Ryan STA-Special

1934

Back to the Virtual Aircraft Museum
  LIGHT FIGHTERVirtual Aircraft Museum / USA / Ryan  

Ryan STA-Special

In the mid 'thirties, Ryan offered a single-seat armed version of its tandem two-seat STM primary trainer, which, in turn, had been derived from the S-T initially flown on 8 June 1934. Dubbed STA-Special, the single-seater was powered by a 150hp Menasco C4S air-cooled engine, and a second batch of six ordered in December 1938 for the Guatemalan Cuerpo de Aviacion Militar were each fitted with two 7.7mm wing-mounted guns and referred to as light fighters.

Comments1-20 21-40
Doug Harwell, e-mail, 05.07.2010 07:58

Many of the old timers will remember seeing the STA (N17532)on display in the Nut Tree Resturant in Vacaville, CA. After the place closed, I was fortunate to be able to aquire the airplane from Ed Power and bring it to North Georgia where it was totally restored by Barnstormer's Workshop in Williamson, GA (my brother's place) and is flown regularly today. This experience partially satisfied a life long goal I had set when I was a 6 yr. old kid (62 now) watching my father licsens an STA in an old T-Hanger (1953). Unfortunately, the desk doctors in Okla. City one fine day decided that they did not like my medical condition, so I never actually got to fly the plane. But, just to own it and be able to slip into the cockpit and sit for a while was an experience I'll never forget. If you have an opportunity to own, fly or just get near one, don't miss it. Fred barber, we miss seeing you, hope you are doing well out there. Thanks, Doug Harwell

reply

Jim Sinclair, e-mail, 24.01.2010 06:06

Antimo,I bought a 1941 Ryan PT-22 from USC aeronautical in California in 1954. I flew it over 200 hours. I took aerobatics in it and found it would do most any thing after you learned how to manage your airspeed and altitude. The stall speed was a little high so I always turned base at 95 mph and over the fence at 90 mph and touched down no less than 78 mph. It would snap roll with you very quickly. I also fly RC and would not be afraid of the STA just keep the speed up on landing.In fact, my friend owned a STA during the same time and he still has it. It was about 6 MPH faster then my PT-22. I have 1 /4 scale plans for a PT-22 that I intend to build someday, I hope. Good luck!!

reply

Jim Sinclair, e-mail, 24.01.2010 06:05

Antimo,I bought a 1941 Ryan PT-22 from USC aeronautical in California in 1954. I flew it over 200 hours. I took aerobatics in it and found it would do most any thing after you learned how to manage your airspeed and altitude. The stall speed was a little high so I always turned base at 95 mph and over the fence at 90 mph and touched down no less than 78 mph. It would snap roll with you very quickly. I also fly RC and would not be afraid of the STA just keep the speed up on landing.In fact, my friend owned a STA during the same time and he still has it. It was about 6 MPH faster then my PT-22. I have 1 /4 scale plans for a PT-22 that I intend to build someday, I hope. Good luck!!

reply

Lindsey Parsons, e-mail, 03.01.2010 21:06

I was the happy owner of N18921, an STA Special back in the late 1950's. As I recall I put about 400 hours on it, mostly in local area acrobatics. I had replaced the original engine with a brand new D-4 Menasco I obtained from Canada in it's factory crate. I flew my first air show in this airplane. We rigged up a crude "sling shot" fuel pump on the intake manifold for an inverted fuel system and it worked (more or less) for reasonably short duration outside maneuvers. Outside loops were a real trip in this bird due to it's large radius and resulting high indicated air speeds. I recall one occasion where a high inverted G maneuver caused a crack in the soft aluminum oil tank which resided on top of the Menasco case and I was suddenly drenched in hot , dirty oil ! It was a huge job later to clean out all the oil from around the body rivets and the forward cockpit aluminum cover. In all the time I owned the airplane, I never had that cover off for anything but inspections so I don't have a realistic idea how the bird would perform with a passenger. My Menasco was rated at something like 130 BHP and, although ample, it certainly wasn't over powered. I managed to own a number of fine airplanes after the STA but none were even half so beautiful. I used to hear some of the hanger talk about how "tricky" this bird was to operate and it was total nonsense. It was a very honest airplane to fly and one that had decent ground handling characteristics also. The only operational trouble I ever had with the bird was having snow stuff up the wheel pants and cause excessive drag on the tires and a propensity for that damn magnesium intake manifold to crack due to the heavy weight of the carburetor mounted on it under high positive G maneuvers. It's a GREAT airplane and it was a privilege to have been it's caretaker for a few years !!!

reply

Shane Papps, e-mail, 25.08.2008 09:39

I am an STM pilot and have loged 250 hrs in S53 sn 489, can confirm Freds coments, ,The STM has no sweep back , the pt 22 has, and the difference is the pt 22( radial kinner) will spin and catch you if you are not onto it , I also have good times in a pt 22, they are 2 completly different aircraft. The STM is however a very reluctant plan to get to spin, . Hey Fred Barber, touch base with me please am interested in the machines and history you have mate .

reply

Don Stubbs, e-mail, 01.05.2008 04:34

My dad was one of the test pilots /engineers that worked for Ryan during the 30's. He did some of the testing on the SC, St and Sta's. He also worked very closely with T. Claude Ryan. Have many pix. of the factory and the making of a movie for Myrna Loy and Clark Gable in "Test Pilot"

reply

John Nielsen, e-mail, 28.04.2008 01:43

Fred,
Are you interested in selling an ST-A? I'm a big fan of this aircraft and want to own one.
Thanks.

reply

fred Barber, e-mail, 23.02.2008 18:33

I have four full size STAs. Your posting is a year old and I did not know if you were still interested in the STA. There is no wing sweep in any of the STAs.
All of the PT-21s and PT-22s had it. The reference to the STM is a misnomer. The STAs built against military contracts are refered to as STMs but in fact they are standaed STAs. My first STA was a fighter from Guatamala with the machine guns on the wings. I still have it. Sincerely Yours Fred Barber

reply

Anonymous, 17.12.2020 fred Barber

Fred, larry lee in Atlanta. Would love to talk STA with you sometime. 404-290-2267

reply

antimo de rosa, e-mail, 02.03.2007 20:39

I'm a rc modeller and i'm tring to built this airplane scale 1 /4. I have some dubt about sweepback angle of the wing; I found that the PT22 the latest military version of the Ryan STM with radial engine, has 4 deg of positive sweepback. I'd like to know if this was a subseguent modification or also the early models STA have too? Thanks a lot Antimo from Rome Italy

reply

1-20 21-40

Do you have any comments?

Name    E-mail


COMPANY
PROFILE


All rhe World's Rotorcraft AVIATION TOP 100 - www.avitop.com Avitop.com