Boeing Stearman Model 75, part seven. The Stearman in America, part four. USAAC, USN and USAAF users

 

The Boeing Stearman Model 75 is an American biplane of which 10,626 exemplars were manufactured from 1934 until the mid 1940s. 
It served as a primary trainer for both the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy (USN) throughout World War 2. 

During late 1933 Mac Short, Harold W. Zipp and J. Jack Clark, engineers at Stearman Aircraft, took a Lloyd Stearman's design made back in 1931 and added cantilever landing gear and adjustable elevator trim tabs to come up with the Model 70, which was able to withstand +12g  and -9g forces. 
This initial Model 70 was powered by a single 210 hp Lycoming R-680 radial engine and flew for the first time on 1st January 1934, with additional test flights being performed later at Wright Field, Naval Air Station (NAS) Anacostia and NAS Pensacola. The performance pleased the USN and requested a similar model to be built under similar specifications, including a 200 hp Wright J-5 engine. This model was designated as NS-1 by the USN and 41 were ordered, with enough spares to build additional 20 machines.

In 1934 Stearman became a subsidiary of Boeing and therefore its aircraft were known as Boeing-Stearm. It was during the summer of that year when Stearman engineers improved the Model 73 (the internal denomination for the aforementioned NS-1) into the Model X75. This lead to the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) to evaluate the plane that autumn. The Model X75 was powered either by a 225 hp Wright R-760 or a 225 hp Lycoming R-680. The USAAC accepted the model and ordered in July 1935 26 machines powered with the Lycoming engine, designated at PT-13A (PT stands for 'Primary Trainer') with the USN ordering twenty more. In August 1936 the USAAC ordered fifty PT-13As more with thirty more being ordered in October that same year and twenty-eight more in December. 

On 6th June 1941 the US Government approved the civilian version of the Model 75, designated as Model A75L3 (PT-13) and Model A75N1 (PT-17), with around 60 being sold to civilian flight schools such as Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, the export market and the many British Flying Training School Program across the USA.

This program was established at the beginning of World War 2, when the United Kingdom recognized the need to train a large number of pilots, so a large number of flying and aircrew training schools were set up across the British Empire and some neutral nations like the USA, where pilots could be trained without the risk of enemy interference. 

The British Flying Training Schools were also set up in the United States from 1941 onwards as a result of the Lend Lease Bill. Seven schools were opened (numbered from one to seven, two in Texas, two in Oklahoma and one in California, Arizona and Florida) and of those, at least five of them were equipped or had the PT-13A/PT-17 in their ranks at some point. 

On 15th March 1941 Boeing delivered its 1000th trainer to the USAAC and the 1001th trainer to the USN. Later, on 27th August 1941 the 2000th trainer was delivered to the USAAC. This feat was followed on 27th July 1944 when the company delivered the 10,000th primary trainer.

After World War 2, thousands of surplus PT-17s were sold to civilians and former military pilots. Many were modified as crop-dusters with a hopper for pesticide or fertilizer fitted in place of the front cockpit. Additional equipment included pumps, spray bars and nozzles placed below the lower wings. 

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

2nd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Flying_Training_School_Program

Boeing Stearman Model 75, part six. The Stearman in America, part three. Even more American users.

 

The Boeing Stearman Model 75 was an American double-winged two-seater trainer that was employed all around the globe. Among its users, we can count the following ones:

• Guatemala: In mid 1943 the Guatemalan Air Corps acquired two PT-17s as a planned expansion for their Air Force.
  
  
• Honduras: On 6th February 1946 the Honduran Air Force acquired ten PT-17 Kaydets (though some sources claim they were just six) for use at their Air School. They were followed by twelve additional PT-13 two years later, in 1948. Anyway, all twenty-two (or eighteen) of them served as trainers for the next fifteen years, until 1963, when they were written off and were gradually replaced by more modern types such as the North American T-28 Trojan.
  
  
• Mexico: In July 1951 the Mexican Navy bought some Boeing Stearman N2S-5 (a variant of the PT-13D designed for use with the US Navy) to replace their Fairchild PT-19 trainers. They were assigned to the Mexican Naval Aviation School, to train their naval aviators. Three years later, in 1954, two additional machines were acquired. The N2S served with the Mexican Navy until 1969 when they were replaced by three Beechcraft Model 45 Mentor.
  The Mexican Air Force (MAF) employed the PT-17 too, having a total of up to 35 units destined to basic training at the Military Aviation School.
  
