Boeing-Stearman Model 75
Stearman Aircraft / Boeing · United States · first flew 1934 · fighter
The Boeing-Stearman Model 75 (military designation PT-13/PT-17/N2S) was the primary primary trainer of the United States Army Air Corps and Navy during the Second World War, with over 10,000 built. It trained virtually all American military pilots of the WWII era in its open tandem cockpits.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 7.56 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Classic two-seat open-cockpit biplane trainer
- Fixed spatted undercarriage
- Radial engine with circular cowling
Classic equal-span biplane with open tandem cockpits, fixed spatted undercarriage and a round-cowled radial engine; the yellow training livery is iconic, though post-war examples appear in many colours.
Specifications
- The Boeing-Stearman Model 75 has a length of 7.56 m (25 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.8 m (32 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 202 km/h (126 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1934, the Stearman was selected as the standard US military primary trainer and production ramped up enormously after Pearl Harbor. It served in the Civilian Pilot Training Program as well as military schools and became a beloved aircraft whose sturdy construction and honest handling made it ideal for teaching flying. Post-war, thousands entered civil use as crop-dusters and aerobatic aircraft.
Variants
The PT-13 used the Lycoming R-680 engine; the PT-17 (and naval N2S-3) used the Continental R-670; Canadian variants were built as the Kaydet.
Where you'll see it
Served with the USAAC, USAAF, US Navy and numerous Allied air forces during WWII; post-war, large numbers continued as civil cropdusters and warbird display aircraft worldwide.
Related aircraft
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