{"product_id":"lindberg-77314-russell-casses-stearman-pt-17-independence-day-1-48-plastic-model-aircraft-kit","title":"Lindberg 77314 Russell Casse's Stearman PT-17 — Independence Day — 1:48 Plastic model aircraft kit","description":"\u003cp\u003eManufacturer — Lindberg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLindberg is one of the long-established names in American plastic model kit production. Its roots go back to the pioneering American model industry of the 1940s and 1950s, when companies such as O-Lin, Lindberg and related firms helped establish inexpensive injection-moulded plastic kits as a mainstream hobby.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLindberg's catalogue became particularly broad, covering aircraft, cars, ships, military subjects and science-fiction\/movie subjects. The company was often associated with relatively straightforward kits intended to be accessible to younger modellers as well as established hobbyists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1996 Stearman kit is particularly interesting because it was not simply a conventional reissue of a military trainer. It was marketed as a tie-in to the film Independence Day, released in 1996, and represents the Stearman flown by the character Russell Casse, played by Randy Quaid.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eConsequently, the kit has two identities for collectors: it is a 1:48 Stearman PT-17 plastic kit, and it is also a piece of 1990s film merchandise.\n\u003cbr\u003eWhat is in the kit?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit is identified as:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Lindberg 77314\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Stearman PT-17\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    1:48 scale\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    1996 production\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Plastic construction\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Unassembled kit\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Russell Casse \/ Independence Day subject\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMarketplace records describe it as a vintage Lindberg aircraft kit and specifically identify the subject as the Stearman PT-17.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe kit depicts the rugged open-cockpit biplane used by Russell Casse in the film. Because the real Stearman existed in several visually similar configurations, it is worth distinguishing the PT-17 designation from the general \"Stearman\" name.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe PT-17 was the Continental R-670-powered Army version of the Model 75. The Continental engine produced approximately 220 hp. Other Model 75 aircraft were designated PT-13 or PT-18 depending upon the engine installed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAt 1:48 scale, the finished aircraft should be approximately:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Length: 190 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Wingspan: approximately 204–208 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThose dimensions are calculated from the full-size aircraft's approximately 7.54 m length and 9.81 m upper-wing span.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe film connection — Independence Day\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis particular Lindberg release is based around the Stearman belonging to Russell Casse, a crop-duster and former military pilot in Independence Day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft plays an important role in the character's story. Russell is initially portrayed as an eccentric crop-duster and recovering alcoholic, but the film establishes that he was previously a military pilot. During the alien invasion, he eventually volunteers to fly a combat mission despite having no modern fighter aircraft available to him.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe film famously has Russell fly his agricultural Stearman against an alien fighter. This gives the otherwise elderly biplane a memorable role in the movie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Lindberg kit therefore represents a fictionalised cinematic aircraft, rather than necessarily reproducing one specific historically preserved PT-17 in its original wartime configuration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe contemporary listing information explicitly identifies the model as Russell Casse's Stearman PT-17 and gives the Independence Day connection.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe real aircraft — Boeing-Stearman Model 75\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe full-size aircraft represented by the model is the famous Stearman Model 75 Kaydet, one of the most recognisable American training aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft's origins go back to Stearman Aircraft Company of Wichita, Kansas. The design evolved from earlier Stearman biplanes and the Model 70. The Model 75 first flew during the mid-1930s and subsequently became one of the principal primary trainers used by the U.S. military.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft was conventional but extremely robust. It was a large, fabric-covered, two-seat biplane with:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    tandem open cockpits\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    fixed tailwheel landing gear\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    radial engine\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    welded steel-tube fuselage\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    wooden\/fabric-covered wings\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    two-seat student\/instructor arrangement\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe construction was deliberately rugged because student pilots could be expected to make mistakes during their earliest flying experience. The aircraft consequently acquired a reputation as an excellent trainer.\n\u003cbr\u003eBoeing takes over Stearman\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eStearman Aircraft became part of Boeing, and production continued under Boeing's control.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough the aircraft consequently became a Boeing product, the name \"Stearman\" remained overwhelmingly more familiar among pilots and the public.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the Second World War, the aircraft became one of America's principal primary trainers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt was used by both the:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    U.S. Army Air Corps \/ U.S. Army Air Forces\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    U.S. Navy\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Navy aircraft were generally designated N2S, while Army aircraft received designations such as PT-13, PT-17 and PT-18, depending primarily upon the engine installation.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe PT-17\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe particular aircraft represented by this Lindberg kit is the PT-17.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe PT-17 was powered by the Continental R-670-5, a seven-cylinder air-cooled radial producing approximately 220 horsepower.