Boeing-Stearman Kaydet

History of Boeing and Stillman Kaydet

When Boeing acquired the Stillman Company in 1939, it also acquired the design and production rights for the promising 75 series, which flew as the "X-70" as early as 1933. The two-seater biplane would evolve into a series of trainers called the PT-13, PT-15, PT-18 and PT-27, and would serve during World War II and beyond, eventually becoming a prize plane for any aviation enthusiast.

The "Kaydet" was initially received by the US Navy as the Type 73 production series, designated NS-1, of which no less than 61 were produced. The Type 75 was derived from this production model and was later accepted by the US Army as the PT-13. These versions feature a 215-horsepower Lycoming R-680 engine. A total of 2,141 PT-13 samples were produced, divided into five sub-variants (PT-13 followed by A, B, C and D models).

Further development resulted in a progressively improved version of the base model 75, which included various engine and instrumentation changes. Kaydets are now in production for thousands of orders, including many US Navy and US Army variants, the main difference being the type of engine installed.

The introduction of the R-670-5 engine family of the Continental brand resulted in the new designation PT-17, of which 3,519 units (A and B model variants) were produced. Later models produced with the Jacobs R-755 engine were further designated PT-18 and numbered 150.

During World War II, the Boeing Stillman design was also leased to Canada as a PT-27 (enclosed cockpit), with 300 prototypes delivered.

Total production of the Type 75 was approximately 9,800 units.

Canada's Lend-Lease Model 75 was called "Kaydet", a name that has survived over time and is still used to identify the line today. After the war, Kaydets were also able to find considerable use in the roles of aerial acrobats and pollinators.

There are operators all over the world, from Argentina and Bolivia to the Philippines and Venezuela (see the list of operators below for global coverage).

Taiwan (Republic of China) is another wartime loan partner and recipient of Kaydet.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes