Stearman Aircraft
Stearman Aircraft Corporation was an aircraft manufacturer in Wichita, Kansas. 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".
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Industry | Aerospace |
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Fate | Bought by United Aircraft and Transport Corporation |
Founded | 1927 |
Founder | Lloyd Stearman |
Headquarters | |
Parent |
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![](../I/m/Stearman_4-D_Lakeland_FL_04.07R.jpg)
![](../I/m/Boeing_Steerman_N2SKaydet.jpg)
History
Lloyd Stearman established the Stearman Aircraft Corporation in 1927. Initially, the company was founded as Stearman Aircraft Corporation in October 1926 at Venice, California, where four C1 and C2 biplanes were built before production halted for financial reasons. On 27 September 1927 a new Stearman Aircraft Corporation was founded.[1] The factory was then established in Wichita, Kansas with financing of Walter Innes where the new model Stearman C3 and Stearman 4 Speedmail were constructed.[2] Two years later, he sold it to the United Aircraft and Transport Corporation.
In September 1934, antitrust legislation forced United to separate its airline and aircraft manufacturing operations. At this time, Boeing, which had been part of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation, became a separate business once again, and Stearman was made a subsidiary of it. Stearman officially ceased to operate as a brand then, but about the same time the Stearman plant created its most successful and enduring product, the Model 75 "Kaydet". The Kaydet would become the primary trainer aircraft for the United States military during World War II.
In 2005, Boeing sold the civil portion of the former Stearman operations to Onex, forming Spirit AeroSystems, although they have retained the military operations.
Aircraft
Model name | First flight | Number built | Type |
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Stearman M-2 Speedmail | 1929 | 7 | Single engine biplane mail plane |
Stearman C1 | 1927 | 1 | Single engine commercial biplane |
Stearman C2 | 1927 | 4 | Single engine commercial biplane |
Stearman C3 | 1927 | 179 | Single engine commercial biplane |
Stearman Model 4 | 1930 | 41 | Single engine commercial biplane |
Stearman Model 6 Cloudboy | 1931 | 7 | Single engine biplane trainer |
Stearman Model 70 | 1 | Prototype single engine biplane trainer | |
Stearman Model 71 | |||
Stearman Model 73 | 78 | ||
Stearman Model 75 | Single engine biplane trainer | ||
Stearman Model 76 | 78 | Export version of the Model 75 | |
Stearman Model 80 | 1 | ||
Stearman Model 81 | 1 | Single engine biplane floatplane trainer | |
Stearman Model 85 | 1938 | 1 | Single engine biplane observation floatplane |
Stearman X-90 | 1940 | 1 | Single engine monoplane basic trainer |
Stearman X-91 | Re-engined X-90 | ||
Stearman X-100 | 1938 | 1 | Twin engine monoplane attack airplane |
References
Notes
- Donald M. Pattillo. A History in the Making: 80 Turbulent Years in the American General Aviation Industry. p. 9.
- Simpson 2001, pp. 520–521
Bibliography
- Boeing Company. Pedigree of Champions: Boeing Since 1916, Third Edition. Seattle, WA: The Boeing Company, 1969.
- Bowers, Peter M. Boeing aircraft since 1916. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-804-6.
- Simpson, Rod. Airlife's World Aircraft. London: Airlife Publishing Ltd. 2001. ISBN 1-84037-115-3.