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This 1940 PT 17 Stearman belongs to Dick & Pauline Aaron.  The project was purchased January 16, 1999 at Shafter Field near Bakersfield, California.   It was a literal pile of parts plus a couple of parts engines.  The wings however were close to being coverable.  Restoration was completed with first flight on September 28th, 2002.  Dick did most of the work with a lot of help and painting by Big Sky Stearman and owner John Pike of Carver, Oregon.  The engines, mags, and carburetor were rebuilt by Aero Engines of Los Angeles, California.

This airplane was in the first order of 150 US Army PT 17's placed with and built by Boeing in Wichita, Kansas.  It was accepted and assigned to Love Field Dallas School, Dallas, Texas.  There ensued a variety of assignments in Georgia and Florida.  It was stricken from US Army records on June 25, 1945 at Eagle Field, Dos Palos, California.  This information was furnished by Mr. Ken Wilson of the Stearman Restorers Association and an aircraft historian.

There follows a succession of private owners with with a Ron Martin of Shafter, California being the last.  Log book shows no duster service or alteration in the plane's history.  It was last flown in 1951 prior to September 2002.

Over and above standard Stearman fittings, the aircraft is equipped with: