E-Flite PT-17
Taking my time assembling an E-Flite Stearman PT-17 15e.
This was the standard basic trainer for both the US Army and Navy in WW2 for which over 10,000 were built, with many still flying.
The version I have is the balsa and ply 44″ span US Army model.
E-Flite discontinued this version in July last year and replaced it with a foam version.
I liked the wood construction version and was able to obtain one of the last kits in November.
All the online forums said it need a lot of nose weight to achieve the recommended COG so I tried to save as much weight as possible in the tail by simplifying the tail wheel and control horns.
It still needed nose weight so I reinforced the motor mount and attached sheet lead as far forward as I could get it.
I also propose using two 3-cell 2.2A LiPo batteries in parallel, pushed right up into the nose.
Each section of wing was adjusted for correct incidence.
Here we are in December 2018 and I still haven’t flown my Stearman.
Although we have had fairly good weather this season the sunshine has often been accompanied by high winds. I took it up to the field a few times but found the wind a bit strong and chickened out of a maiden flight.
Looks like it will be 2019 now?
looks nice for a hot summers day
Pity they discontinued the wood version.
stearman looks like a nice kit, looking forward to see it flying