Vultee BT-13 Vaillant

Vultee BT-13 Valiant

PaysUsa
RôleAvion d’entraînement
Premier volMars 1939
Construit9525

Lla Vultee BT-13 Vaillant était un avion d’entraînement de base américain de la Seconde Guerre mondiale construit par Vultee Aircraft pour l’United States Army Air Corps, et plus tard l’US Army Air Forces. Une variante ultérieure du BT-13 en service USAAC / USAAF était connue sous le nom de BT-15 Valiant, tandis qu’une version identique pour l’US Navy était connue sous le nom de SNV et était utilisée pour former des aviateurs navals pour l’US Navy et ses services frères, l’US Marine Corps et l’US Coast Guard

Source: Vultee BT-13 Valiant sur Wiki

Vultee BT-13 Valiant
PhotographeVladimir Yakubov
LocalisationMusée de la base aérienne de Travis
Photos102
Attendez, Recherche de photos Vultee BT-13 Valiant pour vous...
BT-13B Vaillant Se promener
PhotographeDon Busack
LocalisationInconnu
Photos17

Achetez-moi un caféAchetez-moi un café

Voir aussi :

Seconde Guerre mondiale : l’histoire visuelle définitive de la Blitzkrieg à la bombe atomique (DK Definitive Visual Histories) - Amazon Carte par carte de la Seconde Guerre mondiale (carte par carte de l’histoire du Danemark) - Amazon

Vultee BT-13B Valiant
PhotographeVladimir Yakubov
LocalisationSpectacle aérien de Hollister
Photos114

Lla « Basic » Step to Victory

Lla Vultee BT-13 Vaillant was the primary « Basic » trainer for the U.S. Army Air Forces during WWII. After cadets survived primary training in biplanes or light monoplanes like the PT-22, they moved to the BT-13. It was a larger, heavier aircraft designed to introduce students to more complex systems like two-way radios, landing flaps, and two-position controllable-pitch propellers. Despite its official name, almost every pilot who flew it knew it as the « Vibrator. » This was due to its tendency to shake violently at high speeds or during stalls, and the way the canopy windows would rattle during takeoff.

Attribute Technical Specification (BT-13A)
Rôle Formateur de base
Crew 2 (Student and Instructor)
Groupe motopropulseur 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 Wasp Junior radial
Horsepower 450 hp (336 kW)
Vitesse maximale 290 km/h (180 mph)
Cruising Speed 225 km/h (140 mph)
Construction Steel tube fuselage (forward), Semi-monocoque (aft)
Landing Gear Fixed (Non-retractable)

Design Engineering: The « Basic » Complexities

  • The Wasp Junior: The BT-13 was powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-985. This was a significant jump in power from primary trainers, giving students their first taste of a « real » radial engine. It featured a two-position Hamilton Standard propeller, teaching pilots how to manage RPM and manifold pressure.
  • Hybrid Fuselage: The BT-13 featured a unique construction. The forward section (cockpit area) was made of welded steel tubing covered by removable metal panels for easy maintenance, while the rear section was a light-alloy semi-monocoque structure.
  • Fixed Gear, Heavy Handling: Unlike the advanced AT-6, the BT-13 had fixed landing gear. This simplified maintenance but limited its top speed. Its heavy control feel was intentional, meant to prepare students for the physical effort required to fly heavy bombers and fighters.
  • Lla « SNV » Variant: The U.S. Navy also used the aircraft extensively, designating it the SNV. Aside from minor equipment differences, it was essentially the same rugged « Vibrator » used by the Army.

Legacy: The « vaillant » Movie Star

  • Mass Production: Over 9,500 BT-13s were built. During the peak of the war, Vultees Downey, California plant was turning out one aircraft every few minutes using a revolutionary (for the time) powered assembly line.
  • Hollywood Zero: Because of its general shape and the availability of surplus airframes, dozens of BT-13s were modified after the war to look like Japanese Aichi D3A « Val » dive bombers or Nakajima B5N « Kate » torpedo bombers for films like Tora! Tora! Tora! Et The Midway.
  • Lla « BT-15 »: When the supply of Pratt & Whitney engines ran low, Vultee equipped the airframe with the Wright R-975 engine, resulting in the BT-15. Pilots generally preferred the BT-13, as the Wright engine was considered more temperamental.
  • Post-War Utility: Many surplus BT-13s were used by crop dusters and private owners after 1945. Today, they are cherished warbirds, prized for their relatively affordable operation and the authentic 1940s radial engine experience they provide.

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