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| SPECIFICATIONS |
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| ENGINE |
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Lycoming R-680 220 h.p. |
| WING SPAN |
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32 feet, 2 inches |
| LENGTH |
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24 feet, 10 inches |
| HEIGHT |
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9 feet, 2 inches |
| MAX TAKEOFF WEIGHT |
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2,700 pounds |
| CREW |
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2 |
| MANUFACTURED BY |
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Boeing Aviation |
| TOTAL BUILT |
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10,346 |
| TOTAL EXISTING |
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2,136 |
| FIRST BUILT |
|
1933 |
| MUSEUM'S AIRCRAFT BUILT |
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1940 |
| ON DISPLAY AT |
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Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison Airport (KADS), Dallas, Texas |
| MAXIMUM SPEED |
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104 m.p.h. |
| RANGE |
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260 miles |
| SERVICE CEILING |
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14,000 feet |
SERIAL NUMBER |
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40-1650 |
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Nicknamed the “Yellow Peril” thanks to its somewhat tricky ground handling characteristics, the Stearman is one of
the most easily recognized aircraft. Its simple construction, rugged dependability and nimble handling made the
Stearman much loved by those who flew and trained on it. The Stearman Kaydet, as it was officially named, was the only
American aircraft used during World War II that was completely standardized for both Army and Navy use as the PT-13D (Army)
and N2S-4 (Navy). Sold by the thousands after World War II, the Stearman has had a long and full career as a trainer, crop
duster and air show performer. The name “Stearman” is so widely known that it has become the generic name for almost all
currently flown biplanes. It is truly a “classic.”
The famed Stearman Model 75 has its roots in the earlier Model 70, which was chosen in 1934 as the U.S. Navy's primary trainer.
At a time when biplanes were becoming a thing of the past, the Model 70 offered the fledgling pilot a steady and sturdy steed.
Designed and built in only 60 days, the prototype Model 70 could withstand load factors much higher than were expected to occur in
normal flight training. The U.S. Army and Navy tested the prototype in 1934. At the conclusion of these tests, the Navy ordered the
aircraft while the Army decided to wait for the introduction of the improved Model 75 appearing in 1936. Over the next decade, the
Army received nearly 8,500 Stearmans in five different variants. The difference among these versions were the engines fitted; Kaydets
were fitted with Lycoming (PT-13), Continental (PT-17) or Jacobs (PT-18) radial engines. The U.S. Navy took delivery of their first
Stearman (called the NS-1) in 1934. Powered with the obsolete but readily available Wright R-790-8 engine, the NS-1 proved its worth
as a primary trainer. The Navy purchased several thousand of an improved model, the N2S. The N2S was built in five sub-variants, each
variant being equipped with a different model engine. Additionally, the Canadian armed forces took delivery of 300 PT-27s, a winterized
version of the PT-17.
A later, more powerful version of the Stearman, the Model 76, was purchased by Argentina, Brazil and the Philippines. The Model 76 featured
wing mounted .30 caliber machine guns, a bomb rack between the landing struts and a single machine gun for the rear cockpit. These aircraft
were used as light attack or reconnaissance aircraft. After World War II, many Stearmans were fitted with Pratt & Whitney 450 h.p. engines
and utilized as crop dusters. These more powerful Stearmans are also commonly used for wing-walking or aerobatic routines at air shows.
The PT-13B on display was built by the Stearman Division of the Boeing Aircraft Company and accepted by the United States Army Air Corps. on May 20, 1940. It was converted to a "C" model by the addition of an electrical system, lighting, extra instruments and an instrument hood (for flight by reference to instruments, training) in the rear cockpit. In June 1940 it was transferred to Oxnard Field California where it served as a primary trainer. In June 1944 it was transferred to Lancaster. In March 1945 it was transferred to Las Vegas. In July 1945 it was transferred to Reno Nevada and discharged from military service. From 1945 to 1977, 40-1650 served as a training aid for aviation mechanic students at Los Angeles Community College.
In 1984 after a 4 year restoration, 40-1650 once again took to the sky over California. The restoration performed by Norm and Carole Rowe and Jim and Katy Spriggs of California returned 40-1650 to its original Army Air Corps condition.
Stearman 40-1650 was added to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum collection in 2007 and can routinely be seen in the sky over North Dallas.
Click here for information on how you can take a ride in this historic biplane.
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