Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series HA8106 Boeing Stearman Kaydet Trainer 18303, Tuskegee Airmen

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.

This Kaydet was manufactured in 1944 and spent this year as well as 1945 based at Moton Field in Tuskegee, Alabama. It served as one of the basic trainer aircraft and played a very important part in the history of the African American men that would become known as the “Tuskegee Airmen”. These men were part of an experiment to prove to a racially biased white America that black men had the ability to learn to fly combat aircraft and earn their pilot wings. Those men that successfully passed basic training were transferred to Tuskegee Airfield where they trained on more advanced aircraft.

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