Start here
A few places to begin, from the aircraft’s story to the people who fly it.
Meet the aircraft
The Model 75 served military training organizations in the United States and Canada during the Second World War. Stearman became part of Boeing in 1934, accounting for the aircraft's two familiar manufacturer names. Surplus examples later became agricultural aircraft, sport aircraft and airshow performers, giving the trainer a civilian life well beyond its original role.
Aircraft background
Wikipedia contributors · Read more ↗A childhood fascination finally reaches the cockpit
Murdock had admired biplanes since childhood, but his first Stearman lesson almost ended before it began. The intended aircraft would not start, and a replacement developed a brake problem. After a long wait and lunch at the hangar, the original aircraft finally came to life and everyone’s disappointment turned to relief. Flying it was more physical than he expected.
AOPA Pilot · November 2002. First Stearman lesson with instructor Bob Kraemer near St. Charles, Missouri; Continental-powered PT-17.
AOPA Pilot · Read more ↗Into the cockpit
YouTube GreatFlyer · 7 min ·
Boeing Stearman Biplane - Airshow Display Flight - AFW2014 - Takeoff, Aerobatics & Landing
A Stearman airshow sequence covering takeoff, aerobatics and landing.
Real aircraft · Boeing-Stearman Model 75
Watch on YouTube ↗Preview images are served by AirframeDB. Videos open on YouTube only when you choose to watch.
Meet Boeing-Stearman Model 75
The Model 75 served military training organizations in the United States and Canada during the Second World War. Stearman became part of Boeing in 1934, accounting for the aircraft's two familiar manufacturer names. Surplus examples later became agricultural aircraft, sport aircraft and airshow performers, giving the trainer a civilian life well beyond its original role.
Boeing-Stearman Model 75
Stearman → · Explore the family →
Boeing-Stearman Model 75
Wikipedia contributors · Boeing-Stearman Model 75 ↗Aircraft type designators
Use the code for the model you are flying. The linked authority lists the applicable aircraft.
History & design
The first aircraft for generations of military pilots
The Kaydet served the United States and Allied nations as a primary trainer from the late 1930s through the Second World War. Cadets learned their first flying skills in the biplane before progressing to more advanced aircraft. Its place in that early stage of training helps explain the personal attachment expressed by many former military pilots.
National Museum of the United States Air Force · Stearman PT-13D Kaydet ↗National Museum of the U.S. Air Force · Kaydet training role
Similar outlines, different engines and designations
The museum distinguishes the Lycoming-powered PT-13, Continental-powered PT-17 and Jacobs-powered PT-18. These designations describe related versions rather than entirely different basic aircraft. Restored civilian examples may have later engines and other modifications, so the configuration named in each pilot account matters.
National Museum of the United States Air Force · Stearman PT-13D Kaydet ↗National Museum of the U.S. Air Force · engine distinctions; restoration context also illustrated by the attributed accounts
Pilot accounts
A childhood fascination finally reaches the cockpit
Murdock had admired biplanes since childhood, but his first Stearman lesson almost ended before it began. The intended aircraft would not start, and a replacement developed a brake problem. After a long wait and lunch at the hangar, the original aircraft finally came to life and everyone’s disappointment turned to relief.
Flying it was more physical than he expected. He loved the open view, the engine sound and the sensation of turning above the Mississippi, while the rudder work and repeated manoeuvres left him tired. On the ground, the restricted forward view and tendency to change direction demanded attention. Watching his wife and instructor take their turns afterward, he was exhausted but envious. The day left him determined to learn the aircraft properly and, eventually, own a Stearman himself.
AOPA Pilot · November 2002. First Stearman lesson with instructor Bob Kraemer near St. Charles, Missouri; Continental-powered PT-17.
Read the full account · AOPA Pilot ↗Returning to the aircraft of his teenage years
As a teenager, Haenlein cycled to his uncle’s flying school, brought Stearmans out of the hangar and warmed their engines for the day’s lessons. He earned his pilot certificate in one, then followed a varied career that eventually brought him back to aviation. Years later, he kept searching for a Stearman despite considering other attractive vintage aircraft.