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis was particularly important because wartime demand for the Stearman outstripped the availability of some engines. Rather than relying on one engine manufacturer, the basic Model 75 airframe could accommodate different radial engines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe resulting designations included:\n\u003cbr\u003eDesignation Engine\n\u003cbr\u003ePT-13 Lycoming R-680\n\u003cbr\u003ePT-17 Continental R-670\n\u003cbr\u003ePT-18 Jacobs R-755\n\u003cbr\u003ePT-27 Canadian Lend-Lease version\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe PT-17 was produced in substantial numbers, with approximately 2,942 delivered according to the detailed variant breakdown.\n\u003cbr\u003eTraining America's wartime pilots\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Stearman's real historical importance goes considerably beyond its attractive appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThousands of American military pilots encountered the aircraft at the beginning of their flying careers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Stearman was deliberately a relatively low-performance aircraft compared with the fighters and bombers its graduates would eventually fly. This gave instructors an opportunity to teach fundamental skills including:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    takeoff and landing\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    stalls\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    spins\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    aerobatics\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    navigation\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    formation flying\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    emergency procedures\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts open cockpits provided excellent visibility and its sturdy construction tolerated the sort of abuse associated with elementary flight training.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft has therefore become closely associated with the enormous expansion of American military aviation immediately before and during the Second World War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Stearman Fly-In organisation describes the Model 75 as having trained a generation of wartime pilots and notes that approximately 8,428 Model 75 airframes were completed, excluding the additional parts\/spares that sometimes account for the larger published figure of 10,346.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere is consequently some variation in published production totals. The 8,428 completed Model 75 figure is useful when discussing the actual airframes, while larger figures can include other Model 70\/75\/76 production and spare assemblies.\n\u003cbr\u003eSpecifications of the full-size aircraft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor a typical PT-17\/Model 75 configuration:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Crew: 2\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Length: 24 ft 9 in \/ 7.54 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Wingspan: approximately 32 ft 2 in \/ 9.81 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Height: approximately 9 ft 8 in \/ 2.95 m\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Wing area: 298 sq ft \/ 27.7 m²\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Empty weight: approximately 1,931 lb \/ 876 kg\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Maximum take-off weight: approximately 2,635–2,950 lb depending upon configuration\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Engine: Continental R-670-5\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Power: approximately 220 hp\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Maximum speed: approximately 135 mph \/ 217 km\/h\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Cruise: approximately 96 mph \/ 155 km\/h\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    Fuel: approximately 46 US gallons\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Canadian Aviation Museum gives the PT-17's 7.54 m length, 9.81 m span, 1,931 lb empty weight, 2,635 lb maximum take-off weight and 220 hp Continental R-670-5.\n\u003cbr\u003eLife after military service\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most interesting aspects of the Stearman's history is what happened after the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThousands of surplus aircraft became available to civilians. The Stearman proved particularly useful because of its rugged construction, large wing and relatively simple mechanical design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMany aircraft were converted into agricultural aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe front cockpit could be replaced or modified to accommodate a chemical hopper, while pumps and spray equipment were installed beneath the wings. The resulting crop-dusters became an important part of American agricultural aviation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is particularly relevant to the Lindberg movie kit because Russell Casse is depicted as a crop-duster. Thus, the movie version connects directly with a genuine and extensive post-war use of the real aircraft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOther surviving Stearmans became:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    aerobatic aircraft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    airshow performers\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    private sport aircraft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    museum aircraft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    warbird restorations\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e    film aircraft\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA surprisingly large number remain airworthy today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Canadian Aviation Museum notes that many surviving examples continue to fly with private owners, airshow pilots and restoration organisations.\n\u003cbr\u003eThe Stearman in popular culture\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Stearman has appeared in numerous films and television productions because its unmistakable appearance immediately communicates an earlier era of aviation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIts post-war crop-dusting career also gave it a second cultural identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft is particularly memorable in Alfred Hitchcock's North by Northwest, where a crop-dusting Stearman is involved in the famous aerial pursuit sequence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe aircraft's cinematic career ultimately made it familiar to people who might never have encountered the type in an aviation museum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Lindberg 77314, however, is especially interesting because it is explicitly tied to Independence Day, rather than merely being a generic Stearman kit.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lindberg","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57509849923964,"sku":"Lindberg-77314","price":19.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/sussex-model-centre.co.uk\/products\/lindberg-77314-russell-casses-stearman-pt-17-independence-day-1-48-plastic-model-aircraft-kit","provider":"Sussex Model Centre","version":"1.0","type":"link"}