Stearman – The Airplane - Veterans Memorial Park

Veterans Flight – 2016 Pensacola Beach Air Show – The Final Mission
Update #2 – 23 March 2016
Count down to Friday 15 July’s first flight: Only 114 more days
Stearman – The Airplane
Stearmans are symbols of a time when things were different in America. They remind us of a time when
Americans believed in hard work, personal responsibility, and honor. A time when Americans were self-reliant,
paid their debts and were embarrassed to accept welfare or file bankruptcy. A time when Americans believed
hard work and education, not government handouts, were how you achieved the American Dream.
After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, millions of Americans answered their
country’s call. They came from big cities, small towns and farms. Some were in college, others hadn’t finished
high school. Some were from old families, others were recent immigrants. They had many differences, but all
understood they were Americans and that being an American was special. They understood it was their duty to
protect the American way of life, and many made the ultimate sacrifice to win the war.
The Stearman model 75 is most recognized biplane ever built. It was designed by legendary aircraft designer
Lloyd Stearman and manufactured at Boeing’s Wichita, Kansas plant. During World War II, it was the primary
trainer for thousands of Navy and Army Air Corps pilots. Between 1937 and 1945, Boeing manufactured more
than 8,500 Stearmans, plus sufficient spare parts to build another 2,000 airplanes. In addition to the United
States, Stearmans were used by Canada, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Brazil, China, Columbia, Cuba,
France, Mexico, Peru, and the Philippines.
Capable of withstanding 12 positive and 6 negative “G’s,” Stearmans were wonderful training airplanes. They
easily withstood the spins, loops, and botched landings of flight training and the steel tube fuselage protected
many cadets from serious injury during crashes that occurred daily.
The basic Stearman airframe is the same for all models, the major difference between models is the engine.
Original engines were the Lycoming R-680 (225 hp), Continental W-670 (220 hp), and the Jacobs R-775 (225
hp). Propellers used by the military included a Sensenich wooden prop, a ground adjustable McCauley with
steel blades, and a fixed pitch Hamilton Standard.
Navy Stearmans were nicknamed “Yellow Peril” because of their yellow paint and challenging landing
characteristics which prepared student aviators for the SNJ advanced trainer and powerful fighters like the
Hellcat and the gull-wing Corsair. By the time World War II ended, more than 61,000 Naval Aviators had begun
their flight training in Stearmans.
Navy Stearmans were designated N2S-1; N2S-2; N2S-3;
N2S-4; and N2S-5. Army Air Corps airplanes were PT-13;
PT-13A; PT-13B; PT-17; PT-18; PT-27 and PT-13D. The
primary difference between Navy and Army was the
tailwheel. Most Navy airplanes were equipped with full
swivel, lockable tailwheels; Army airplanes had steerable
tailwheels. The final version of the Stearman, the model
E75, which was designated the N2S-5/PT-13D, was the
same for both services and was the only total
standardization of Navy and Army designs during World
War II.
During World War II more than 250,000 pilots were trained
for the Army Air Corps and the Navy. For most of them the
Stearman was the first military airplane they flew, and they received 60 hours of flight training over a nine week
period. During this same period, another more than 133,000 either “washed out” or were killed during training.
The high loss rate, which was due to physical problems, academic failure or accidents, was approximately 40
percent of those who began flight training.
After the war most Stearmans were sold as surplus. Virtually all were converted to “crop dusters” and equipped
with more powerful engines, such as the Lycoming R-680 (300 hp) and Pratt & Whitney R-985 (450 hp). A few
brave souls installed the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (600 hp). Although many crop dusters were destroyed in
crashes, the sale of Stearmans to the civilian market saved thousands from the scrap yard. By the late 1960’s
modern aerial application aircraft had replaced most Stearman crop dusters. Worn out Stearmans gathered
dust in barns and hangers at small airports until the 1980's saw a resurgence of interest in Stearmans as
warbird enthusiasts recognized their historical importance, reasonable operating costs, and how much fun they
are to fly.
Thanks to their simple construction and an abundant supply of spare parts, many Stearmans were restored to
“better than new” condition. Although conditions range from fresh restorations to “lots of work needed” before it
flies again, approximately 1,000 Stearman are currently registered in the United States.
Stearman owners understand they are custodians of historical artifacts and have a responsibility to help fellow
Americans understand the role Stearmans played during World War II. Flying a Stearman is fun, but the
greatest enjoyment is putting a World War II pilot back in the cockpit. Many have not touched an airplane’s
controls since 1945, but quickly demonstrate they have not lost the skills that helped them survive the war.
Unfortunately, most of these veterans are now in their late 80's or 90's and will soon be gone.