Sophie finally became his in 2014, just before Christmas. The cold delivery flight reminded him how exposed an open cockpit could be. He subsequently improved the seats and intercom while retaining the aircraft’s older character. Flying it still returned him to those early days on Long Island. He made time for people who wanted to ask about it and took veterans flying, valuing their connection to its history as much as the quiet pleasure it gave him on a calm morning.
Jill W. Tallman’s AOPA Pilot interview · September 2018. Ownership of Sophie, a restored 1941 Stearman fitted with a later Lycoming engine.
Read the full account · AOPA Pilot ↗A thank-you flight across generations
McVicker originally loaned his Stearman to a museum during the colder months, when its open cockpit was less inviting. A deployment extended the arrangement, and volunteers continued caring for the aircraft and explaining its history to visitors. After returning, he took eight of them flying to thank them for their help.
The first passenger was Maynard Nelson, who recalled learning to fly a Stearman seventy-two years earlier before serving as a wartime B-24 pilot. Nelson had also owned a Stearman himself and remembered the many people he had taken for rides. He appreciated receiving that experience in return, saying photographs could never fully communicate it.
Jessica B. Nelson’s U.S. Air Force report · October 2015. Joint interview following museum-volunteer flights at McClellan Airfield on 30 September 2015; exact Stearman variant not established by the article.
Read the full account · U.S. Air Force / Air Combat Command ↗In your simulator
Systems, equipment and documentation for each developer’s aircraft.
Compare simulator versions →MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024PT-17 Stearman
DC Designs · Released
PT-17 Stearman
DC Designs · Released
MSFS 2020Stearman Model 75
Golden Age Simulations · Released
Stearman Model 75
Golden Age Simulations · Released
Aircraft specifications
Published figures for the named real-aircraft variant. Simulator equipment and performance can differ.
| Specification | Published value |
|---|---|
| Length | 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m) |
| Wingspan | 32 ft 2 in (9.80 m) |
| Height | 9 ft 8 in (2.95 m) |
| Wing area | 298 sq ft (27.7 m² ) |
| Empty weight | 1,931 lb (876 kg) |
| Max takeoff weight | 2,635 lb (1,195 kg) |
| Powerplant | 1 × Continental R-670-5 7-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 220 hp (160 kW) |
| Propellers | 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller |
| Maximum speed | 124 mph (200 km/h, 108 kn) |
| Cruise speed | 96 mph (154 km/h, 83 kn) |
| Service ceiling | 13,200 ft (4,000 m) |
Manuals & resources
Find your next read
Choose a topic for a short introduction and a link to the original source. Simulator references identify the developer and edition they cover.
Pilot account
A childhood fascination finally reaches the cockpitAOPA Pilot · November 2002. First Stearman lesson with instructor Bob Kraemer near St. Charles, Missouri; Continental-powered PT-17.
Murdock had admired biplanes since childhood, but his first Stearman lesson almost ended before it began. The intended aircraft would not start, and a replacement developed a brake problem. After a long wait and lunch at the hangar, the original aircraft finally came to life and everyone’s disappointment turned to relief. Flying it was more physical than he expected.
Larry L. Murdock
AOPA Pilot · Read the source ↗Returning to the aircraft of his teenage yearsJill W. Tallman’s AOPA Pilot interview · September 2018. Ownership of Sophie, a restored 1941 Stearman fitted with a later Lycoming engine.
As a teenager, Haenlein cycled to his uncle’s flying school, brought Stearmans out of the hangar and warmed their engines for the day’s lessons. He earned his pilot certificate in one, then followed a varied career that eventually brought him back to aviation. Years later, he kept searching for a Stearman despite considering other attractive vintage aircraft. Sophie finally became his in 2014, just before Christmas. The cold delivery flight reminded him how exposed an open cockpit could be.
