Restoring a Stearman PT 13D Kaydet Aircraft

[@tinlizzie37]

This is a really tough aircraft, and I had the pleasure of having two at my disposal for twenty years! It;s the first tail wheel airplane I flew. Any other was just a walk in the park . Just loved flying her !

[@USAFmuseum]

Check out this video on our Stearman PT-13D Kaydet. #aircraftrestoration Restoring a Stearman PT 13D Kaydet Aircraft

[@georgejacob3162]

Beautiful plane. I've flown on one and I do mean ON one as can be seen on my KZbin channel. Yes I have stood strapped to the top wing of a Stearman as it's been flown around! I want to do loops and rolls next time! In the meantime, next weekend I will be going up in another bi-plane a de Havilland Tiger Moth.

[@tzkelley]

More videos like this one, please!

[@USAFmuseum]

Hi tzkelley! Thanks for your comment and checking out our videos. In case you missed it here's one on SAM 26000 SAM 26000 -- Kennedy's Air Force One and one on the Memphis Belle Restoring the Memphis Belle Thanks again!

[@MrElvin1963]

There were other primary trainers besides the Stearman

[@isflippin]

Very nice work and nicely done. I do have a comment to make. All that effort to accurately present this aircraft yet miss represent who built it. On the data plate(I.D. plate on every aircraft) it is stamped 'Boeing Aircraft, Model #75 Kaydet....' and at the bottom in small print, 'Stearman Division". 'Flying' magazine a few years ago pointed out the fact that the Travel Air biplane is more of a Stearman than a Stearman because Lloyd Stearman actually designed the Travel Air(1926). The Stearman was designed by and built by Boeing. There are some real Stearman biplanes around. They are rare, being few in number and were built between 1927 and 1934 by Stearman Aircraft Company at which time Boeing bought the company.

[@pavel1809]

awesome

[@EliCohenMisterMedia]

AMAZING! Is it flying since restoration?

[@USAFmuseum]

Hello Eli, no we do not restore to flying status. It was an AMAZING restoration though.

[@tomhughes9639]

Did you ever start the engine??

[@USAFmuseum]

Are museum aircraft restored to airworthy status? While most of the aircraft at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force have the potential to be made airworthy, our conservation and restoration work is directed at preserving the historical integrity and accuracy of an aircraft rather than achieving modern airworthiness. In preserving historical accuracy, we choose to use original parts that may be unserviceable or non-airworthy, rather than modern substitutes. The Memphis Belle, for example, will use wiring made to original wartime specification, which does not meet today’s flight standards, rather than wiring used in modern aircraft. This is vital to our mission of preserving the record copies of these aircraft for future generations to come.

[@hawkdsl]

Anything not flying is a waste.

[@USAFmuseum]

Are museum aircraft restored to airworthy status? While most of the aircraft at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force have the potential to be made airworthy, our conservation and restoration work is directed at preserving the historical integrity and accuracy of an aircraft rather than achieving modern airworthiness. In preserving historical accuracy, we choose to use original parts that may be unserviceable or non-airworthy, rather than modern substitutes. The Memphis Belle, for example, will use wiring made to original wartime specification, which does not meet today’s flight standards, rather than wiring used in modern aircraft. This is vital to our mission of preserving the record copies of these aircraft for future generations to come.