Stearman Cloudboy Explained

The Stearman Model 6 Cloudboy was a 1930s American training biplane designed and built by the Stearman Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas.

History

The Cloudboy was designed as a commercial or military trainer. Due to economic pressure during the Great Depression, only a few aircraft were built.Three civil models were built, followed by four similar aircraft for evaluation by the United States Army Air Corps. Designated YPT-9 by the Army, it failed to gain any orders. All models went through a number of engine changes (resulting in new designations for both the military and civil aircraft).^[1]

Variants

Model 6A Cloudboy

Initial civil production with a 165hp Wright J-6 Whirlwind 5 engine, three built.

Model 6C Cloudboy

Re-engined with a 300hp Wright J-6-9 Whirlwind (R-975-1), also designated YBT-3.

Model 6D Cloudboy

Re-engined with a 300hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior, also designated YBT-5

Model 6F Cloudboy

Re-engined with a 165hp Continental A70 engine, also designated YBT-9A.

Model 6H Cloudboy

Re-engined with a 170hp Kinner YR-720A engine, also designated YBT-9C.

Model 6L Cloudboy

Re-engined with a 200hp Lycoming R-680-3 engine, also designated YBT-9B

Model 6P Cloudboy

One 6F re-engined with 1 220hp Wright J-5 engine

YPT-9

Military production variant of the Model 6A with a 165hp Wright J-6 Whirlwind 5 engine, four built (one converted to YPT-9A, one to YPT-9B, one to YBT-3 and one YBT-5).

YPT-9A

One YPT-9 re-engined with a 165hp Continental A70 (YR-545-1) engine, later converted to YPT-9B.

YPT-9B

One YPT-9 and one YPT-9A re-engined with a 200hp Lycoming R-680-3 engine.

YPT-9C

YBT-3 re-engined with a 170hp Kinner YR-720A engine.

YBT-3

One YPT-9 re-engined with a 300hp Wright J-6-9 Whirlwind, later converted to a YPT-9C.

YBT-5

One YPT-9 re-engined with a 300hp Pratt & Whitney R-985-1 Wasp Junior engine.

XPT-943

A primary trainer derived from the 6A for evaluation at Wright Field. Formed the origins of the Stearman NS and PT-13 for the US Navy and USAAC respectively.

X-70

Alternative company designation for the XPT-943.

Operators

United States Army Air Corps

Surviving aircraft

6002 – 6L airworthy at the Candler Field Museum in Williamson, Georgia.^[2] ^[3]
6003 – 6L airworthy at the Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum in Hood River, Oregon.^[4] It was previously owned by the Golden Wings Flying Museum.^[5]
6004 – YPT-9B on display at the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California. It was previously owned by the Boeing School of Aeronautics and was acquired by the museum in 1987.^[6] ^[7]
6010 – 6C airworthy with Robert Lock of Lakeland, Florida.^[8]

References

Book: Andrade, John . U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. 1979 . Midland Counties Publications. 0-904597-22-9.
Book: Swanborough. F.G. Bowers. Peter M.. Peter M. Bowers. United States Military Aircraft since 1909. 1963. Putnam. London.
Book: Taylor, Michael J. H. . Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation . 1989 . Studio Editions . London .
Book: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 2958.

External links

Notes and References

Book: Phillips . Edward . Stearman Aircraft: A Detailed History . 2006 . specialtypress . North Branch, MN . 9781580070874 . 95,97,106-108.
Web site: Museum . Peach State Aerodrome . 25 November 2018 . 31 July 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180731062515/http://www.peachstateaero.com/museum . dead .
Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N787H] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 25 November 2018 . 25 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181125204342/https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N787H . dead .
Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N788H] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 25 November 2018 . 25 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181125162414/https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N788H . dead .
Web site: 1930 Stearman Cloudboy L-6 / YPT-9 . Golden Wings Flying Museum . 25 November 2018.
Web site: Stearman YPT-9B Cloudboy . Yanks Air Museum . 25 November 2018 . 26 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181126005611/https://yanksair.org/collection/stearman-6l-6a-ypt-9b/ . dead .
Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N795H] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 25 November 2018 . 25 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181125162436/https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N795H . dead .
Web site: FAA REGISTRY [N786H] ]. Federal Aviation Administration . U.S. Department of Transportation . 25 November 2018 . 25 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181125162412/https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N786H . dead .