Boeing/Stearman PT-17 Kaydet
In the post-World War I boom for cropdusters, war surplus aircraft such as the venerable JN-4 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 PT-17 41-25796 for the USAAF, this Stearman trained pilots at Maxwell Field, Alabama and Jackson Field, Mississippi during World War II. Like most PT-17s, it was sold as surplus after the war and was bought by airshow performer Johnny Vasey in 1949, who painted it bright red and white, with his name on both sides of the fuselage. Vasey flew the aircraft for almost three decades before selling it in 1971 to Amoco. In 1978 it was sold again and converted to a cropdusting aircraft. After a third career doing this, 41-25796--now known as N59295--was bought by an Oregon-based warbird collector in 1990. In 2022, it was donated to the Tillamook Air Museum.
When it changed hands in 1990, it was repainted as a PT-17 assigned to the Chinese Nationalist Air Force, with a dark blue fuselage and yellow wings--more or less identical to USAAF training colors used on most Kaydets Stateside during World War II. Most Stearmans are beautiful aircraft, and N59295 is no different; it is still flyable.
Boeing/Stearman PT-17 Kaydet
In the post-World War I boom for cropdusters, war surplus aircraft such as the venerable JN-4 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 PT-17 41-25796 for the USAAF, this Stearman trained pilots at Maxwell Field, Alabama and Jackson Field, Mississippi during World War II. Like most PT-17s, it was sold as surplus after the war and was bought by airshow performer Johnny Vasey in 1949, who painted it bright red and white, with his name on both sides of the fuselage. Vasey flew the aircraft for almost three decades before selling it in 1971 to Amoco. In 1978 it was sold again and converted to a cropdusting aircraft. After a third career doing this, 41-25796--now known as N59295--was bought by an Oregon-based warbird collector in 1990. In 2022, it was donated to the Tillamook Air Museum.
When it changed hands in 1990, it was repainted as a PT-17 assigned to the Chinese Nationalist Air Force, with a dark blue fuselage and yellow wings--more or less identical to USAAF training colors used on most Kaydets Stateside during World War II. Most Stearmans are beautiful aircraft, and N59295 is no different; it is still flyable.