KAydet

The model

The real plane

In January 1953 the IAF formed the flight academy’s fleet of Stearmans into a reserve liaison and surveillance unit, to be activated in times of emergency. Seconded to 100 Squadron, the unit was initially designated 1000 Squadron, but was redesignated 147 Squadron on January 1, 1955. It was activated on October 27, 1956, for the Suez Crisis. Commanded by Captain Meir Shefer, the unit had 25 serviceable aircraft but only 12 pilots, consisting of both reserves and qualified students and including Rina Levinson, one of a handful of female pilots serving with the IAF. 147 Squadron flew 401 sorties during the war, clocking 233 hours. Flying from Ramla, next to IAF headquarters, the squadron flew communications, liaison, transport, patrol and reconnaissance missions, operating during both day and night. Once the fighting was over, the aircraft reverted to their original training role and the squadron was deactivated.

At this moment there are two remaining airworthy Spearman’s in Israel.

From the type history

In 1927 Lloyd Stearman, an aviation designer and pilot, established the Stearman Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas. At beginning 1933 be started development of the X70 two­ seat biplane for elementary training on his own costs. That year in December, the prototype performed its maiden flight and in 1934 it was demonstrated to the USAAC headquarters. The aircraft had a combined structure, fixed landing gear and uncovered crew cockpits. The first order of 61 machines came in 1935 from the Navy that used them under marking NS-1 with the Wright J-5 engines from old store (Model 73). One year ago the Stearman firm was included in the Boeing Aeroplane Company, and in Spring 1936, 26 machines of the Model 75 with the Lycoming R-680 nine­ cylinder engine were ordered by the USAAC and included as the PT-13s in establishment of the Randolph Field main training base. This type proved competent itself so that in 1937 there were ordered 92 PT-13A machines with the R-680-7 engines, followed by 225 PT-13B machines with other version of the identical driving unit at the end of 1941. Six of them were reconstructed to the

PT-13C version intended to night and instrument flying. Thet year the firm equipped the airframe of one PT-13A with the Continental R-670-5 seven-cylinder engine: this new version was included in the USAAF armament as the PT-17 or PT-17A version, respectively, an manufactured in large series of total 3,769 machines. In addition, the US Navy received 250 machines with the R-680-14 engines marked as the N2S-1 at first. later other 125 machines with the Lycoming R-680-8 engines known as the N2S-2 as well. The following version of the ..naval” N2S-3 with the Continental R-670-4 engine was manufactured even in total number of 1,875 machines. In Spring 1942, the firm presented the other model based on the PT-13A with the Lycoming R-680-17 engine as the universal type for the army and naval air forces. That was the first case, when both armed forces coincided with the aircraft equipment, in the USAAF it was known as the PT-13D, in the Navy as the N2S-5. In the frame of the lend and lease law, 300 machines marked as PT-27 for training of the new RAF pilots were supplied to training centers in Canada. where they got a combat name Kaydet, which started to be used for all Stearmans of the Models 70/75 series and overshadowed the foregoing nicknames Washing Machine or Gray Ghost. In Wichita total of 10,000 aircraft of this type line were manufactured till beginning of 1945.

Stearman PT-13D specification:

Upper wingspan…………9.80 m

Lenght… …………………7.62 m

Wing area………………27.60 m 2

Max.airspeed………….200 km.h’

Ceiling………………3,500 m

Range…………………812 km