Stearman Collection
Stearman Aircraft List
1927 Stearman C2
Year: 1927
Acquired with funds from Terry Brandt with special thanks to Larry Tobin.
Engine: Hispano-Suiza Model E, 180 HP
This airplane was the last one built by Stearman in the Venice, California factory during his short time there before he returned to Wichita, Kansas. Its history is complex but well documented. It was built as a Model C-2 with a war surplus, water-cooled Hispano-Suiza engine. From 1960 to 1975 it was the only Stearman airplane flying with a water-cooled engine. Following a later conversion, it flew for many years as a C-3B with a 220 HP Continental R-670 radial engine. That was its configuration when it came to WAAAM and the WAAAM crew has now restored it to its original C-2 form.
1928 Stearman C3B
Acquired by funds from Andy and Lucia von Flowtow, Sterling and Kathleen Hanel, Phil and Judy Jensen, Peter and Joanie Lafferty,Ted Millar, and Michelle Lambert.
Engine: Wright J-5 Whirlwind, 220 HP
Introduced in 1927, the Stearman C-3 family quickly earned a reputation for performance and utility. It was excellent from the outset and became the basis for every Stearman design that followed. The 3-seat C-3B was used for mail and passenger service and it was also much used by flying schools for training transport pilots. In 1932 one C-3B toured extensively and another circumnavigated the globe. The first Stearman airplane sold at Wichita, KS was a C-3MD mail plane of which the C-3B is the sport-commercial version. The customer was Varney Airlines which, in 1934, merged with three other companies to form United Airlines.
Additional Specifications:
Cruise: 108 MPH
Top Speed: 126 MPH
Empty Weight: 1625 lbs
Gross Weight: 2650 lbs
Wing Span: 35' / 28'
Length: 24'
Height: 9'
Service Ceiling: 18,000'
Climb in 1 Minute: 1000' at sea level
Approximate Number Built: 122
(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)
1929 Stearman M-2 Speedmail
Acquired by funds from Terry Brandt with special thanks to Alan Lopez.
Engine: Pratt Whitney R-1690 Hornet, 525 HP
Our “Bull Stearman” was so-nicknamed for its imposing physical size and extreme loudness compared to contemporary airplanes. It is the largest airplane built by Stearman. This was one of the six M-2’s bought by Varney Airlines for use on the Portland-Seattle-Spokane Contract Air Mail Route 32. One M-2 was built for a private owner and used a Pratt & Whitney Hornet engine. Its 46-foot wingspan is the longest in the WAAAM collection, exceeding even the Boeing Model 40C. The M-2 was built to carry a pilot plus 1,000 lbs. of mail. Stearman’s selection of the troublesome Wright R-1750 Cyclone engine contributed to the airplane’s downfall. Varney lost three of its six M-2’s in their first year. Future Varney orders went to Boeing for their Model 40 and no other operators ordered M-2 Speedmails. United Airlines (of which Varney was a component) sold NC9055 in 1932. This airplane was enroute to Alaska in October 1939 when it landed at the shore of Teslin Lake, Yukon Territory and turned upside down. It lay in the water until it was retrieved in 1989. Restorer Alan Lopez wrote a book (available in the museum gift shop) about the history and restoration of this airplane.
1930 Stearman 6L Cloudboy
Acquired with funds from Terry Brandt.
Engine: Lycoming R-680, 225 HP
It was designed to be a light, low cost, entry level biplane that was built with an eye toward future military uses. It initially mounted a 165 HP Wright J-6-5 (R-540) but was capable of using engines up to 300 HP. The Cloudboy built for the Army was designated YPT-9. The WAAAM airplane was built as a 6F with a 170 HP Continental A70 engine and was later converted to a 6L with a 200 HP Lycoming R-680. The paint is that of the Army YPT-9B. Few Cloudboys were built but they kept the company operating until production of Kaydets began in preparation for WWII.
