Curtiss-Wright AT-9

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss-Wright_AT-9

The Curtiss-Wright AT-9 Jeep was a twin-engined advanced trainer aircraft used
by the United States during World War II to bridge the gap between
single-engined trainers and twin-engined combat aircraft. The AT-9 had a
low-wing cantilever monoplane configuration, retractable landing gear and was
powered by two Lycoming R-680-9 radial engines.

Curtiss-Wright anticipated the requirement for this type of "high-performance"
aircraft and designed the Curtiss-Wright CW-25, a twin-engined trainer, which
possessed the takeoff and landing characteristics of a light bomber. Using the
same basic design as the larger Cessna AT-17 Bobcat, the new CW-25 was designed
to simulate the demands of multi-engined operations. The design featured a small
layout, grouping two Lycoming R-680-9 radial engines forward and using a
retractable tailwheel landing gear to achieve the performance necessary to meet
the requirements of an advanced trainer. The single CW-25 prototype acquired for
evaluation had a welded steel-tube fuselage structure with the wings, fuselage
and tail unit fabric-covered.


Role
Advanced twin-engined trainer

Manufacturer
Curtiss-Wright Corporation

First flight
1941

Primary users
United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force

Produced
1941–1943

Number built
792 (including prototype and AT-9A variant)

The first prototype Model 25 flew in 1941 and the production version entered
service as the AT-9 in 1942. Named the "Fledgling" by Curtiss-Wright, it
commonly became known as the "Jeep" in the United States Army Air Forces
(USAAF). The prototype CW-25 had a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage and
fabric-covered wings and tail units, but production AT-9s were of stressed metal
skin construction.

The AT-9 was purposely designed to be less stable and proved to be difficult to
fly or land, which made it particularly suitable for teaching new pilots to cope
with the demanding flight characteristics of a new generation of
high-performance, multi-engined aircraft such as the Martin B-26 Marauder and
Lockheed P-38 Lightning. Comedian George Gobel was a trainer at Army air bases
in Oklahoma for both the AT-9 and B-26.

A total of 491 AT-9s were built before production ended and a new production run
of 300 of the generally similar AT-9A commenced.

Because of its difficult flying characteristics the AT-9 was not offered for
sale to civilians after the war, although many non-flying examples were given to
ground schools for training purposes.

Variants

CW-25
Prototype with fabric covered fuselage and tail surfaces

AT-9
Production aircraft with stressed-skin covering and two Lycoming R-680-9 radial
engines, 491 built.

AT-9A
AT-9 with Lycoming R-680-11 radial engines and revised hydraulic system, 300
built before production ended in February 1943.
Two AT-9s survive today with one AT-9A on permanent display at the National
Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. This aircraft required
extensive restoration, and was the product of the museum staff incorporating two
incomplete airframes together, along with parts fabricated on site. While the
wreckage of an AT-9A recovered from a crash site in 2003 was turned over to the
Pima Air & Space Museum for restoration, the aircraft is incomplete and will
require a long and extensive restoration for display.

Specifications (AT-9)

General characteristics
Crew: 2
Length: 31 ft 8 in (9.65 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 4 in (12.29 m)
Height: 9 ft 10 in (3.00 m)
Wing area: 233 sq ft (21.6 m2)
Airfoil: root: NACA 23015.9 ; tip: NACA 4410
Empty weight: 4,494 lb (2,038 kg)
Gross weight: 6,060 lb (2,749 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Lycoming R-680-9 , 295 hp (220 kW) each
Propellers: 2-bladed propellers

Performance
Maximum speed: 197 mph (317 km/h; 171 kn)
Cruise speed: 175 mph (282 km/h; 152 kn)
Range: 750 mi (652 nmi; 1,207 km)
Service ceiling: 19,000 ft (5,800 m)
Time to altitude: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) in 8 minutes 36 seconds





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