1942 450 Stearman Restoration N5000V 2005-2008

The restoration of my 1942 E75 450 Stearman condensed down in still and video format of 3 years of our lives in just under 13 minutes.
I purchased 75-5154 in 1999 out in Visalia, CA and brought her to Colorado.
N5000V was manufactured in 1942 under Bureau Number 42-16991 and cost the military $5,930.00 when they took delivery on November 28, 1943.
Initially, she was delivered to Hancock College of Aeronautics in Santa Maria, CA and then traveled around during the war to Cal-Aero in Ontario, CA, Ryan School of Aeronautics in Hemet, CA and Columbus Army Airfield in Columbus, MS before being assigned to Hill AFB in Ogden, UT and stricken from active duty.
She was purchased on August 1, 1949 by Airplane Vapor Spray Company in Visalia, CA for $500.00 under converted to a duster. She worked as either a duster, sprayer (or combination of both) for 30 years in the San Joaquin Valley of CA at various operations before being retired and converted back to a two-hole aircraft in 1979.
I flew N5000V for 6 years with the fabric and colors that they put on her back in the early-1980's. I bought this airplane with the intention of always restoring her, so in 2005 (with some help of a freak wind storm at a local airshow) we put her down for a complete restoration.
As you can see in the video, my Father and I took her down to the bare bones and brought her back up. Nothing was left uninspected and/or replaced with new.
A sampling of the work done includes:
Airframe completely disassembled for restoration. Engine removed for major overhaul. Prop overhauled. Fuselage media blasted and inspected at all welds. Fuselage painted with a 2-part epoxy primer. Gear assembly removed from aircraft - media blasted, inspected, painted with a 2-part epoxy primer and re-assembled with all new seals and packing. All pulleys and control cables replaced with new. All AN hardware replaced with new. All electrical wiring replaced with new. All fuel, oil and hydraulic hoses replaced with new. Front and rear cockpit instrumentation overhauled and re-installed. All flight control bearings replaced with new. All new cockpit and cowling sheet metal replaced with new. Installed new top, bottom, left and right fuselage fairing assemblies "Birdcages". Removed King KX-196A Comm and installed a Garmin SL40 VHF Comm and a Garmin GTX327 Transponder. Installed Ameri-King AK-450 ELT at lower station #5 in fuselage. Smoke system installed. Whelen A650PG/PR Nav/Strobe system installed. Rotating beacon installed. All steel parts inspected and cleaned and preserved with a 2-part epoxy primer. All components and parts inspected and found to be airworthy for recover. Covering removed from all 4 wing panels, center section and all flight controls. All metal fittings inspected, cleaned and painted with a 2-part epoxy primer. All fittings found to be airworthy for recover. Center section built new from components purchased from Big Sky Stearman and assembled and rigged according to the original Boeing factory drawings (see Form 337 for details). Damaged wood in wings replaced with new (see Form 337 for details). All wood in wings and center section varnished with Stits 2-part epoxy varnish. Fuselage, wing panels, tail feathers and center section recovered with Ceconite 102 dacron fabric according to Air-Tech Coatings Manual. New firewall installed. All flying wires cleaned and inspected before reassembly. All new clevis ends replaced on all wires.
Thank you for your interest in the video.

[@georgejacob3162]

Love that Stearman. I've only ever flown on the top wing of one so far as can be seen on my KZbin channel. I will fly on top of one again in the summer time!

[@larrygreen8912]

My uncle bought N61S 2013 we stripped it completely down an did extensive wood work , wiring , metal fabrication , fabric and new engine from Pete Jones . Total time 50 weeks .

[@AirplaneDetective]

do you need to be an a&p to restore a stearman or can you do it experimental?

[@grantsmythe8625]

If there's a finer, more beautiful aircraft than a Stearman....let's see it but my goodness, let's not get into the habit of collapsing 3 years into 13 minutes....I'm 70 and time is going by quickly enough as it is.

[@mohamedabdelrazek6020]

79 years ago...1942

[@fordfan3179]

For my 50th birthday my wife bought me a flight on a steerman. It was a bucket list item to fly in an open cockpit biplane. It is hands down, the best birthday gift I ever got! I highly recommend the experience!

[@R985wasp]

Well, if the aircraft is in Experimental category you can do it yourself without A&P/IA authorization. However, this aircraft is still in Standard Category so the work was done with the appropriate FAA authorizations. Hope this helps.

[@R985wasp]

Aircraft Spruce. Didn't buy any pre-built wings..just used the original factory drawings. Thanks for watching

[@R985wasp]

It was a PT-13D with a 225 Lycoming in the military before it was converted to a duster in the early 1950's. The 450 was STC'd at that time. Thanks for watching.

[@stearmanmike87]

Hey Mate, stunning job on the rebuild. How long did it take, i'm restoring a Stearman in Australia, hope it flys within 5-8 years.

[@cropgun58]

Where did you get the wood for you wings? Was thinking of restoring mine here in the next couple years. Heard that Big Sky Wings were good and they are around 10k for all new wood. Just wondering. Excellent job looks just like mine except my bottom wing is all yellow. Love the cat and bomb good touch

[@dudleylitz7369]

that's not just any cat it's Felix!

[@-Aerogallo]

bravi

[@dudleylitz7369]

beauty!