They are very basic planes, everything opens up nice and is easy to work on. Only thing I can think of on the airframe that might be tricky is the brakes if it has the one piece shoes. Take the time to adjust them up even or they can be grabby. Air Repair and Dusters and Sprayers are good for parts, etc. The military erection manual should have everything you need.
Make sure that extensive annual includes a lot of extensive flight tests..... Get in the back seat, it has the best visibility. Adjust the seat at low as you can, don't think keeping it high will help you see. All you get up high is beat up in the airstream and your toes on the brakes when you don't want them to be. Down low you get a better sight reference down the fuselage. Adjust the rudder pedals forward so you are not dragging on the brakes. While taxiing find a reference point in the airplane that aligns with the horizon when 3 point, usually a valve on the engine. When you lift the tail on takeoff, try to remember the attitude and peripheral sight picture when running on the mains. Landing approaches should be power on. Stearmans are all drag and glide like a set of car keys power off. A Stearman flys by tearing a big hole in the sky and shoving itself through it. Make sure the right shoulder harness is loose enough so you can reach the carb heat. If you have someone in front and a intercom, it makes life easier to have them work the carb heat. Make a power on approach with a slight slip keeping your touchdown point in sight along side the fuselage. When close to the ground, kick it straight, put your head and shoulders back and set the mains on still carrying power. Set up extra high the first few landings, the gear is taller than you think, and you will probably bounce a few, always be ready for the go around. When you get both mains down with some weight on them and everything is pointed in the right direction, start pulling the power and easing stick forward as the tail comes down. Hold the tail off as long as possible and stick into any crosswind. Dance the rudder till everything is down and stopped. It's a heavy airplane and if you let it get to far away from you, you will be fixing a wing tip and aileron. Don't let the airplane intimidate you, stay in control, get lazy or passive and it will bite you. That's all there is to it, have fun.
And also, everyone should go out of their way to watch John Mohr fly his Stearman. Great pilot and a good guy. It's even more impressive to pilots who have flown stock Stearmans to see what he can make that airplane do.
Edit - Along with Air Repair, I forgot Dusters and Sprayers for parts, manuals, and info, etc.
www.airrepairinc.com
www.dustersandsprayers.com
