WW2 US Army Air Force – SOLO REAR SEAT PLACARD DATA PLATE – PT-17 STEARMAN J-3

You are bidding on a VERY NICE original WW2 US Army Air Force Solo-Rear Seat Cockpit Placard! This type of identification plate was installed in tandem-seat aircraft to indicate that the aircraft was to be operated from the rear cockpit position when flown solo.

During the 1930s and 1940s, numerous American civilian and military training aircraft featured tandem seating arrangements, including the Boeing-Stearman PT-17 Kaydet and Piper J-3 Cub. Rear-seat solo-operation restrictions were commonly associated with aircraft weight-and-balance requirements, ensuring that the pilot’s position maintained the appropriate center of gravity during flight. Similar placards were used on several different aircraft types, although the exact aircraft model associated with this example has not been established.

Made of aluminum, this Data Plate is in EXCELLENT used condition! Some slight marks and  wear due to use and age, but nothing that detracts. The original “SOLO-REAR SEAT” inscription remains clearly legible, with both mounting holes intact. This came to me with a large quantity of WW2 Trainer, Liaison, and Reconnaissance aircraft parts. An ORIGINAL and increasingly difficult-to-find piece of Stinson aircraft equipment that would make a FANTASTIC addition to any vintage Stinson restoration, aircraft interior display, or advanced American aviation collection!