Fairchild PT-19

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_PT-19

The Fairchild PT-19 (company designation Fairchild M62) is an American Fairchild
Aircraft monoplane primary trainer aircraft that served with the United States
Army Air Forces, RAF and RCAF during World War II. It was a contemporary of the
Kaydet biplane trainer and was used by the USAAF during Primary Flying Training
as the introductory pre-solo phase trainer for introducing new pilots to flying
before passing them on to the more agile Kaydet. As with other USAAF trainers of
the period, the PT-19 had multiple designations based on the powerplant
installed.

The PT-19 series was developed from the Fairchild M-62 when the USAAC first
ordered the aircraft in 1940 as part of its expansion program. The cantilever
low-wing monoplane with fixed landing gear and tailwheel design was based on a
two-place, tandem-seat, open cockpit arrangement. The simple but rugged
construction included a fabric-covered welded steel tube fuselage. The remainder
of the aircraft used plywood construction, with a plywood-sheathed center
section, outer wing panels and tail assembly. The use of an inline engine
allowed for a narrow frontal area which was ideal for visibility while the
widely set-apart fixed landing gear allowed for solid and stable ground
handling.

The M-62 first flew in May 1939, and won a fly-off competition later that year
against 17 other designs for the new Army training airplane. Fairchild was
awarded its first Army PT contract for an initial order on 22 September 1939.

The original production batch of 275 were powered by the inline 175 hp Ranger
L-440-1 engine and designated the PT-19. In 1941, mass production began and
3,181 of the PT-19A model, powered by the 200 hp L-440-3, were made by
Fairchild. An additional 477 were built by Aeronca and 44 by the St. Louis
Aircraft Corporation. The PT-19B, of which 917 were built, was equipped for
instrument flight training by attaching a collapsible hood to the front cockpit.

When a shortage of engines threatened production, the PT-23 model was introduced
which was identical except for the 220 hp Continental R-670 radial powerplant. A
total of 869 PT-23s were built as well as 256 of the PT-23A, which was the
instrument flight-equipped version. The PT-23 was manufactured in the US by
Fairchild, Aeronca, St. Louis Aircraft Corporation and Howard Aircraft
Corporation and in Canada by Fleet Aircraft Corporation as well as Fabrica do
Galeao in Brazil (220 or 232 between 1944 and 1948).


Role
Trainer

Manufacturer
Fairchild Aircraft

Designer
Armand Thiebolt

First flight
15 May 1939

Introduction
1940

Primary users
United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Forces
Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Air Force

Number built
7,700+

Compared to the earlier biplane trainers, the Fairchild PT-19 provided a more
advanced type of aircraft. Speeds were higher and wing loading more closely
approximated that of combat aircraft, with flight characteristics demanding more
precision and care. Its virtues were that it was inexpensive, simple to maintain
and, most of all, virtually viceless. The PT-19 truly lived up to its nickname,
the Cradle of Heroes. It was one of a handful of primary trainer designs that
were the first stop on a cadet's way to becoming a combat pilot.

These planes were delivered to various bases all over the country by WASPs
(Women's Airforce Service Pilots) between 1942-1944.

Thousands of the PT-19 series were rapidly integrated into the United States and
Commonwealth training programs, serving throughout World War II and beyond. Even
after their retirement in the late 1940s, a substantial number found their way
onto the United States and other civil registers, being flown by private pilot
owners.

Specifications (PT-19A)

General characteristics
Crew: two (pilot, student)
Length: 28 ft 0 in (8.53 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m)
Height: 10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Wing area: 200 sq ft (19 m2)
Empty weight: 1,845 lb (837 kg)
Gross weight: 2,545 lb (1,154 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Ranger L-440-3 6-cyl. inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine,
200 hp (150 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 115 kn; 212 km/h (132 mph)
Range: 348 nmi; 644 km (400 mi)
Service ceiling: 15,300 ft (4,700 m)
Time to altitude: 17.5 min to 10,000 feet (3,000 m)





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