Stearman Aircraft Company
Stearman Aircraft Division of the Boeing Aircraft Company

The Travel Air Manufacturing Company was in es¬sence Walter Beech, Lloyd Stearman and Clyde Cessna, all backed by Walter P. Innes. In 1926, Stearman quit to go it alone. Originally Stearman Aircraft Company, formed at Venice, California, by Lloyd Stearman in 1927. Stearman was already known in connection with Laird, Swallow, and Travel Air; the new company was formed by consolidating Lyle-Hoyt Aircraft Corporation (formerly West Coast distributor of Travel Air) and technical ability of Stearman.

Factory soon moved to Wichita, Kansas, building private and commercial aircraft and becoming part of United Aircraft and Transport Corporation. Types built included three-seaters, trainers and mailplanes.

In 1929 Lloyd Stearman sold his company to the ‘United Aircraft and Transport Corporation’. In September 1934 the group was split up and Boeing Air Transport, pulled out of this group and took the Stearman Aircraft Company with it as wholly owned subsidiary as the Wichita Division of Boeing.

Nevertheless, biplane trainers built throughout Second World War were persistently called Stearman. Basic type was Model 75, dating from 1936 and having numerous service designations; production totaled about 10,000. Name Kaydet (originally Canadian) not favored in U.S.A., where Army models had PT and Navy models NS designations. Some versions had enclosed cockpits. After Second World War some 4,000 of Model 75 converted for cropdusting.

1929: Absorbed Hamilton Metalplane Co.

1931: L C Stearman resigned to join Lockheed Corp, Burbank CA.

1931: Northrop Aircraft, Burbank, and Stearman Aircraft Corp, Wichita.

1936: Stearman-(Dean B) Hammond, Oakland CA.

1941: Stearman Aircraft Div, Boeing Airplane Co, Wichita.

July 1968: Reformed as Stearman Aircraft Corp, Washington DC.