Ken Haenlein
AOPA Pilot · Read the source ↗Developer documentation
PT-17 Stearman — product listingPT-17 Stearman · MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
Product listing captured 2026-09-24; edition scope from the reviewed catalogue
DC Designs · Read the source ↗Stearman Model 75 — product listingStearman Model 75 · MSFS 2020
Product listing captured 2026-09-24; edition scope from the reviewed catalogue
Golden Age Simulations · Read the source ↗Read the original documentation from the people who created it. Manuals open on their publisher’s website.
Aircraft background
Boeing-Stearman Model 75Wikipedia contributors · Research background · retrieved 2026-09-12 Stearman PT-13D KaydetNational Museum of the United States Air Force · Museum fact sheet · primary-training role and engine variantsProduct
PT-17 StearmanKhamsin · Official developer / designated store catalogue · checked 2026-09-12 PT-17 Stearman exact product reviewDC Designs · Product listing captured 2026-09-24; edition scope from the reviewed catalogue Stearman Model 75Golden Age Simulations · Product listing captured 2026-09-24; edition scope from the reviewed catalogueType designator
ICAO Doc 8643 — aircraft type designatorsInternational Civil Aviation Organization · Public search data retrieved 2026-09-14; authority update 2026-09-03Built-in force-feedback profiles
Read the documentary basis, editable starting settings and remaining questions for the aircraft you fly. Each explanation refers to the exact profile revision shown.
Catalogue programme-20261022-v1 · 6 profile choices
DC Designs PT-17 Stearman
DC Designs · Free and Pro · Revision 3 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
DC Designs PT-17 Stearman: The biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier.
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman tandem
Golden Age Simulations · Free and Pro · Revision 3 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman tandem: The biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier.
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer
Golden Age Simulations · Free and Pro · Revision 3 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer: The biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier.
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman wingwalker
Golden Age Simulations · Free and Pro · Revision 3 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020 · MSFS 2024
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman wingwalker: The biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier.
Golden Age Simulations Boeing-Stearman Model 75
Golden Age Simulations · Free and Pro · Revision 3 · Inherited starting point
MSFS 2020
Golden Age Simulations Boeing-Stearman Model 75: The biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier.
Boeing-Stearman Model 75
Free and Pro · Revision 1 · Partial review
Aircraft reference · Manual starting point
Boeing-Stearman Model 75: The biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier.
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer
Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer: The biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier.
Aircraft and simulator scope
- Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer · Golden Age Simulations · MSFS 2020 · Add-on starting point
- Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer · Golden Age Simulations · MSFS 2024 · Add-on starting point
The simulator model and controls
The Model 75 served military training organizations in the United States and Canada during the Second World War. Stearman became part of Boeing in 1934, accounting for the aircraft's two familiar manufacturer names. Surplus examples later became agricultural aircraft, sport aircraft and airshow performers, giving the trainer a civilian life well beyond its original role.
This profile selects Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer for MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024.
How this profile feels
Spring resistance builds with the selected airspeed response. A separate aerodynamic term adds speed-dependent control load.
Valid trim provides the configured pressure relief. Autopilot following is off.
Controls and trim
Stearman packages span the military Model 75/PT-17 and higher-powered civilian Super Stearman conversions. Golden Age's IB75A uses a 450-hp R-985 and separates tandem, racer and wingwalker arrangements. DC Designs supplies a different PT-17 with tandem controls. Khamsin's X-Plane reference remains marked work in progress; engine and display differences do not imply a common installed product.
The selected implementation
Golden Age IB75A uses a 450-hp R-985 with tandem/racer/wingwalker configurations and persistent maintenance. Its native 2020/legacy 2024 scope does not establish different control forces for each fit.
About the values
The gains are normalized profile settings. They describe the chosen effect balance; hand force depends on the device and its output limits. IAS references are tuning values rather than operating limits. Physical acceptance of this revision remains pending.
Documentary review and sources
These decisions describe the documentary basis and remaining gaps for this revision. Aircraft documentation and a starting setting describe different kinds of evidence.
Aircraft and variant
InheritedThis profile selects Golden Age Simulations IB75A Super Stearman racer for MSFS 2020, MSFS 2024.
