PT-18s fitted with blind-flying instrumention.
PT-26 This designation was given to 300 aircraft supplied under Lend-Lease to the RCAF.
The US Navy had several versions including:
NS-1 Up to 61 delivered.
N2S Known colloquially as the "Yellow Peril" from its overall-yellow paint scheme.
N2S-1 R-670-14 engine. 250 delivered to the US Navy.
N2S-2 R-680-8 engine. 125 delivered to the US Navy.
N2S-3 R-670-4 engine. 1,875 delivered to the US Navy.
N2S-4 99 US Army aircraft were diverted to the US Navy, plus 577 new aircraft were delivered to the US Navy. N2S-5 R-680-17 engine. 1,450 delivered to the US Navy.
Boeing PT-13D Stearman Specifications
Max Speed: 124 MPH Cruising Speed: 106 MPH
Range: 505 Miles Service Ceiling: 11,200 ft.
Span: 32 ft. 2 in. Length: 24 ft. 3 in.
Height: 9 ft. 2 in. Max Takeoff Weight: 2,717 lbs.
Engine:
Lycoming R-680-17 nine-cylinder radial 225 hp. air cooled
PT-13 & PT-17 General Info:
The PT-13 & PT-17 was produced in numbers by Boeing Aircraft from 1936 to 1944. It originally flew on 26 Nov 1934.
Many were sold to the public as the aircraft were retired from active duty. It is powered by a 220 horsepower Continental R-670-5 radial engine. Between 1936 and 1944, Boeing built 8,584 Kaydets, in all versions, plus the equivalent of 2,000 more in spares.
The Stearman Aircraft Company
Detailed history coming soon ! For now, please visit the Lloyd C. Stearman site at the Boeing web site.