  
• Paraguay: Allegedly the Paraguayan Air Force employed the Stearman Model 75, however, we couldn't find any graphical evidence or description and only text references, and both the drawing and its data should be considered as speculative.
  
  
• Peru: The Peruvian Aeronautical Corps acquired a total of eighteen Stearman Model A75N1 (a export version of the PT-17), known locally as PT-27 in 1942. They replaced the ageing Italian Caproni Ca. 113. 
  
  
• Venezuela: In 1940 the Venezuelan Military Aviation signed a deal to buy three Stearman A75L3 and five A75B4 machines. The A75L3 being the export version of a regular PT-13A, while the A75B4 was the export variant of the PT-17 with some minor improvements such as an improved engine and provisions for light armament. 
  They also acquired five A76B4 (the export version of the Model 75 with cowled engine upgrade and light armament) in 1941. 
  According to some sources a total of 29 Stearmans served with the Venezuela Aviation, but other sources claim they were just 17. Anyway, they were employed as trainers and their ultimate fate is unknown.
  
  

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

2nd https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anexo:Aeronaves_militares_históricas_de_Honduras#Década_de_1940_(1940-1949) (translated)

3rd https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuerza_Aérea_Guatemalteca (translated)

4th https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historia_de_la_Fuerza_Aérea_del_Perú (translated)

5th https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuerza_Aérea_Paraguaya (translated)

6th https://www.facebook.com/SentinelMexico1/photos/a.439533016150357/5214703231966621/?type=3&locale=es_LA (translated)

7th https://www.uswarplanes.net/pt13pt17.pdf (translated)

8th https://maquetas.mforos.com/353330/13018102-stearman-pt-17-venezolano-revell-1-48/ (translated)

9th https://iehap.pe/noticias/avion-stearman-pt-17-nuevo-atractivo-del-iehap/ (translated)

10th https://maquetas.mforos.com/353330/13018164-stearman-a76-b4-y-a75-l3-venezolanos-lindberg-1-48-2-aviones/ (translated)

Boeing Stearman Model 75, part five. The Stearman in America, part two. Canadian, Colombian, Cuban and Dominican users

 

The Boeing Stearman PT-13/17 Kaydet is an American double winged two-seater basic trainer that was developed during the 1930s and was exported to various countries around the world, among them, the following ones:

• Canada: The first Canadian user of the Stearman was Trans-Canada Airlines, which bought three Model 73 (PT-13) in 1937 and used them for surveying new routes and pilot training. They were employed until two years later, 1939 and sold soon later.
  However, the most known Canadian usage of the Kaydet was the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), which employed three-hundred PT-17 (locally known as PT-27) bought by the Royal Air Force (RAF) under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan in spring 1942. The Stearmans were to be used by the No. 3 Flying Instructors' School in Arnprior, Ontario and four additional elementary flying schools in the Canadian prairies. 
  However, they were initially delivered without winter and night-flying equipment (an enclosed canopy) and in November 1942 they were returned to the United States Army Air Force in exchange for the Fairchild Cornell. 
  Other RCAF's units which used the Kaydet were Test and Development Establishment of the RCAF and No. 36 Elementary Flying Training School in Alberta. 
  
  
• Colombia: In 1942 the Colombian Air Force (CAF) acquired an unknown number of PT-17 Kaydets to employ them at their Military Aviation School as basic trainers. They were employed in this role for many years, until 1954 when they were gradually replaced by the much modern Beech T-34 Mentor. The last PT-17 serving with the CAF was retired in 1957. Many were sold to private aeroclubs and some are fly worthy nowadays.
  
  
• Cuba: The Cuban Army Air Corps (CAAC) bought seven Stearman Model A73B1 (a Model 73 powered by a Wright R-790 Whirlwind engine) which were delivered between July 1939 and March 1940. Later, when the United States entered the war in December 1941, Cuba was sold a total of 48 trainer aircraft as part of a lend-lease system, in order to watch the entrances to the Gulf of Mexico against German U-Boats, as a total of four Cuban merchant ships were sink, killing a total of 56 Cuban sailors. 
  Among those 48 aircraft, were six PT-17s (numbers 38-39-40-41-42 and 43) delivered in July 1942 and three additional N2S-4 (numbered 44-45-46) in June 1943. 
  They all were flown under Aviation School located presumably in Rancho Boyeros. 
  
  
• Dominican Republic: The Dominican Military Aviation Corps employed a total of 25  PT-17s during the 1950s. They were replaced by more modern types such as the Beech T-34 Mentor. 
  
