Boeing/Stearman PT-17 (N2S-3) Kaydet
In the post-World War I boom for cropdusters, war surplus aircraft such as the venerable JR-7 Jenny were in high demand. In 1933, Lloyd Stearman designed a dedicated cropduster and aerobatic aircraft, the Model 70. The aircraft was meant to be easy to fly, robust, and maneuverable. Stearman sold the company soon thereafter, first to United Aircraft (later United Airlines), which in turn sold it to Boeing. The Stearman name remained associated with the aircraft, and subsequent models were often known simply as “Stearmans.”
While the Model 70 sold well on the civilian market, its viceless handling characteristics led the US Army Air Corps to purchase it as a primary trainer, designating it PT-13. Production switched to the PT-17 in 1938, which differed from the PT-13 only in that it had a Continental rather than Lycoming engine. The design of the propeller gave the Stearman a distinctive sound no matter what engine it used.
With the outbreak of World War II, PT-17s were Lend-Leased to the Royal Canadian Air Force, also as primary trainers, and were nicknamed Kaydet by the Canadians. Once the United States was involved in the war, PT-13s, PT-17s, and Navy N2S “Yellow Peril” trainers were usually the first aircraft a prospective pilot saw, flew in, and soloed in, with the instructor sitting behind the student. They performed quietly and superbly, and eventually over 10,000 were produced in various marks for the Allies, training thousands of pilots (and washing out thousands more) before the trainees moved on to more powerful aircraft, such as the T-6 Texan and AT-11 Kansan.
At the end of World War II, with air forces beginning the switch to jets, the Kaydet was seen as no longer necessary and sold off, often at ridiculously low prices, as war surplus. Thousands were bought by private citizens and returned to their original role of cropdusters, or used as aerobatic aircraft, or just used for casual flying. As a result, several hundred still exist today as flyable aircraft. Some militaries continued to use them as trainers well into the modern era: Colombia retired their PT-17s around 2005, while the Mexican Air Force retains four on official strength as demonstration aircraft.
Built as a N2S-3 Kaydet for the US Navy in 1944, Bureau Number 38393 was sold as surplus after the war, and was bought up as a cropduster; in 1948, the wartime engine was swapped out for a more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-1340 Wasp. It would go through several owners, first as a cropduster and then as a warbird, and suffered a crash in 1981. Rebuilt, 38393 joined the Palm Springs Air Museum in 2010. It was restored as a prewar US Navy N2S-3, but suffered another crash in 2016; luckily, in both cases, it was not fatal. Rebuilt again, it was repainted in a racing scheme. 38393 is listed as having been sold to a private owner in 2020, but as PSAM is still advertising rides in their Stearman, it's likely that 38393 isn't going anywhere.
I'll stop taking pictures of Stearmans when they stop looking so good. We saw this gorgeous aircraft in May 2021.
Boeing/Stearman PT-17 (N2S-3) Kaydet
In the post-World War I boom for cropdusters, war surplus aircraft such as the venerable JR-7 Jenny were in high demand. In 1933, Lloyd Stearman designed a dedicated cropduster and aerobatic aircraft, the Model 70. The aircraft was meant to be easy to fly, robust, and maneuverable. Stearman sold the company soon thereafter, first to United Aircraft (later United Airlines), which in turn sold it to Boeing. The Stearman name remained associated with the aircraft, and subsequent models were often known simply as “Stearmans.”
While the Model 70 sold well on the civilian market, its viceless handling characteristics led the US Army Air Corps to purchase it as a primary trainer, designating it PT-13. Production switched to the PT-17 in 1938, which differed from the PT-13 only in that it had a Continental rather than Lycoming engine. The design of the propeller gave the Stearman a distinctive sound no matter what engine it used.
With the outbreak of World War II, PT-17s were Lend-Leased to the Royal Canadian Air Force, also as primary trainers, and were nicknamed Kaydet by the Canadians. Once the United States was involved in the war, PT-13s, PT-17s, and Navy N2S “Yellow Peril” trainers were usually the first aircraft a prospective pilot saw, flew in, and soloed in, with the instructor sitting behind the student. They performed quietly and superbly, and eventually over 10,000 were produced in various marks for the Allies, training thousands of pilots (and washing out thousands more) before the trainees moved on to more powerful aircraft, such as the T-6 Texan and AT-11 Kansan.
At the end of World War II, with air forces beginning the switch to jets, the Kaydet was seen as no longer necessary and sold off, often at ridiculously low prices, as war surplus. Thousands were bought by private citizens and returned to their original role of cropdusters, or used as aerobatic aircraft, or just used for casual flying. As a result, several hundred still exist today as flyable aircraft. Some militaries continued to use them as trainers well into the modern era: Colombia retired their PT-17s around 2005, while the Mexican Air Force retains four on official strength as demonstration aircraft.
Built as a N2S-3 Kaydet for the US Navy in 1944, Bureau Number 38393 was sold as surplus after the war, and was bought up as a cropduster; in 1948, the wartime engine was swapped out for a more powerful Pratt and Whitney R-1340 Wasp. It would go through several owners, first as a cropduster and then as a warbird, and suffered a crash in 1981. Rebuilt, 38393 joined the Palm Springs Air Museum in 2010. It was restored as a prewar US Navy N2S-3, but suffered another crash in 2016; luckily, in both cases, it was not fatal. Rebuilt again, it was repainted in a racing scheme. 38393 is listed as having been sold to a private owner in 2020, but as PSAM is still advertising rides in their Stearman, it's likely that 38393 isn't going anywhere.
I'll stop taking pictures of Stearmans when they stop looking so good. We saw this gorgeous aircraft in May 2021.