The Stearman Aircraft Company produced a bi-plane trainer-aircraft called the Model 70. In
1935 the USN ordered the Model 70 with a Wright J-5 Whirlwind engine designated the
NS-1. Boeing Aircraft Company bought Stearman and gave the Model 70 a Lycoming R-680-5
radial engine making it a Model 75. In 1936 the U.S. Army Air Corps placed an order for the
Model 75 and designated it PT-13. With a Continental R-670-5 engine it became the PT-17.
The RCAF labeled it PT-27 Kaydet with Kaydet becoming the universally accepted name.

41-25714 was completed by the Boeing Airplane Company on May 11, 1942 and delivered to
the USAAF on May 16,1942. Its first assignment was the AAF Basic Flying Training School at
Maxwell Army Air Field in Alabama. From here it went to the 67th Flying Training Detachment
in Tennessee and later on to the AAF Flying Training School in Texas and used by the
Women’s Air Force Service Pilots (WASP). In August 1944 it was assigned to the AAF Flying
School at Goodfellow Army Air Field in San Antonio Texas. In 1945 the aircraft was declared
surplus and sold and registered as N59293 and then converted for crop dusting. In the 1980s
the aircraft was sold and partially restored and used for sightseeing tours before being sold to
Michael and Andrew Porter in 197. They took 10 years locating parts for a full restoration and
in August 2008 completed the task. In 2011 N59293 was the National Stearman Fly-In 2011
award winner for excellence in restoration of an Army Stearman.

Specifications Boeing PT-17 Kaydet Stearman
Crew – 2 x Student Pilot and Instructor
PT-17 Produced – 3,500 +
Number of all variants produced – 10,000 +

Performance
1 x Continental R-670-5 7 cylinder radial engine producing 220 hp
Maximum Speed – 124 mph
Climb Rate – 840 ft/min
Service Ceiling – 11,200 ft
Range – 505 miles

Dimensions
Length – 24 ft 3 in
Wingspan – 32 ft 2 in
Height – 9 ft 2 in

Weight
Empty – 1,936 lbs
Maximum Takeoff – 2,717 lbs

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