Stearman Restorations

daveymac82c · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 3:07 am

Hi all,

I recently started checking out Stearmans in greater depth and it got me thinking. Obviously most if not all of the remaining Stearmans were military training airplanes at one point, but after WWII most of the survivors of the breed were converted to crop dusters.

Nowadays almost all Stearman restorations are to military specifications, or to really snazzy civilian markings. How come, considering the significance the crop dusting job played in the survival of so many Stearmans, are there none restored to crop dusting colours?

Maybe it's just me, but I think it would be interesting to see such a restoration. Ok, so it would probably be boring, but I would appreciate it for its uniqueness.

Lookin' for input...

Thanks,

David

wacoykc · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:45 am

Because people don't want an ugly airplane! Squared off wing tips, roll over cage, rear half of fuselage uncovered and single seat not to mention a gas guzzling 450 Pratt that generally looked like it was bolted on as an after thought.

N55759 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:38 am **Posts:** 9

Just a note on working Stearmans. We have one here that is currently earning its keep. The owner has this 450 stearman and Ag-Cat that he uses. His brother also has a 450 Stearman that is used alongside another cat. These two are within 30 miles of each other.

Michael

C170BDan · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:09 am

wacoykc wrote:

Because people don't want an ugly airplane! Squared off wing tips, roll over cage, rear half of fuselage uncovered and single seat not to mention a gas guzzling 450 Pratt that generally looked like it was bolted on as an after thought.

Said like a Waco-man! :lol:

We have an ex-duster that makes our local Antique Airplane Assoc. fly-ins. Wild white/blue paint scheme... squared off wingtips and 450. Yes... kind of ugly but neat to see one in that configuration.

Eric Presten · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:18 am

If I remember corectly, there is both a Stearman and an N3N-3 in perfect duster configuration on display at the Pima County Air Museum in AZ. Anyone have pictures of them that they could post. I hope they leave them in that configuration.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:12 pm

wacoykc wrote:

Because people don't want an ugly airplane! Squared off wing tips, roll over cage, rear half of fuselage uncovered and single seat not to mention a gas guzzling 450 Pratt that generally looked like it was bolted on as an after thought.

Is this a stearman bashing thread???????? I stay away from politics but OH boy do I like to bash on stearmans!!!!! :ouch:

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:14 pm

N55759 wrote:

Just a note on working Stearmans. We have one here that is currently earning its keep. The owner has this 450 stearman and Ag-Cat that he uses. His brother also has a 450 Stearman that is used alongside another cat. These two are within 30 miles of each other.

Michael

You in GA.........................a AG forum, someone asked if any were still working. pics showed up of one just as you said and it was taken in 97.
The last report of a working N3N was 91.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 12:16 pm

Eric Presten wrote:

If I remember corectly, there is both a Stearman and an N3N-3 in perfect duster configuration on display at the Pima County Air Museum in AZ. Anyone have pictures of them that they could post. I hope they leave them in that configuration.

Eric, you want to bring a N to Geneseo.....................we would have a witch hazing with you from a comment like that!!! HEHE.

The pima N3N is not on display, its currently in storage. I am at work so I dont have my pics to post.

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11319

Aren't these dusters normally in the RESTRICTED category? Who wants to fly around in a stinky old duster with high lift wings and only one seat for pleasure? :shock:

Canso42 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:34 pm

Davey you must just be unfamiliar with dusters. As several others have said here, they are UGLY. Two wings or four. Slow, short ranged and usually smelling like the last job.
Tom Gregory has a beautiful Stearman in civil scheme, dark red with gold trim.

Michel C-GNCJ · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:56 am

Hmmm, been many times to Pima and never spotted any Ag Stearman or N3N there. Where would they be (apart from the N3N that is apparently is storage per N3NJeff) ?

N55759 · **Joined:** Tue Nov 07, 2006 10:38 am **Posts:** 9

You in GA.........................a AG forum, someone asked if any were still working. pics showed up of one just as you said and it was taken in 97.
The last report of a working N3N was 91.

I am on a little grass strip in S.C. I will get some pics of it when it is out of the hangar the next time. Only thing is, it does not have the squared off wings. None of the conversions this family did had them come to think of it.

Michael

Paul281 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2009 8:50 am

Canso42 wrote:

Davey you must just be unfamiliar with dusters. As several others have said here, they are UGLY. Two wings or four. Slow, short ranged and usually smelling like the last job.
Tom Gregory has a beautiful Stearman in civil scheme, dark red with gold trim.

Tom's was used in the movie "Secondhnd Lions". I have a great photo of it parked next to my old Ryan PT-22 @ Flying V Ranch.

wacoykc · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:16 am

N3NJEFF........Nope, not bashing on the "S" airplanes...although........ :lol:

Any airplane made into a duster is not pretty. They are functional for a purpose and when these old biplanes were cheap and unwanted they made good workhorses! Yes....they even used Wacos as cropdusters. Alot of Waco 10's and Straightwings were converted to dusters in the 40's-50's. Even some UPF-7's! Thats the only reason some of these still exist today.

wacoykc · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2009 11:18 am

And speaking of the movie "Second Hand Lions'....if you have never seen this movie go rent it. Excellent for all ages and gets better every time you watch it!!!!

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