The 1942 Stearman Next Door

We explore the allure and cost of restoring a classic warbird trainer.

Thursday, April 20, 2023 at 01:47 PM ET

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This 1942 Stearman has lived in the hangar next to ours for many years. We plan to get better-acquainted with our neighbor. [Credit: Jonathan Welsh]

Key Takeaways:

The author discovered a dormant Boeing Stearman, idle for 15 years, in a neighboring hangar, which is for sale for $70,000 and includes a spare engine.
Restoring the Stearman is identified as an extremely costly and time-consuming endeavor, with estimates suggesting expenses could exceed the price of an already airworthy model.
Despite initial intrigue, the author acknowledges that the restoration project is beyond their personal capacity and budget, though they are curious to learn about the steps involved.

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Antiques have never been a big part of my life, but certain old things can be fun, like my 1982 Suzuki GS1100 motorcycle. It was a hot ride when I was in high school and it took me until a few years ago to get my hands on one. It is about as much nostalgia as I can handle. Or so I thought until recently.

Early this year I was taxiing to our hangar after a flight when I noticed our next-door neighbor’s bay door was open. From a distance I could see an exposed radial engine, long narrowly spaced landing gear and two stout wings—a Boeing Stearman.