Stearman Restorations

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:40 pm

Michel C-GNCJ wrote:

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) ?

Here you go Michel.

On display

In storage

visaliaaviation · **Joined:** Mon Jul 03, 2006 2:01 pm **Posts:** 353

wacoykc wrote:
"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!!!! "

No..., I HAVE seen the movie several times, and that "WWI airplane" is still a Stearman!:shock:

marine air · **Posted:** Sat Jan 17, 2009 11:47 am

Twenty years ago, I was a newly licensed pilot and was looking for someone to give me a Stearman checkout. A guy in Alabama had an ad in Trade-a-Plane for Stearman checkouts so we rented a C-172 and flew down there. I was dumb enough to go without calling first and it turned out he was a cropduster and was out wroking his 450 Stearman that day. On his strip he had a stock one and another 220hp. Sterman with a small box, maybe similar to what they used in WW II. I was told the 220 Stearman was used for small applications.
Anyway, last year I spent $8,000 on fertilizer, etc. on my own small farm and it crossed my mind that if there was one of the Stearmans or N3n's available with the small hopper and inairworthy condition, maybe we could pick it up and fly it for a couple of years while it earns it's keep. Collect parts and evntually restore it back to stock.
If anyone knows of one that is still airworthy and available, please let me know.Thanks

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Sat Jan 17, 2009 4:03 pm

marine air wrote:

Twenty years ago, I was a newly licensed pilot and was looking for someone to give me a Stearman checkout. A guy in Alabama had an ad in Trade-a-Plane for Stearman checkouts so we rented a C-172 and flew down there. I was dumb enough to go without calling first and it turned out he was a cropduster and was out wroking his 450 Stearman that day. On his strip he had a stock one and another 220hp. Sterman with a small box, maybe similar to what they used in WW II. I was told the 220 Stearman was used for small applications.
Anyway, last year I spent $8,000 on fertilizer, etc. on my own small farm and it crossed my mind that if there was one of the Stearmans or N3n's available with the small hopper and inairworthy condition, maybe we could pick it up and fly it for a couple of years while it earns it's keep. Collect parts and evntually restore it back to stock.
If anyone knows of one that is still airworthy and available, please let me know.Thanks

Contact Gary Austin, there is a N3N that still is a duster in TX, would need to ferry it but it is FORSALE!!!!!! Would love to see you get it.

Canso42 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:46 pm

You might try contacting Robbie Vajdos at Vajdos Aviation in Louise, Texas. Robbie is a pilot at Lone Star, has an FBO and restores Stearmans. In fact the PT-17 that LSFM flies for 'rides' was an ex duster that Robbie restored in the late 90's. He may be a good networking contact. Sorry , I don't have phone or email contact info for him.

JBoyle · **Posted:** Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:06 pm

I'd argue that a crop spraying/dusting modified Stearman deserves to be in the NASM...it did a lot of unsung work, fed a lot of people around the world.

Canso42 · **Posted:** Sun Jan 18, 2009 8:01 pm

In the late 70's I saw a duster biplane, (cant remember many details) go down in a muddy rice field south of Houston. I was on a locomotive waiting in a siding on the AT& SF line with the field to one side. It was warm weather and the windows and front cab door were open. One of the others looked up and called our attention to a plane gliding overhead. The engine was dead and the pilot did a slow glide over the edge of the field and did what looked like a flying boat landing. Bring the nose up at the last second for a stall and then drop. It landed with and audible SPLUT! facing away from us about a hundred or so yards away, while we just sat there gawking. There was no fire and the pilot climbed out, stumbled around in the goo getting clear then stopped and looked. He walked partway around it looking, then threw his headgear down and sloshed away to the nearest road. We tooted the horn at him, he waved and kept going. I never got a real good look at it to see what it was other than a yellow biplane. It landed pointing away from us with lots of black mud all over it.

wacoykc · **Posted:** Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:40 pm

A buddy of mine bought a 450 duster last year for around $30K...completely flyable...licensed restricted...spent about 6 mos fixing and removing spray stuff...now has a biplane to fly around...not pretty but its airworthy

marine air · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 10:02 am

Thanks guys I will try some of those guys. Yiou can pick up an Ag Cat pretty cheap, but it isn't a warbird. An old Pt-17 or N3N would be great. I flew a Pawnee towing gliders and they are a lot of fun .

Canso42 · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 4:49 pm

If it's not a true warbird, you could paint it to look like whatever you wanted and have fun with it. I saw a pencil and chalk sketch of an Air Tractor turbwhine marked like an Ilyushin Stormovik. A good airbrush guy could paint on v-12 exhausts and intake scoop. Il-2's were ugly enough no one would know the diff. lol.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:46 pm

marine air wrote:

Thanks guys I will try some of those guys. Yiou can pick up an Ag Cat pretty cheap, but it isn't a warbird. An old Pt-17 or N3N would be great. I flew a Pawnee towing gliders and they are a lot of fun .

Pick the N3N, you know you want one!!!

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:49 pm

Here is the Pima N3N still as a "Working Girl"

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:52 pm

This N3N was For Sale 3 yrs ago ferryable in Idaho with a lot of other N3N airframes. This N is now disassembled and is again for sale Less FWF, if you are interested I have VERY detailed pics of it taken apart and the current owner.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 8:56 pm

N3Njeff wrote:

marine air wrote:

Twenty years ago, I was a newly licensed pilot and was looking for someone to give me a Stearman checkout. A guy in Alabama had an ad in Trade-a-Plane for Stearman checkouts so we rented a C-172 and flew down there. I was dumb enough to go without calling first and it turned out he was a cropduster and was out wroking his 450 Stearman that day. On his strip he had a stock one and another 220hp. Sterman with a small box, maybe similar to what they used in WW II. I was told the 220 Stearman was used for small applications.
Anyway, last year I spent $8,000 on fertilizer, etc. on my own small farm and it crossed my mind that if there was one of the Stearmans or N3n's available with the small hopper and inairworthy condition, maybe we could pick it up and fly it for a couple of years while it earns it's keep. Collect parts and evntually restore it back to stock.
If anyone knows of one that is still airworthy and available, please let me know.Thanks

Contact Gary Austin, there is a N3N that still is a duster in TX, would need to ferry it but it is FORSALE!!!!!! Would love to see you get it.

Here is the N forsale in TX

JDK · **Posted:** Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:34 pm

JBoyle wrote:

I'd argue that a crop spraying/dusting modified Stearman deserves to be in the NASM...it did a lot of unsung work, fed a lot of people around the world.

Exactly, even if it 'aint 'pretty'.

Even accepting pretty is completely subjective, a pretty airplane is one that's useful, IMHO. While the Supermarine Walrus won't win any prizes for looks, it's the prettiest thing you've seen in your life, if it's about to pull you from the water...

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Stearman Restorations

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