History:
The Boeing PT-17 Stearman was a Primary Trainer for both the Army Air Corp and Navy during World War Two. The Navy trainer designation was N2S. The Stearman is a two place tandem Trainer with the student pilot sitting in the back seat. It is flown solo from the back seat. The many World War two student pilots first solo was in this aircraft. The instructor in the front seat was sitting close to the center of gravity of the Stearman. When the student soloed, balance of the aircraft remained when the instructor got out of the aircraft. Student pilots would learn basic flying skills in the Stearman attitude flying, turns, stalls, basic aerobatics, basic formation training, and many other skills were all learned in the Stearman. Once the student pilot mastered these skills they would move on to the Basic Trainers to further refine their skills. The Stearman was commonly used as a crop duster after World War Two. This practical use for the Stearman help keep the aircraft viable. Today most Stearman are used as sport aircraft.
| Registration Number | Date of Manufacture |
| N3977A | 1943 |
| Aircraft Role | Nickname |
| Primary Trainer | “Yellow Peril” |
| Aircraft Type: | Wingspan: |
| Boeing/Stearman N2S | 32 feet 2 inches |
| Overall length: | Empty weight: |
| 24 feet 3 inches | 1936 US pounds |
| Gross weight: | Fuel capacity: |
| 2717 US pounds | 40 US Gallons |
| Oil capacity | Engine type: |
| Single 220 hp Continental R670-5 radial piston engine | |
| Propeller type: | Max Speed |
| Sensenich 2 blade wood propeller | 124 mph |
| Rate of Climb | Cruise Speed |
| 500 feet/minute | 95 mph |
| Service Ceiling | Number of Crew |
| 11,200 feet | Two Tandem |
| Armament | Bomb Load |
| None | None |
| Number Built | Number Surviving |
| 13000+ | 1000+ |
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 Old-Bob-Family-Tullahoma-2007-033 |
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Restoration
This Stearman was restored by Pete Jones in Cleveland, Mississippi. They actually set up a production line to rebuild Stearmans. The fuselage is made up of steel tubes covered in a Dacron cloth. The wings are made out of wood covered in the same type of cloth. The technology used to build the Stearman is more like aircraft were built during the early 1930’s rather than 1940’s technology. The steel tube fuselage provided the students with a very safe environment vs. the all wood aircraft of the 1920s.
Restoration Images
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Links
http://www.warbirds-eaa.org
http://www.warbirdsquadron4.org
http://www.stearman.net
http://www.stearmanflyin.com/
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