A Boeing Stearman Bi-plane
From the golden era of American aviation
In our September 10th & 11th Antiques & Interiors Sale
IT WAS ALL SIMPLE AND
free and a very good life. The barnstorming pilots, back in the twenties,
just cranked their Jennies into the air and they flew to any little town and they landed.
And then they took passengers up for joy-rides and they earned great bales of money.
What free men, the barnstormers!
What a pure life that must have been.
Richard Bach, 'Nothing by Chance' 1969
The Boeing Stearman in our September sale during its active flying period, c.1990s
The above quote from Bach (author of Jonathan Livingstone Seagull) encapsulates the romance of a certain era of aviation in America, after both world wars, when surplus planes could be bought very cheaply and the returning pilots sought employment, but also found a free way of life.
After WWI, the combination of plentiful cheap aeroplanes, trained pilots and very little regulation led to the 'Barnstorming' era, where groups of flying gypsies, or flying circuses, travelled across America, mostly in Curtiss JN-4D 'Jennies', landing in farm fields, visiting small towns, and offering plane rides for a few dollars. At night they'd sleep in barns and by day perform aeronautical daredevil stunts to entertain the crowds of local people that came to watch. It was a carefree, romantic, yet dangerous existence.
Anyone for tennis? Crazy wingwalkers during the 1920s
Again, after WWII, there was a surplus of Boeing Stearmans, the rugged, two seater, open cockpit training planes used so successfully by the American and Canadian military during the war. Otherwise known as 'Kaydets,' over 10,000 of these planes were built in the USA during the 1930s and 40s.
When the war was over, these training planes found new life in America for commercial crop dusting. And in the spirit of the earlier Barnstorming days, the return of skilled pilots also fueled a major boom in their use for leisure flying and well-attended air shows.
Daredevil wing walkers and their hair-raising exploits were very popular with the public and it was these Boeing Stearman Bi-planes which performed tailslides, looped-the loop, and carried these remarkably brave stunt men and women up into the skies to entertain eager spectators.
A 1940s US Navy Boeing Stearman in its training colours
A few of these trusty machines have made their way across the Atlantic and are still performing here in the UK today, as demonstrated by the remarkable Betty Bromage recently. Some readers may have seen news of her amazing exploits in recent weeks. On the 4th of August, at the glorious age of 97, she became the oldest ever female wing walker, breaking her own world record. These remarkable feats were performed whilst strapped to the wings of a Boeing Stearman.
97 year old Betty Bromage performed her recent wingwalking feat in the blue and white Stearman in this photo,
flying with the amazing Aerosuperbatics Wingwalking team based in Cirencester UK
So we are very excited to have been asked to sell one such Boeing-Stearman, by its pilot owner, Ross. This is the third aeroplane we've have been asked to sell in as many years, having sold two in our Flambards sale, and we never like to shy away from a challenge!
In fact, this remarkable lot is almost two planes, as it includes 80% of a second plane, either for restoration or spares.
The plane is currently stripped down to it's component parts, ready for restoration, including two engines, both recently serviced and overhauled.
It is a dream project for a flight enthusiast !
This particular model is ex-US Navy and was built in Wichita, Kansas in 1943. After the war, it was sold into private hands and used mainly for aerobatic and leisure purposes. It is humbling to think about the many brave pilots who literally earned their wings in this plane, we'd also like to think it has seen its fair share of wing walkers and looping the loop too!
Catalogue Spec: Boeing Steerman N2S-3 (B7 5N1) 1943 Bi-plane, registration number N73410, ex-US Navy, a complete aircraft in pieces for restoration, plus another part aircraft, approximately 80% complete for spares or restoration, the aircraft are both stripped down to their component parts.
View a preview of this exciting sale here
Viewing dates:
Saturday 5th September 9am to 1pm
Monday 7th to Wednesday 9th September, 9am to 5pm
Please note: The Boeing Stearman is housed offsite near our PZ saleroom,
viewing appointments can be made by phoning:
01736 361414
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