Stearman N2S-2 Kaydet Royal Canadian Air Force (1:48)

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.

Boeing Stearman PT-27 c/n 75-2180 was manufactured in Witchita, Kansas in 1942. FK107 was one of the last of 300 aircraft to the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan but because of the open cockpits they were deemed unsuitable for winter training. These air craft were only used the summer of 1942. This aircraft can be seen at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope (Hamilton) Ontario, Canada. It actually is a PT-17 painted as FK107 to represent the last open-cockpit PT-27 supplied to the BCATP.

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