Warbird Information Exchange

I am considering buying a Stearman project. It seems mostly complete but is completely dismantled and the Fuselage has been skinned in metal.
The guy said you can buy rib kits for them to undo it all.
My question is are they well support for repo parts and who are the suppliers?
I am not a certifed aircraft repairer but do have the skills to restore it.
What am I allowed to do myself to get the aircraft certified as airworthy? I know the engine will need to go to an authorised repairer.
Im trying to weigh up the costs of a project compared to a finished airwothy example.
I have tackled several heartbreaker projects just not aircraft.
Any constructive advice would be appreciated.
Dave

Dave-

There are plenty of parts out there for Stearmans... all it costs is money<g>... I suggest you join the Stearman Restorers Association and frequent the website/forum http://www.stearman.net/

Dusters and Sprayers of Chickasa, Ok (http://www.dustersandsprayers.com/main.html ) is a great place for parts as well as Air Repair, In (http://www.airrepairinc.com/ )

There are Stearman folks in Australia... join the SRA and you'll find lots of help.... get rid of that metalized crud!

Good luck,
gunny

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Scott 'Gunny' Perdue
www.scottperdue.com

Gunnyperdue is right - join the Stearman Restorer's Association to tap into all you ever wanted to know about buying, restoring and flying Stearmans.

There are some excellent bargains for flyers out there, so you have to ask youself if you'd rather be scraping up your knuckles, or flying one now. I know what I'd choose!

Greg

Air repair will have a lot of what you'll need too.

Like, -the whole airplane-,a lot.

I'm in the same boat with the metal fuselage on my project back home. Whenever I get around to tackling it that'll be the first thing to go.

Good luck, but definitely join the SRA or at least check it out. Dusters and sprayers are really great, but I think they cater more to the juiced-up stearmans with their aileron kits and engine mounts for the 985 etc.

Could be wrong on that, plus I'm too lazy to check the website right now and check for myself. But I did talk on the phone with a guy there at length and he sent me a whole bunch of info on products they make/sell because I WAS considering just fixing my project up and having a hot-rodded one instead of a nice stocker like I'm doing now. Like I said, very helpful and knowledgeable.

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Nothing holds like a good, tight crossthread.

The previous posters have all offered great advice. Depending on a number of issues, a metalized Stearman fuselage is not always a bad idea. Mine is fabric but my father's is metal and I don't think he would have it any other way. He has taken hundreds, if not thousands, of people for a ride in his. I think he has worn out three engines and is now on #4 since he purchased the plane in the mid 1970s. Nobody has ever managed to put a foot through the metal yet.

I hate to say this but you might want to look for a project for sale that's already well underway. Plenty of people start a project and then give up before it's finished. I saw that happen with a Stearman project here in St. Louis recently.

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Albert Stix Jr.
"Work is the curse of the drinking class"

What engine are you going to use.....Lyc or Cont? PS or Shakey Jake for you purists.

Thanks for the input. I dont know much about these aircraft as I was looking at a Tiger Moth when this one came up. It comes with two engines. Not sure what they are as they were under other stuff.
Ill look into it further.

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