One flew for the first time at our club last week. It was flown by one of the better pilots at the club, but it was really impressive in the air. There was a fair amount of wind, about 15 to 18 mph. It was flown immediately after a Christian Eagle which everyone thought was an equivalent airplane. Same motors I believe, but no comparison in the air. In the breeze the Eagle often struggled to penetrate. The Stearman just blew through the wind like it was not there. It was not flown with the hammer down either. But it flew very crisply. All the manoevers, upline, downline, veriticle, everywhere were crisp and it was very unaffected by the wind. Very impressive. The pilot was also very impressed in it. Coming from him it was high praise. The Eagle pilot had high praise for his plane as well, but you could tell, there was no comparison in the two planes. Sorry I cannot relate exactly what power was in the Stearman, the Christian had a Moike 180. Someone said that was what was in the Stearman, but I doubt it. Still I cannot varify it right now.

bob branch