Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series HA8105 Boeing PT-17 Stearman 4X-ACH #31, Israeli Air Force

1/48 scale pre-finished Die-cast metal with a minimum of plastic. Professionally painted. All markings pad applied for superb results. Comes with a pilot that can be removed. Comes with display stand.

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.

In February 1949 the Israeli Air Force purchased former U.S. Army PT-17s for their new Flight School at the ex-RAF base Kfar Sirkin just outside Telaviv. The IAF would eventually own over 60 PT-17s that were used as their primary trainer and supplemented with some Harvards. The IAF tested Chipmunks, Fokker S.11 Buckaroos plus a few others but they weren’t able to perform in the hot climate of Israel. In the 1950s pilot training required 60 hours in the PT-17 before moving on to the Harvard. The PT-17 was used until it was replaced in late 1956 by the Piper Super Cub. The #31 4X-ACH is kept at the Israeli Air Force Museum at the Hatzerim Air Force Base and is flown on some holidays, air shows and IAF pilot academy graduations.

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