Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series HA8108 Boeing PT-17 Stearman 4BFTS (British Flight Training School), Mesa, early 1940s

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.

At the beginning of WWII Britain knew they would need to train a large number of pilots so flying and aircrew training schools were set up across Great Britain. However with German air attacks the need for schools outside Great Britain realized so schools began to open in all parts of the British Commonwealth as well as 7 in the U.S.A.. One such school was 4BFTS (British Flight Training School) established in Mesa, Arizona in June 1941 and one type of aircraft used was the Boeing PT-17 Stearman.

Specifications Boeing PT-17 Kaydet Stearman, USN designation N2S-3 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