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Article: Stearmans' biplane beauties: Lloyd Stearman's sturdy airplanes earned a worldwide reputation for performance and reliability during aviation's Golden Age.(Biography)
- Article from:
- Aviation History
- Article date:
- November 1, 2009
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 Weider History Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In his day, Lloyd Stearman was as well known as aviation giants Clyde Cessna, Walter Beech and E.M. "Matty" Laird, all of whom he worked with at one time or another. Today Stearman's name is most often associated with the Boeing-Stearman Model 75, a ubiquitous World War II trainer called the Kaydet but universally known to biplane aficionados as "the Stearman." More than 8,500 were built, and many are still flying, making it one of the most famous biplanes in aviation history. Ironically, Stearman himself was not directly involved with its design or construction.
Stearman was 12 when he saw his first aircraft at a public ...