Oldest airworthy Stearman back in the air after crash

[JohnB]

The oldest airworthy Stearman, a 1927 C2B, c/n 104, is back in the air after receiving extensive damage in a 2008 crash.

The plane, flown by owner/restorer Larry Tobin, had just completed a re-enactment celebrating the 90th anniversay of the U.S. Air Mail by flying from New York City to San Francisco (and of course the positioning flight to NYC from the plane's base in Spokane Washington). It was just 200 miles from it home base when it crashed following an engine failure.
Luckily, Tobin was not injured.

The other aircraft taking part in the flight included Addison Pemberton's 1928 Boeing 40C, the world's oldest airworthy Boeing, and Ben Scott's 1930 Streaman 4E, c/n4005, NC663K which was originally owned by his father.

Here are some photos from the Antique Aircraft Association website.
The last one shows the wreckage after the crash.
Also note by the tail markings, it was build by the new Stearman firm in their original location of Venice, California. In late 1927, the firm was lured to Wichita, Kansas. Civic leaders wanted to make the Kansas city the "air-capitol" of the nation.
www.antiqueairfield.com


And for details on the Stearman's 2008 transcontinental flight, here's a link to the extensive coverage from the Smithsonian's Air & Space magazine.
There are several web articles about each part of the route and aircraft.
http://www.airspacemag.com/history-o...1918-2008.html

[CAPFlyer]

Great to hear the plane is flying again. I remember commenting after the accident (after knowing everyone was okay) that the whole recreation was now complete because they'd experienced every facet of transcontinental air mail flying. Sucked that the plane got hurt so badly, but it's one helluva story that you restore such an important plane, get it across the country and then getting back you crash, just like so many air mail pilots did back when that aircraft was first operating.