FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1944
1944 - 2212.PDF
t 452 FLIGHT OCTOBER 26TH, 1944 Studies in Recognition Aircraft in Flying Attitudes ALMOST every pilot in the U.S.A.A.F. and the U.S. •*"*• Navy has flown a Vultee Valiant, for it is used almost exclusively in the basic period of their training. Not long ago the production of the 10,000th Valiant at the Con solidated Vultee factory at Downey, California, was the occasion for a little ceremony there on the score that it marked the first time in the history of U.S. aviation that 10,000 aircraft of the same model had been built within the walls of a single factory. In the U.S. Army the Valiant is the BT-13A, and in the Navy the SNV-i. There is also the BT-13B (Army) or SNV-2 (Navy), but the difference is merely a matter of a change in the wireless and elec trical equipment. Yet another variant of the Valiant is the BT-15, which has a 420 h.p. Wright Whirlwind engine, but this is not used by the Navy. In fact, many A.A.F. BT-15 Valiants have been changed to BT-13S by replacing the Whirlwind by the Pratt and Whitney Wasp Jr. Top speed of the BT-13A is 182 m.p.h. The BT-15, with the lower-powered Whirlwind engine is 176 m.p.h. For purposes of comparison, the North American Harvard II (AT-6A) is also illustrated, since the two machines bear a general resemblance to each other and their overall dimensions are almost identical. There is, however, one very apparent difference, namely, that 1he Valiant has a fixed undercarriage while that of the Harvard (or Texan, to give it its A.A.F. name) is retractable. A glance at the top centre silhouette above, however, will show that the widely spaced, short legs of the Valiant's landing gear can easily be hidden from view and, when the aircraft is seen from a position only slightly above but well to one aide, the foreshortening of the wings greatly reduces their recognition value. In these circum stances the Valiant is most promptly identified by its tail assembly in which a (all, syrnetrically tapered fin and rudder is set appreciably in advance of the tapered tailplane. Another point which can be seen from almost, any position except dead ahead or astern is the comparatively long nose which projects well ahead of the leading edge. That of the Harvard is much shorter and the effect is accentuated by the bulge at the lead ing edge roots where the retracted wheels are housed. From the side view, the long "glasshouse" covering the two tandem cockpits is virtually the same on both machines, but in plan the wings of the Valiant are seen to be of high aspect ratio and moderately tapered on both edges to semi circular tips; those of the Harvard are backswept on the leading edge to angular tips and very slightly tapered on the trailing edge from the short, flat centre-section. Again, the tapered tailplane of the Valiant is in contrast to the "wing- nut" tailplane of the Harvard. Incidentally, the Harvard I, which w.is the first American aircraft to be ordered in quantity for the R.A.F., had semi circular wing tips and a curved trailing edge to the rudder. Moreover it was easily the noisiest thing flying, its ungeared Wasp engine with high airscrew tip speed making a terrific rasping sound. Dimensions of the Valiant are: Span 42ft., length 28ft., height 9ft. tin., wing area 238 sq. ft. The Vultee Valiant (BT-13) trainer has high aspect ratio wings and tail surfaces and a fixed undercarriage. Th3 triangular fin and rudder of the Harvard II, with trailing edge well aft of the elevators (left) could hardly be confused with the tall vertical surfaces of the Valiant's tail. All North American Harvards and Texans are characterised by the short radial - engined nose, wheels retracted close together right under the leading - edge wing roots and a pronounced backsweep. The raked, angular wing tips and "wingnut" tailplane mark ths Harvard II. The North American Harvard II (AT-6A) trainer has a short nose, backswept leading edge and retractable undercarriage.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
