YPT-15 or Saint Louis Street Car Aviation pic

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - YPT-15 or Saint Louis Street Car Aviation pic

Posted: 9/7/2010 6:30:11 PM EDT

Hey guys -
I was just given this twenty eight year old photo from a good friend of mine.
Sorry it is not very sharp but it is all there is.
This is a photo of me in a 1943 Stearman aircraft flying formation with one of my best friends who at the time owned the only flying YPT-15 (none are flying anymore).
It was one of the flying highlights of my life...
Bob - owned both of these aircraft at the time.
The engine on the YPT-15 in the pic is not stock.

Posted: 9/7/2010 6:33:00 PM EDT

[#1]

Awesome picture, thanks for sharing.

What engine did it have in that pic, do you remember?

Posted: 9/7/2010 6:40:52 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
Awesome picture, thanks for sharing.

What engine did it have in that pic, do you remember?

The engine was Wright Whirlwind R-975 with a modified cowling from some Beech aircraft that I can't remember...

Posted: 9/7/2010 6:43:07 PM EDT

[#3]

Id love to hear why it was converted. What happened to the plane?

Posted: 9/7/2010 6:49:10 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Id love to hear why it was converted. What happened to the plane?

Bob bought the plane as an abandoned crop duster and restored it to original except for the engine.
At the time (he is now) Bob was not into total restoration and at the time he wanted a big engine for performance so that's where the R-975 came in.
He eventually sold the airplane to someone who had money but apparently wasn't a very good pilot - shortly after it was sold the guy wrecked it on a bad landing and last I heard the plane is still in pieces.....

Posted: 9/7/2010 6:56:25 PM EDT

[#5]

The problem with really cool old airplanes is that they cost a lot of money, and there are a lot of people out there with more money than skills.

Posted: 9/7/2010 7:14:09 PM EDT

[#6]

Please help me out, which plane is which?

I assume the YPT-15 is the lower one in the picture, since it has a cowl, and the top one has the pistons out in the wind?

I know little about aircraft, and nothing about that era

Posted: 9/7/2010 7:22:55 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Please help me out, which plane is which?

I assume the YPT-15 is the lower one in the picture, since it has a cowl, and the top one has the pistons out in the wind?

I know little about aircraft, and nothing about that era

Yep - you got it correct.
The YPT-15 in its original design also had a Wright seven cylinder non cowled engine.

Posted: 9/7/2010 7:31:07 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Please help me out, which plane is which?

I assume the YPT-15 is the lower one in the picture, since it has a cowl, and the top one has the pistons out in the wind?

I know little about aircraft, and nothing about that era

Yep - you got it correct.
The YPT-15 in its original design also had a Wright seven cylinder non cowled engine.

Once, long ago, I went to the Antique Fly-in in Watsonville CA. Someone had a sign hanging from the prop that said something like:

"If God had meant for airplanes to have in-line cylinders, Curtiss Wright would have made them that way."

Posted: 9/7/2010 7:33:46 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Please help me out, which plane is which?

I assume the YPT-15 is the lower one in the picture, since it has a cowl, and the top one has the pistons out in the wind?

I know little about aircraft, and nothing about that era

Yep - you got it correct.
The YPT-15 in its original design also had a Wright seven cylinder non cowled engine.

Once, long ago, I went to the Antique Fly-in in Watsonville CA. Someone had a sign hanging from the prop that said something like:

"If God had meant for airplanes to have in-line cylinders, Curtiss Wright would have made them that way."

Ah yeah - Watsonville CA.
Both of the airplanes in my original post have been there many many times.....