Fellow Fabricator Spotlight

     The PT-17 was a private venture built by the Stearman Aircraft Company later bought by Boeing in 1934. The two seat biplane was built with many materials. The wings were made of wood with a fabric covering while the fuselage had tough steel welded frame work, also covered in fabric. The plane was easy to fly and relatively forgiving for new pilots. It gained a reputation as a rugged plane and a great teaching implement. Though officially named the Boeing Model 75, the Stearman PT-17 was the name given to the aircraft by the army. More than 10,000 were built by the end of 1945. An estimated 800 are still flying today.
     John at Chardon Welding built a scale model of the PT-17 for a customer. The fabricated steel airplane will be used as a wind vane atop the customer's barn. Seen here unpainted, the plane is over four feet long and five feet wide.