- Argentina: In 1936 the Argentine Navy acquired sixteen new Stearman Model 76D, powered by the 320 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior. They were assigned to the Naval Aviation School and served until 1949 whe, according to some historians, were donated to various flying clubs, however, there were not Model 76s registered in Argentine civil aviation.
Many years later, in 1947, the Argentine Navy bought thirty Boeing-Stearman Model 75 (AKA PT-17/N2S Kaydet), with thirty additional machines two years later, in 1949. These sixty machines were ex-American machines equipped with radial engines such as the Continental R-670-4 or R-670-5 yielding up to 220 hp of power. They were mainly assigned to the Naval Aviation School, with a detachment to Comandante Espora Naval Air Base (Province of Buenos Aires). From the mid-1950s onwards they were employed for general purposes and, since they were ageing considerably, they were gradually replaced by the North American Texan from 1954 until 1962 when the last Model 75 was sold to private owners.
One of the Model 76, equipped with floats and registered as 1-E-41, became famous for being the first Argentine aircraft to fly to the Antarctica on 6th February 1942.
This flight took off from the ship ARA 1º de Mayo (an old modified steam ship) and was performed by Frigate Lieutenant Eduardo Lanusse at the controls and Corporals Erik Blomquist, Antonio Silva and Mario Pappe as mechanics, radio operator and photographers. This was seen as a national milestone but, unfortunately, in April 1942 both Lanusse and Blomquist died in a fatal accident while piloting 1-E-41. - Brazil: During the second half of the 1930s the Brazilian Army Aviation sought to modernize their Military Aviation School, so in May 1937 the first machines of the Stearman Model A76C3 (attack variant equipped with bomb gear and a defensive machine gun were shipped to Rio do Janeiro. By early 1938 all thirty of them were assembled and assigned to the Army Aeronautics School, where they served as basic trainers.
However, as they were equipped with bombing gear and a defensive machine gun, they were also employed in the bombing trainer role, ground attack and aerial photography.
Not all of the Brazilian Model 76s were employed by the Aeronautics Schools, some were also employed by the Training Squadron of the 7th Aviation Regiment, in Belem, and some others with the 4th Aviation Regiment, at Belo Horizonte, however, their presence there was brief and were reassigned back to the Aviation School.
Some years later, in October 1940 the Brazilian Army Aviation was transitioning to become an independent branch (the Brazilian Air Force), so many North American NA-72 trainers were ordered and, with the creation of the Ministry of Aeronautics, on 20th January 1941, the Stearmans were passed on to the Brazilian Air Force (BAF).
With the BAF served a total of twenty Stearmans A-75 and twenty-seven A-76 which, as stated, had previously served with the Brazilian Army Aviation.
These machines served until 1948 and 1950 as they were employed as basic trainers by the Aeronautics School. In 1942 the Model A-75-L3s were replaced by the newly-acquired Fairchild PT-19, while one year later, in 1943, th A-76C3s were replaced by the Vultee BT-15 and, finally in 1944, the A-76C3 were definitely replaced by the T-6 Texan and the Stearmans were withdrawn to secondary administrative roles, being definitely written off in 1950. - Bolivia: In 1942 Bolivia acquired around twenty PT-17s which served for a long period of time, until 1963. It is known that they acquired six PT-17s from Argentina.
Sources:
1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75
2nd https://issuu.com/federacionargentinadecamarasagroaer/docs/revista_37_opt/s/15636721 (translated)
3rd https://www.marambio.aq/primervueloargentino.html (translated)
4th Aeronaves Militares Brasileiras 1916-2015 (translated)
5th https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Aeronaves_militares_históricas_de_Bolivia
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