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)

Grumman J2F Duck - Foreign users

 

The Grumman J2F Duck is an American amphibious single-engined biplane. It was an improved version of the JF Duck and was used by the following foreign users:

• Argentina: After the success of the JF Duck in the Argentine Navy, in 1939 their fleet of G-20 (company designation given to the JF Duck) was expanded by four Grumman G-15 (company designation given to the Grumman J2F4) with their tailhooks removed. Those Ducks were assigned to two observation units, one at BAN (Base Aérea Naval - Naval Air Base) Comandante Espora (Escuadrón 2 - Squadron 2) and the other at BAN Puerto Indio (Escuadrón 3 - Squadron 3). Few G-15 and G-20 remained airworthy by the end of the Second World War. 
  In 1948 Argentina bought 22 additional J2F-5 and nine J2F-6s from surplus US Navy stock. Some of those Ducks took part in the Revolución Libertadora that, in 1955 ousted Juan Perón. Although observation squadrons were disbanded in 1956, a number of Ducks were still flying in Argentina in 1959.
  The Ducks allowed for the creation of the first true naval aviation observation squadrons within the Argentine Navy. They served as the eyes of the fleet when the ships weren't equipped with radar technology or, later, when they were absent. The Ducks also served as general utility planes and were used to direct naval gunfire, as torpedo spotters, aerial photographic platforms, target towers, medical evacuation aircraft, search & rescue role and submarine support operations role. For four years, 1946-1950, at least one Argentine Duck was entirely painted black for night operations and for undisclosed "special missions". 
• Colombia: This country became a signatory of the Rio Pact, so called Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance and, therefore, took delivery of three ex-USAF OA-12Bs (designation given to the J2F6 serving with the USAF) in 1948. They were overhauled at Warner-Robins Air Force Base, in Georgia. There are no further details about their service in Colombia and, as we couldn't find graphical support, the drawing should be considered as speculative.
• Mexico: Two Columbia J2F6 (just J2F6 manufactured by Columbia Aircraft Corporation in New York) were acquired by Mexico in 1947 for use with the Aviación Naval Mexicana (Mexican Naval Aviation). They operated in the Veracruz region from 1947 to 1951, when they were sold back to the USA.
• Peru: The Peruvian Instituto Lingüístico de Verano (Summer Language School) bought a single Columbia J2F6 in 1946. It was named "Amauta" and, in 1961 it passed on to the Peruvian Navy until 1964 when it was written off and sold, one year later to Parque de las Leyendas (Park of Legends) in Lima, the capital of Peru. It was displayed there as an attraction until 1977.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_J2F_Duck

2. Squadron Signal - Aircraft in Action Mini 7 - Grumman JF Duck

3. https://www.airliners.net/photo/Peru-Navy/Grumman-J2F-6-Duck-G-15/2289182

4. https://www.facebook.com/aviacionyaeronautica/posts/1600289339992284/ (translated)

Vought OS2U Kingfisher, part one

The Vought OS2U Kingfisher is an American catapult launched observation floatplane. It was a compact mid-wing monoplane with a large central float and small stabilizing floats. It suffered from modest performance due to its light engine. It could also operate on fixed, wheeled and taildragger landing gears.
It was used by many countries, but the ones covered in this post are:

• Mexico: In 1942 the Mexican Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Mexicana - FAM) acquired 12 wheeled Kingfishers to patrol the Mexican Northern Pacific Coast. When Mexico joined the Allies the next year, in 1943, six of them were transferred to the Mexican Navy (Armada de Mexico) and were fitted with floaters. They were assigned to the newly created 1er Escuadrón Aeronaval (1st Aeronaval Squadron) which was based in the city of Tampico at the state of Tamaulipas, where they were employed to patrol the Gulf of Mexico. Later that squadron was split in two squadrons with just three Kingfisher each, with the second one based in the city of Veracruz, also in the Mexican Atlantic Coast. From there, they usually undertook patrol missions to protect merchant ships bound for ports in the United States. They were kept in active service until 1958.
• Uruguay: The Uruguayan government bought six Kingfishers in July 1942 to replace their old ageing Italian CANT-18 and 21.  They were assigned to the Uruguayan Aeronautic Service (Servicio Aeronáutico). Three of them operated from Isla Libertad (Freedom Island) located in front of Montevideo's bay, and the rest three of them were put into storage waiting for the fixed landing gears as they were intended to be used for land operations, idea which was eventually, discarded so they were finally left in their floater configuration.
  They were set up to patrol conditions with the help of American personnel and, by 30th September 1942 they were ready for combat and patrol missions. They were used to patrol the South Atlantic waters during the World War 2 performing search & rescue missions. Some of them suffered accidents and, at least one of them was lost to either a mechanical or human errors.  They were kept in active service at the patrol and search & rescue role well after the war, until March 1958.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_OS2U_Kingfisher

2. https://www.facebook.com/SentinelMexico1/photos/a.471562479614077/471578306279161/?type=1&theater (translated)

3. http://www.pilotoviejo.com/os2uhistoria.htm (translated)