A Stearman Reborn-ZU-IESBy Ivan van der Schaar Photos by Willie BodensteinZU-IES started life in 1941 as a PT17 and was delivered to the US Army to train pilots at Devon Base in Florida. She shared the field with B17's, B25's and Mustangs. Her role was to train new recruits and get them ready for active duty on bigger more sophisticated war planes. According to records she had three landing incidents during her role as a trainer. In 1945 the Second World War was over and the large volumes of training were not needed any longer. Thousands of Stearmans and pilots were now suddenly surplus. The aircraft were offered to the public for sale and many crop dusting operators snapped these sturdy Bi-planes up to convert them to crop dusters. ZU-IES now having a grand total of 1500 hours followed suit. Her 220HP Motor was removed and replaced with a 450HP Pratt & Whitney. The front cockpit also got converted to carry a hopper. The main gear got converted to T6 brakes and wheels to carry the 2200lbs that was to be carried in the hopper..! The Stearman continued service right up until 1970 when disaster struck… She was involved in a Take-off accident whereby directional control was lost and she ended up going through a ditch and ended up in some trees. This was the end of the road for her, or was it? In 2000 the remains were imported to Bloemfontein. A huge amount of work was conducted including removing corrosion from the fuselage. In 2012 Sonica and I bought the aircraft and we started the restoration process.  Sonica, Jack & Ivan with fuselage in the background     The collection of parts  Loading for the long trip home PETIT 01.07.2012  Trying to make sense of it all   The parts are slowly finding their places  The odorous task of covering has started 26.07.2012   Cracks repaired and parts are spray painted  The horizontal stabilisers taking shape  The engine is hung for the first time 19.08.2012  Oil tank fitted, spray painting and covering continue   Seat and stick in and she is taking shape 06.10.2012  Fuselage fabric covering almost completed YEAR TWO-19.01.2013  Sonica starting probably the biggest task, the covering of the four wings  Ivan proving that men can iron 26.01.2013  One year into the built  Fuel tank & empennage installed, top of fuselage sheet metal work almost complete 04.09.2013     Whilst the seemingly never ending work on the covering of the wings continue the interior and engine is coming along well YEAR THREE 09.02.2014  Finally after what had seemed forever she got her wings 12.09.2014   Finally the big day! Engine start and first taxi runs. But then a huge setback with the paper work that nearly put an end to the rebuild YEAR FOUR 19.03.2015   And finally the ATF is issued and three year and one month later on Thursday afternoon 19th of March 2015 she took to the skies again. The test flight was uneventful and she continues to grace the skies… |
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