Most of the eleven pilots who flew their Stearmans to Pensacola for Veterans Flight – 2015 will join us again
for this year’s flight. While air shows are fun, the main reason these pilots come to the Pensacola Beach Air
Show is to honor the World War II veterans who made it possible for us the live in the greatest country in the
world. While Veterans Flight 2015 was the largest number of Stearmans that have flown over Pensacola since
World War II, we hope to have even more Stearmans for Veterans Flight – 2016.
Veterans Flight - 2015’s Pilots
Lantz Pohlman
Lantz Pohlman is a Navy veteran who retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer after 23 years of active service.
During his career he was stationed with training helicopters, RA-5C Vigilantes, S-3’s, P-3’s and A-3 aircraft as
an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman and eventually as a Maintenance Senior Chief, Quality Assurance
Supervisor. His final assignment was writing Survival Equipmentman advancement examinations. He is an
expert skydiver with nearly 2,000 sport parachute jumps and holds an FAA Master Parachute Rigger certificate
that he somehow found time to earn while on active duty in the Navy.
After he retired from the Navy, Lantz earned an FAA mechanic’s
certificate with airframe and powerplant ratings (A&P) and worked
for GoodRich Aerostructures as an overhaul mechanic. He
resides at the Roy E. Ray Airport fly-in community, where he lived
in his hangar while completing his house that adjoins the runway.
He rebuilt a Starduster Too aerobatic biplane, which he used to
earn an International Aerobatic Club Statement of Aerobatic
Competency and perform low level aerobatics at local airshows.
He owns a 1942 Stearman which he has flown for 450 hours of
his 1600 hours total flight time. He also helped rebuild three other
Stearmans by doing all the rib stitching of the wings and control
surfaces. He has taught high school Aviation Technology and
presently instructs at the local airframe and powerplant mechanics school.
Phil Webb
Phil Webb retired from the Navy as a Lieutenant Commander. His last assignment was Schools Command at
NAS Pensacola, where he taught aviation weather, engines and aircraft systems. His home town is Kansas
City, Missouri, and he received undergraduate degrees from the University of Missouri. He later earned a
master’s degree in Military Science Air Power from the American Military University. His military service began
in the USMC reserves in 1988. He remained in the USMC reserves until entering the Navy in 1995.
After receiving his wings he flew the SH60B Seahawk helicopter in Atsugi, Japan with the HSL-51 Warlords.
He was an instructor pilot at HT-18 at Whiting Field from 2001 – 2004. He secured a cushy assignment as
Naval Attaché in Malta from 2008 – 2012 before returning to Pensacola. In addition to being a Naval Aviator he
holds an FAA commercial pilot certificate with instrument rating and has over 3,200 flight hours.
Phil’s PT-27 Stearman was manufactured in June 1942 for
the Royal Canadian Air Force. It is one of 300 Stearmans
built for the RCAF and served in Canada from June until
December 1942. After experience proved Stearmans and
Canadian winters weren’t compatible it was moved to Terrell,
Texas in 1943 where it served at the No. 1 British Flight
Training School. When the war ended in 1945 it was sold as
surplus to a civilian pilot. Phil purchased his Stearman in
Chino, California in October 2012 and immediately flew it to
Pensacola where it is frequently seen flying over Pensacola
Beach.
http://www.bftsmuseum.org/
Veterans Flight 2015 – Memories
(Stearmans on the flight line at Pensacola Aviation Center before Veterans Flight 2015)
Alabama Stearman pilot Bill Ross, who flew his Army Air Corps PT-17
Stearman to Pensacola for the 2015 Pensacola Beach Air Show, helps
World War II B-29 pilot Paul McLain return to the front cockpit of the
airplane in which he began his flying career.
Mr. McLain, who is prominently featured in David Heroux and Chris
Powell’s videos of Veterans Flight 2015, flew Friday because his family
had so many activities planned for his 99th birthday on Saturday. Although
he is recovering from surgery to remove a kidney stone, Mr. McLain plans
to fly again this year after celebrating his 100th birthday.
VETERANS FLIGHT 2015
Below Left: Navy veteran “Cash” Barber and his granddaughter smile for the camera while his greatgrandchildren explore an Army Air Corps PT-17 Stearman.
Right: Navy pilots Cass Phillips and
Dick Pace are ready to fly.
Cass Phillips is a “Pearl Harbor
Survivor” who was an enlisted radio
operator when Pearl Harbor was
attacked. Sent to flight school after
the attack, he earned a commission
and his wings. He flew multiple tours
in PBY’s and PBM’s patrol bombers
in both Alaska and the Pacific.
Dick Pace began flight training after
graduating from Dartmouth College
in 1941. After receiving his wings, he
served as a flight instructor in N2S
Stearmans and North American SNJ
advanced trainers before being sent
to the Pacific where he flew the
Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat fighter with
fighter squadron VF-92.
WORLD WAR II
“Cash” Barber
Cass Phillips
Dick Pace
Veterans Flight – 2016 Pensacola Beach Air Show – The Final Mission
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