Stearman Aircraft
Encyclopedia
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Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
. Although the company designed a range of other aircraft, it is most known for producing the Model 75, which is commonly known simply as the "Stearman" or "Boeing Stearman".
History
Lloyd Stearman established the Stearman Aircraft Corporation in 19271927 in aviation
This is a list of aviation-related events from 1927:-Events:* The United States Navys becomes the first aircraft carrier to operate a multi-engine aircraft, the twin-engine Douglas T2D-1....
. Initially, the company was based at Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, California, where four C1 and C2 biplanes were built. The factory was then established at Wichita, where the new model Stearman C3
Stearman C3
|-References:NotesBibliography* Davies, R.E.G. Airlines of the United States since 1914. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. ISBN 1-888962-08-9....
and Stearman 4 Speedmail were constructed. Two years later, he sold it to the United Aircraft and Transport Corporation
United Aircraft and Transport Corporation
The United Aircraft and Transport Corporation was formed in 1929, when William Boeing of the Boeing firms teamed up with Frederick Rentschler of Pratt & Whitney to form a large, amalgamated firm, uniting business interests in all aspects of aviation—a combination of aircraft engine and airframe...
.
In September 1934, United was forced to separate its airline
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and aircraft manufacturing operations. At this time, Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
became a separate business once again, and Stearman was made a subsidiary of it. Stearman officially ceased to operate as a brand at this point, but it was at this same time that the Stearman plant created its most successful and enduring product, the Model 75 "Kaydet". The Kaydet would become the primary trainer aircraft for the US military during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 2005, Boeing sold the civil portion of the former Stearman operations to Onex, forming Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems
Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. , based in Wichita, Kansas, is the world's largest first-tier aerostructures manufacturer. The company builds several important pieces of Boeing aircraft, including the fuselage of the 737, portions of the 787 fuselage, and the cockpit of nearly all of its airliners...
, although they have retained the military operations.
A national Stearman fly-in is held every year around Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
in Galesburg, IL.
Products
- Stearman M-2 SpeedmailStearman M-2 Speedmail|-See also:...
- Stearman C1
- Stearman C2
- Stearman C3Stearman C3|-References:NotesBibliography* Davies, R.E.G. Airlines of the United States since 1914. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1998. ISBN 1-888962-08-9....
- Stearman Model 4
- Stearman Model 6 CloudboyStearman Cloudboy|-See also:-External links:* * *...
(PT-9) - Stearman Model 70
- Stearman Model 71
- Stearman Model 73 (PT-13, NS-1)
- Stearman Model 75 (PT-17, N2S Kaydet)
- Stearman Model 76
- Stearman Model 80
- Stearman Model 81
- Stearman Model 85Stearman XOSS|-See also:-External links:*...
(XOSS) - Stearman X-90Stearman XBT-17|-See also:-Bibliography:...
- Stearman X-91Stearman XBT-17|-See also:-Bibliography:...
(XBT-17) - Stearman X-100 (XA-21)