Thursday, September 8, 2016

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016: Classic Stearman Trainers In the Vintage Aircraft Area

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo
http://www.airassociatesmo.com/tae/The Aero Experience resumes our coverage of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2016 with more examples of the classic Boeing Stearman primary trainers akin to those featured in the recent Stearman Flight series.  Stearman trainers arrived in a variety of colors and sported a number of updates and modifications they had acquired over their 75 years of service.  Many of the remaining Stearman aircraft are the A75N1/PT-17 and N2S equivalent models with Continental engines, though there are also other sub-models with Lycoming engines of similar power.   

Most of the surviving Stearman trainers have been carefully restored close to their original stock condition, with some emerging as the highly modified Super Stearman with twice the engine horsepower.  In addition to those from the Stearman Flight, we found these beautiful examples in the Vintage Aircraft Area:

Preservation Award winner 1942 B75N1 with Continental W670 engine owned by Michael and Andrew Porter of East Liverpool, OH on Saturday before the gates opened.



















1942 A75N1 with Lycoming R680 engine owned by Herb Clark in Florida on Monday in the Vintage Plaza.  The aircraft was highly modified by pilot/builder Johnny Dorr for better aerobatic performance. 



























Several other stock Stearman trainers were seen throughout the week.














  




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