Stearman aircraft

Wow! They didn't look that good from the factory.

"903" has a Shakey Jake 245 hp on it, which is pseudo-stock. Only a couple hundred of the 10,000 were made with the Jacobs, but most have been converted since they're more available than the Continentals and Lycomings. The control stick is like a baseball bat and they fly like a truss bridge. Climb, cruise and dive are all at 100 mph. Few experiences top flying an open cockpit biplane.

"46" started out with a Lycoming, but she's got a 450hp Pratt on her now and that's quite something.

- Charlie
 
Thanks. The story on these four is that they were all restored by the same fellow but have four different owners. They were in town to do a flyover of the Texas A&M-Mizzou football game, the last of the season. Last time I checked the score, the Ags were pounding Mizzou. 🙂
 
Since I know that it is sometimes very hard to take a good picture of this aircraft, yours are fantastic!

What camera/focal length did you use and coukd you post the color-versions?
 
Now I have a quandary... I have some photos that would really complement these stunners but.... not a modern 120 camera and not a rangefinder! Whatever shall I do?😕

I've been lucky enough to see two Ryan PT22s in the air (similar job to the Stearman, but a monoplane with a truss bridge of an undercarriage), they have a five-cylinder radial that doesn't rev very fast so they sound just like a sewing machine built by Motorhead.

Adrian
 
Ryans were west coast planes. That airframe can oddly be one of the ugliest and the most beautiful.

Beautiful: http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/5/1/7/1459715.jpg

Al Menasco built the inline engines for these in California. Interesting stories around them.

Most of the PT-22s had Kinners, which aren't too reliable. I have a friend with a Brunner Winkle "Bird" (which were built in Brooklyn!) powered by a K5 who carries a complete jug in the front cockpit when he travels. He often needs it.

Don't get me started. Antique planes are a passion.


-C
 
JSU said:
Kenny--

Just noticed you're in CS, are these done at Easterwood? If so, what was the occasion?

--Steve Ueckert '76

ps: we put a whuppin' on Mizzou today, whoop for Johnny Football!
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Steve, as I responded earlier in the thread, they were doing a flyover of the game at Kyle Field. They flew into Coulter Field over in Bryan.

Markus said:
Since I know that it is sometimes very hard to take a good picture of this aircraft, yours are fantastic!

What camera/focal length did you use and coukd you post the color-versions?
Click to expand...

A medium format Fuji GA645 w/60mm f4 Fujinon. Here are a few of the colors:


Stearman aircraft by kenj8246, on Flickr


Stearman aircraft by kenj8246, on Flickr

Muggins said:
Now I have a quandary... I have some photos that would really complement these stunners but.... not a modern 120 camera and not a rangefinder! Whatever shall I do?😕

I've been lucky enough to see two Ryan PT22s in the air (similar job to the Stearman, but a monoplane with a truss bridge of an undercarriage), they have a five-cylinder radial that doesn't rev very fast so they sound just like a sewing machine built by Motorhead.

Adrian
Click to expand...

Not suggesting anything, Adrian, but we have many fora here, some for non-RF. Do a little looking around.
 
Kenj8246 said:
Not suggesting anything, Adrian, but we have many fora here, some for non-RF. Do a little looking around.
Click to expand...

I was teasing a little, though there are several threads that would fit just right! I'll just post one here, and pop the others somewhere more fitting, I think.

On this side of the pond, we have these beauties:

Silver Wings by gray1720, on Flickr

Taken with a 1911 Kodak No2 Folding pocket Brownie Model B (oh, those catchy model names, they just roll off the tongue!) on Adox ART-CHS 50, and IIRC semi-stand developed in Rodinal 1:50. Had a pig of a job getting the film onto the spools, which I suspect has a lot to do with the processing artefacts up that one edge.

It's the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden, England (where I saw the PT22s), the near aircraft is a Hawker Demon fighter, a Hind bomber behind and in the distance you can just see a Polikarpov Po2. If old 'planes are your thing, and you are ever on this side of the pond, it's a must-see.

Adrian
 
It's a bad idea to call someone's children or airplanes ugly. The PT-22 is 'ungainly' or 'gangly'. The STA though is sublime, particularly for a 1934 design.

Adrian: Wonderful Hawkers. There is nothing quite like the remarkable Shuttleworth. The annual flight of the collection in September is on my must-do list.

Charlie
 
Love the black/white Stearman photos. Thought I really love their pre-war yellow and blue color schemes too. Beautiful aircraft.

Great shot of the Hawkers too, Muggins.
 
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