  

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

2nd https://canadianflight.org/content/stearman-a75n1

3rd https://www.vintagewings.ca/boeing-pt-27-stearman

4th https://www.warplane.com/aircraft/collection/details.aspx?aircraftId=6

5th https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2649381015292344&id=1414675768762881&set=a.1415050675392057&locale=ms_MY (translated)

6th https://www.urrib2000.narod.ru/Mil1-4.html (translated)

7th https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuerza_Aérea_de_República_Dominicana#Antiguas_Aeronaves (translated)

Boeing Stearman Model 75, part four. The Stearman in America, part one. South American users.

 

The Boeing Stearman Model 75 is an American two-seater biplane trainer of the 1930s that was employed by many countries all around the world, among them, the following ones:

• 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

Boeing Stearman Model 75, part three. The Stearman in Asia.

 

The Boeing-Stearman Model 75 is an American biplane-two seater trainer of the 1930s that was employed all around the world in various countries, among the following Asiatic ones:

• China: In 1942 the United States sold China 150 Boeing-Stearman PT-17 primary trainer (Model A75L5) under the Lend-Lease programme. They were to serve in the trainer role at the Kuomintang Air Force School which was moved to the Lak River airport in Punjab, India (actually the closest military installation of the time that we could find there was RAF Lahore).
  After the end of World War 2, in 1946, the Chinese PT-17s flew over the so-called 'Hump Route' (the Himalayas) and returned to Chinese soil to serve as trainers for students at the Jiangqiao Aviation School. 
  In 1947 the Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) bought twenty-two additional A75L5s, the first two of which were powered by the Lycoming O-435-11 engine which was considered unsuitable by Boeing due to their lack of horsepower. The ROCAF agreed that the remaining 20 aircraft would be powered by the Continental R-680-4 radial engine which yielded 220 hp of power. 
  Mister Yun Duo, who was the director of the Kuomintang Air Force's Third Aircraft Factory located at Taichung, Taiwan, copied the design of the PT-17 in 1947. 
  This copy was commonly known as CJ-1 (from Chinese 'Chū jiào' - meaning 'Primary Trainer-). These CJ-1s were made out of surplus American material left over by the Americans in Taiwan and they were powered by the Continental engine.
  The CJ-1 flew officially for the first time in February 1948 and was quickly followed by a rapid and steady mass production system, where production was supervised by ROCAF's officials.
  A total of 104 CJ-1s were manufactured and sent to various academies on Chinese mainland, most of which were sent back to Taiwan in 1949 when the Kuomintang evacuated to Taiwan and most of the CJ-1s -and surviving PT-17s- were assigned to the Gangshan Air Force Academy to serve as primary trainers. They remained there until 1958 when they were withdrawn from ROCAF's inventory.
  On the other side, it is known that at least one PT-17 was in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force at Jiangqiao in 1950, but further details are unknown.
  
  
• Iran: According to some sources, the PT-17 was also employed by the Imperial Iranian Air Force in the 1950s, however we couldn't find any reliable source, so the drawing should be considered as speculative.
  
  
• Philippines: In 1937 (though some sources claim it was one year before or even later), the Philippine Army Air Corps (PAAC) acquired an unknown number of the Stearman Model 73L-1 and L-3 (of which a total of 10 machines were manufactured) and 27 Stearman Model 76D-1 and D-3s (AKA BT-1) which makes a total of 37 Stearmans serving with the PAAC.
  This version was armed, as it was equipped with a defensive machine gun at the observer's position and had provision to carry small bombs under the fuselage. In 1941 they were know to be in service with the 1st (School) Squadron at Zablán Field and the 7th Squadron, at Maniquis Field, of the PAAC, however, given the situation of the PAAC, they were very unlikely to have seen any action when Japan invaded the Philippines in December 1941.
  After World War 2, in 1947 with the creation of the Philippine Air Force (PAF), many PT-17s  were acquired to serve at the PAF's school and even some surviving Model 73s were put into service with that same school. They were kept in service until the mid-to-late 1950s.

Sources:

1st en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

2nd http://cwlam2000.epizy.com/cafx82.htm (translated)

3rd http://www.stearman.at/boeing_stearman_technical_data.html

Boeing Stearman Model 75, part two. The Boeing-Stearman in Israel.

 

The Boeing Stearman Model 75, AKA PT-17, AKA Stearman Kaydet, is an American trainer biplane that served with many countries all around the world, among them, Israel.

At the end of the War of Independence, the Israel Air Force (IAF) received one hundred and twenty-one aircraft out of one hundred and forty-seven purchased. Of those one hundred and twenty-one, thirty-three were lost to combat or accidentes and forty-three others were grounded for various reasons. 