Flight controls
InheritedStearman packages span the military Model 75/PT-17 and higher-powered civilian Super Stearman conversions. Golden Age's IB75A uses a 450-hp R-985 and separates tandem, racer and wingwalker arrangements. DC Designs supplies a different PT-17 with tandem controls. Khamsin's X-Plane reference remains marked work in progress; engine and display differences do not imply a common installed product.
Trim
InheritedPitch relief remains a selected response to valid trim, without a measured control-neutral relationship from the retained product descriptions. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; roll authority is 0.
Autopilot and stability
InheritedAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel.
Equipment
InheritedGolden Age IB75A uses a 450-hp R-985 with tandem/racer/wingwalker configurations and persistent maintenance. Its native 2020/legacy 2024 scope does not establish different control forces for each fit.
Speeds and limits
InheritedThe indicated-speed references set the profile response scale; they are separate from aircraft operating limits.
Simulator integration
InheritedThe profile targets msfs2020, msfs2024. Add-on-specific controls use only the supported references configured by this profile.
Force-feedback settings
InheritedThe settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
Starting settings and their rationale
These configured values are starting estimates. The explanations describe what each setting controls; physical validation appears separately below.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyThe biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 55 KIAS. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 110 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value110 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value55.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.82 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.82 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
All 44 starting settings and their rationale
The settings define the profile’s effect balance. Device output limits affect physical hand force.
| Setting | Starting value | What it controls and why |
|---|---|---|
| Spring strength | Starting value0.74 | What it controls and whyThe biplane's nominal reversible-control loading is separate from engine power and airshow configuration; a 450-hp conversion does not set a yoke-force multiplier. The baseline spring is 0.74. Its low-speed blend reaches baseline strength at 55 KIAS. |
| Spring deadband | Starting value0.04 | What it controls and whySets travel around the centre before the baseline spring resists. Smaller values engage it sooner. |
| Profile force gain | Starting value0.8 | What it controls and whyThe aerodynamic-load gain is 0.8 with an indicated-speed reference of 110 KIAS. This supplies speed-dependent loading alongside the spring. |
| Master force gain | Starting value0.85 | What it controls and whyScales overall profile strength while preserving effect balance, subject to device and output limits. |
| QBlend Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows baseline spring strength to rise with indicated airspeed where the control law permits it. |
| QSpring Minimum Factor | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whySets low-speed spring strength as a fraction of baseline when blending is enabled. One keeps full strength. |
| QSpring Start Knots | Starting value8 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed spring blend starts rising. This is a feel threshold, not a flight limit. |
| Spring response reference speed | Starting value55.0 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS where the low-speed blend reaches baseline strength; high-speed stiffening also uses it. |
| Force tuning speed/reference | Starting value110 kt | What it controls and whySets the IAS reference for aerodynamic loading. It is an estimate, not published cruise TAS or a flight limit. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening gain | Starting value0.15 | What it controls and whyThe high-speed spring-stiffening gain is 0.15. It strengthens the permitted spring response above 55 KIAS, with the squared-speed ratio capped at 5. |
| Airspeed spring stiffening limit | Starting value5 | What it controls and whyLimits the squared airspeed ratio used for high-speed spring stiffening; it is not a device-force cap. |
| Aileron force scale | Starting value0.82 | What it controls and whyRoll and pitch aerodynamic scales are 0.82 and 1, respectively. They set the aerodynamic axis balance. No custom spring-travel curve is enabled. |
| Elevator force scale | Starting value1 | What it controls and whyScales pitch aerodynamic loading; pitch spring travel and trim responses are separate settings. |
| Output force limit | Starting value0.55 | What it controls and whyCaps directed-force output. Native spring effects and device limits remain separate. |
| Trim feel | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyRetained for compatibility and group membership. Trim relief, rather than this flag, controls centre movement. |
| Trim relief | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows trim relief with supported control law and valid telemetry. Axis authorities set its amount. |