Additional Specifications:
Cruise: 100 MPH
Top Speed: 120 MPH
Empty Weight: 1880 lbs
Gross Weight: 2551 lbs
Wing Span: 32' / 28'
Length: 23'8"
Height: 9'7"
Service Ceiling: 15,000'
Climb in 1 Minute: 875' at sea level
Approximate Number Built: 10
(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)
1931 Stearman 4D Jr. Speedmail
Acquired by funds from Jerry Wenger.
Engine: Pratt Whitney R-985 Wasp Jr., 450 HP
At the start of the Great Depression Lloyd C. Stearman saw a need for better and larger airplanes to carry mail. He designed the Model 4 as a scaled down M-2 and 40 were built (all variants) before production ended in 1931. All airframes were identical except for the front cockpit, engine options and a change to the tail in late production. The Juniors were configured with a two-seat front cockpit while the Seniors had mail pits. Speedmails served American, Varney and Western Air Lines on their contract air mail routes. The previous owner of this Jr. Speedmail delivered it to WAAAM, flying it here from his home in Florida. Lloyd Stearman has been quoted numerous times as having said, “It was the finest airplane I ever built” and pilots who have flown the Model 4 agree.
Additional Specifications:
Cruise: 120 MPH
Top Speed: 145 MPH
Empty Weight: 2297 lbs
Gross Weight: 3800 lbs
Wing Span: 38' / 28'
Length: 26'11"
Height: 10'2"
Service Ceiling: 15,000'
Climb in 1 Minute: 1050' at sea level
Approximate Number Built: 16
(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)
1933 Stearman Model 70
Donation: Terry Brandt
Engine: Lycoming R-680, 215 HP
This one-and-only airplane is the prototype of the Stearman Model 75 “Kaydet” biplane, an icon of aviation. The Model 70 was a blend of the Boeing 203 and the Stearman Model 6 Cloudboy and took just 60 days from idea to first flight. The Model 70 design was so refined that the Army considered its stall too gentle for a military trainer so the upper wing was modified for the desired performance and the change applied to all production Kaydets. Over 10,000 Kaydets (Navy N2S, Army PT-13, -17, -18, RCAF PT-27) were built.
Additional Specifications:
Cruise: 103 MPH
Top Speed: 124 MPH
Empty Weight: 1997 lbs
Gross Weight: 2686 lbs
Wing Span: 32'2" / 31'2"
Length: 24'10"
Height: 9'4"
Service Ceiling: 13,200'
Climb in 1 Minute: 825' at sea level
Approximate Number Built: 1
(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)
1941 Stearman 450 HP Acrobatic Show Airplane
Donation: Doug &Jordan Jaffee
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 HP
The two-seat Stearman biplane trainer was developed from the Stearman Model 70 prototype which was first flown on New Years Day 1934. Despite being an already obsolete design it gave yeoman service in training pilots for wartime and has found a devoted following post-WWII. In civilian duty this PT-17 was flown for many years by air show performers Bob and Pat Wagner. It is fitted with a substantially larger engine for performance aerobatics, a smoke system, and a wing-top stand for a wing walker.
1943 Stearman N2S-3
Donation: Terry Brandt
Engine: Continental W670, 220 HP
The "Kaydet" was the first military trainer airplane to be completely standardized for both Army (as PT-17) and Navy (as N2S-3). By late 1940 Boeing’s Stearman division production line was completing an airplane every three hours. Stearmans were the first airplanes trainees would fly and some 60,000 pilots took training in them. As a trainer it was built tough to take the punishment doled out by primary students and the airplane’s ground handling demanded their full attention. For 20 years after WWII ended the Stearman was the airplane of choice for “crop dusting” conversion. Most Stearmans today are flown for sport and for exhibition.
Additional Specifications:
Cruise: 96 MPH
Top Speed: 124 MPH
Empty Weight: 2098 lbs
Gross Weight: 2810 lbs
Wing Span: 32'2" / 31'2"
Length: 24'10"
Height: 9'4"
Service Ceiling: 13,200'
Climb in 1 Minute: 800' at sea level
Approximate Number Built: 1,875
(Data pulled from Joseph Juptner's U.S. Civil Aircraft series.)