A total of twenty Stearman Kaydets arrived in Israel at the end of 1948, but their assembly process was very slow and it wasn't until December 1949 when the  PT-17 were ready. The Kaydets were initially painted in camofulage green/brown with underwing red bands for quick identification as a trainer aircraft. 

To replace the volunteers in the IAF, a training school was established at Kfar Sirkin on 1st January 1950. This school was equipped with North American Harvards and Boeing Stearman Kaydets for pilot training and with Airspeed Consuls and Avro Ansons for multi-engine and navigator training. 

The Stearman became the favourite trainer aircraft for pilot training, even over the more modern Fokker S-11 monoplane, which was assigned to other roles in 1953. By this time the Kaydets were painted in silver with red bands under the wings and fuselage. 

More Stearmans were acquired over the next years and by the time of Suez Crisis (1956), there were a total of sixty-three Kaydets serving with the IAF, twenty-five of them assigned to 147 Squadron, which was created expressly to flight the Boeing Stearman in the reserve liaison and surveillance unit. These Kaydets were detached from the Flying School which kept the remaining Stearmans.

The 147 Squadron was formed in January 1953 as a reserve unit to be activated in times of emergency. Operating from Ramleh, this unit was subordinated to 100 Squadron and was initially designated as 1000 Squadron, but their number was changed to 147 on 1st January 1955. 
It was activated on 27th October 1956 for the Suez Crisis under the command of Cpt. Meir Shefer, with 25 Stearmans but only 12 pilots, consisting on both reserves and qualified students, among them Rina Levinson, one of the few female pilots of the IAF.
During this short-lived conflict, the 147 flew 401 sorties, adding up to 233 flying hours. Operating from Ramleh, close to IAF's headquarters, the squadron flew in the communications, liaison, transport, patrol and reconnaissance missions both day and night. 
Once the conflict was over, on 7th November 1956, the Stearmans were sent back to the Flying School where they were employed in their original trainer role and the squadron was deactivated. 

The Stearman was IAF's primary trainer until 1960 when they were replaced by the French Fouga Magister jet trainer.

Sources:

1st Scale Aircraft Modelling - Camouflage & Markings - 03 - The Israeli Air Force (1) 1948-67

2nd Hellion & Company -  Middle East at War 28 75 Years of the Israeli Air Force Volume 1 The First Quarter Century 1948-1973 (e)

3rd https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

4th https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/147_Squadron_(Israel)

Boeing Stearman Model 75, part one, European Users

 

The Boeing-Stearman Model 75 was one of the most widely produced American trainer biplanes of the 1930s and 1940s, with almost 11,000 machines being built and the type being exported to various countries around the globe, among them, the following ones:

• Greece: In 1945 the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF) acquired 30 Stearman Kaydet PT-13/PT-17 trainer biplanes (the main difference between them was the engine). They were employed in anti-malaria dusting campaigns all over Greece, equipped with removable DDT gear. 
  The unit, aptly called 'Anti-Malaria Squadron' was based at Eleysis Air Base, in central Greece, being dependent of the RHAF, but also of the Agricultural and Health ministries. 
  Since the aircraft were a donation of the American Mission for Aid to Greece (AMAG), they had not Greek roundels painted. 
  The Stearmans were part of the RHAF until 1969 (although they were sent to supply depot units -IE, withdrawn from active service- years earlier) when they were sold to private aeroclubs. 
  It is known that at least one was employed during the Greek Civil War (1946-1949) in reconnaissance duties.
• Yugoslavia: Jat Airways, the national airline of Yugoslavia, acquired six Stearman PT-17 machines in 1946/1947 for crop dusting duties. They received the following registrations: YU-AER, YU-AES, YU-AET, YU-AEU, YU-AEV and YU-AEW. 
  They were used for crop dusting duties, operated by Jat's pilots until the late 1950s. At least one (YU-AET) was reconverted into a two-seater trainer for civilian pilot training in the winter of 1970-1971. 
  During their career with Jat, they suffered numerous accidents and mishaps affecting to five out of six machines.
  One machine, YU-AEW is known to have been stored for the Belgrade Air Museum in 1984, however, it was destroyed during the Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001) and the ones showed nowadays there are two ex American machines registered as YU-BAD and YU-BAI.

Sources:

1st https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing-Stearman_Model_75

2ns https://www.haf.gr/en/history/historical-aircraft/stearman-kaydet-pt-13-17/

3rd https://air-britain.com/pdfs/archive/Archive_2010.pdf