Air Power Series>1:48 die-cast display model>Stearman PT-17>HA8104

General Background

The Stearman Aircraft Company produced a bi-plane trainer-aircraft called the Model 70. In 1935 the USN ordered the Model 70 with a Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine designated the NS-1. Boeing Aircraft Company bought Stearman and gave the Model 70 a Lycoming R-680-5 radial engine making it a Model 75. In 1936 the U.S. Army Air Corps placed an order for the Model 75 and designated it PT-13. With a Continental R-670-5 engine it became the PT-17. The RCAF labeled it PT-27 Kaydet with Kaydet becoming the universally accepted name.

The Aircraft

41-25714 was completed by the Boeing Airplane Company on May 11, 1942 and delivered to the USAAF on May 16,1942. Its first assignment was the AAF Basic Flying Training School at Maxwell Army Air Field in Alabama. From here it went to the 67th Flying Training Detachment in Tennessee and later on to the AAF Flying Training School in Texas and used by the Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP). In August 1944 it was assigned to the AAF Flying School at Goodfellow Army Air Field in San Antonio Texas. In 1945 the aircraft was declared surplus and sold and registered as N59293 and then converted for crop dusting. In the 1980s the aircraft was sold and partially restored and used for sightseeing tours before being sold to Michael and Andrew Porter in 197. They took 10 years locating parts for a full restoration and in August 2008 completed the task. In 2011 N59293 was the National Stearman Fly-In 2011 award winner for excellence in restoration of an Army Stearman.

Specifications :

Crew:	2 x Student Pilot and Instructor
PT-17 Produced:	3,500 +
Number of all variants produced:	10,000 +
Performance	1 x Continental R-670-5 7 cylinder radial engine producing 220 hp
Maximum Speed:	124 mph
Climb Rate:	840 ft/min
Service Ceiling:	11,200 ft
Range:	505 miles
Dimensions
Length:	24 ft 3 in
Wingspan:	32 ft 2 in
Height:	9 ft 2 in
Weights:
Empty:	1,936 lbs
Maxium Takeoff:	2,717 lbs