| Elevator Authority | Starting value0.3 | What it controls and whyPitch relief remains a selected response to valid trim, without a measured control-neutral relationship from the retained product descriptions. Pitch authority 0.3 provides load relief and permitted centre movement; roll authority is 0. |
| Aileron Authority | Starting value0 | What it controls and whyScales supported roll-trim relief and permitted centre movement. Zero removes roll response. |
| Force Trim Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyEnables local force trim, separate from aircraft-owned trim and add-on integration qualification. |
| GLoad Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyAllows load-factor changes to modify permitted spring laws. Passive fly-by-wire feel can suppress it. |
| Rate Damping Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables rate damping with the configured coefficients and control law. |
| Autopilot follow | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyAutopilot following is off; the configured spring and load retain the hardware feel. |
| Autopilot follow authority | Starting value0.1 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP-follow gain, not a percentage of travel. Runtime ownership and input limits still apply. |
| Autopilot neutral hold | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits centering hold during a supported AP state, separate from following a moving target. |
| Autopilot neutral hold strength | Starting value0.6 | What it controls and whySets admitted AP neutral-hold strength; inactive while neutral hold is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables aerodynamic cues; each still needs nonzero strength and its simulator conditions. |
| Gain | Starting value0.35 | What it controls and whySets stall-buffet strength. Zero removes the cue without changing simulator stalls or warnings. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets high-Mach buffet strength; onset and full-strength thresholds are separate. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets flap buffet at the configured position and speed gates. Flap movement texture is separate. |
| Maximum flap index | Starting value3 | What it controls and whySets the final flap index for detent normalization. UP plus three detents uses maximum index3. |
| Minimum flap index | Starting value2 | What it controls and whySets the first flap detent that admits buffet; this is a handle index, not degrees. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets gear aerodynamic buffet; movement and ground-contact cues are separate. |
| Shaker Enabled | Starting valueDisabled | What it controls and whyPermits shaker at supported warning conditions; the switch does not establish aircraft equipment. |
| Stick shaker amplitude | Starting value0.5 | What it controls and whySets triggered shaker strength; inactive while the shaker feature is disabled. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables ground effects; each still needs its own strength and contact or motion telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.4 | What it controls and whySets rolling texture strength, modified by speed, surface and undercarriage configuration. |
| Gain | Starting value0.25 | What it controls and whySets gear-bump texture during ground motion, separate from touchdown impact. |
| Gain | Starting value0.65 | What it controls and whySets landing-impact strength; landing telemetry and response shape determine the pulse. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets reverse-thrust vibration with valid reverser and engine conditions. Zero removes the cue. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables engine cues with nonzero settings and valid running-engine telemetry. |
| Gain | Starting value0.12 | What it controls and whySets estimated engine vibration using configured telemetry and response, not measured cockpit vibration. |
| Enabled | Starting valueEnabled | What it controls and whyEnables accessory cues with configured strengths and observed accessory movement. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed flap movement; a command without movement does not establish the cue. |
| Gain | Starting value0 | What it controls and whySets texture from observed gear movement, separate from aerodynamic and touchdown effects. |
Limits and open questions
- Manual aerobatic biplane stick with more roll authority than the basicPT17 estimate. Shared architecture is retained across cabin/airshow variants.
- Pitch-only relief estimate; no invented roll trim or automatic balance correction for a wingwalker.
- No documented AP servo interface; follow/hold disabled.
- Wear/maintenance states have no qualified force channel. Current publisher host is unavailable; archived original product sheet and changelog retained.
- 110 KIAS is an estimated control-feel reference, not cruise TAS, V-speeds or an operating limit.
- Spring 0.74, lateral scale 0.82, trim relief 0.17/0; editable estimates, not measured hand forces.
- Physical and installed-aircraft checks are deferred. Save this profile as the aircraft default if telemetry omits its developer or configuration.
- Only actual accessory-position changes drive movement textures. No pressure-dependent failures, guessed servo outputs or input compensation.
Physical validation
No physical force validation is recorded in this public catalogue for this revision. Documentary review and software checks do not establish how a particular device feels.
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