Serial Number

Model

Registration

Date of Manufacturing

ATC

Price (USD)

Engine

Propeller

Current Status

History

It was sold new on April 13th, 1937 to John J. Roulstone, who was a student at the Ryan School in San Diego. He learned to fly in this ship. Roulstone operated the airplane at Seal Beach, California, and eventually put on aerobatic demonstrations, exhibitions.

About 1939 or 1940, it was sold to Western Flying Service, and later on to the Aircraft Associates Flying School.

In early 1941 it was purchased by Aircraft Industries Corporation, (perhaps December 1940) In 1941 it was sold to L.S. Cook. Next owner was William H. Talbot and then to Clyde Schlieper and Roy Golding.

In 1946 it was registered to Peter Shupp and possibly the same year to James Frey.

About 1960 it was owned and flown extensively by Donald P. Carter, up to about 1968 or 1969, when he sold it to Dave R. Conoley. Conoley restored the aircraft to near new condition and started flying it around August 1975.

Sometime in 1977 for some unknown reason the aircraft was being flown by well known West Coast pilot, Jack Polk. It crashed and was destroyed, and Polk was killed.

In December 1982 Bill Rose purchased the remains of the airframe and the papers from Conoley. Rose applied to the FAA for registration N17346, which was issued and assigned to Ryan SN 149 on August 2nd, 1983.

Now a problem arises. From June 1980 to June 1981 the airplane was owned and operated by Don Sharp of Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma, and registered as Ryan ST-A, N17346, SN 149.

A major repair and alteration Form 337 was issued showing the owner to be Donald R. Sharp and dated June 8th, 1979. Photographs of a Ryan STM-2 or PT-20 exist which indicate it to be SN 488, N17346.

Sharp owned quite a number of vintage aircraft, as well as a Cessna dealership, and he also instructed and was involved in agricultural flying. He passed away on May 26, 2011, at the age of 78.

So, the question; is 488 an STM-2 or a PT-20? 488 is a serial number from a Dutch STM-2 batch. 488 was actually one of the seaplanes S-52 and was lost during

WWII. If a PT-20 then which original one is it? And how come Bill Rose has the papers?

However Sharp also owned and operated SN 458, Ryan STM-2 N17343, and this may be where the confusion lies, as Rose also previously owned that aircraft and applied the registration from SN 143, N17343 to SN 458. This may be a typing error between SN 488 and SN 458

Also see data sheet SN 143, and SN 458 for additional details.

Ownership History

• John J. Roulstone, Long beach, California;
• Western Flying Service, (Location Unknown);
• Aircraft Associates Flying School, Long beach, California;
• Aircraft Industries Corporation, Glendale, California;
• Lew.S. Cook, Cadet Air Academy, Big Pine, California;
• William H. Talbot, Long Beach, California;
• Clyde Schlieper and Roy Golding, Long Beach, California;
• Possibly James Frey, U.S. Navy, Bremerton, Washington;
• Donald P. Carter, San Francisco, California;
• Dave R. Conoley, DDS, Midland, Texas;
• William Rose, Barrington, Illinois; 
• Graham Hoskins, Melbourne, Australia.?

Current Ownership

Graham Hoskins

Notes

Via FAA records, N17346 is still shown as registered SN 149 with the owner shown as Bill Rose; expiry will be December 31, 2013.

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