Wednesday, October 6, 2021

MSU to display WWII plane at show

STARKVILLE, Miss. - A Boeing Stearman biplane owned by Mississippi State University’s Raspet Flight Research Laboratory will be on display at the Wings Over Winston Airshow in Louisv8ille, Miss., on Oct. 9Gates open for the free event at 9:30 a.m. The airshow begins at 11 a.m. Raspet is know for its unmanned aircraft systems research, but has a history in manned aviation that continues to this day, according to Tom Brooks, director of the Raspet Flight Lab. The 1940s-era Boeing Stearman PT-17 serves as the centerpiece of Raspet’s manned aircraft fleet. Stearman biplanes are best known for training U.S. Army Air Corps and Navy pilots during WWII. Acquired by MSU from the Army in 1950, the Stearman was used by August Raspet – for whom the lab is named. The plane, which has fabric-covered wings, was upgraded with a new engine and still flies regularly. The Raspet Flight Research Laboratory is the nation’s leading academic research center dedicated to the advancement of unmanned aircraft systems. (Source: MSU 10/05/21)

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