World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseThe two-seat BT-13 Valiant trainer aircraft were used in the second phase of the three-phase training program for US Army pilots. The initial design featured retractable gears and a powerful 600hp engine, but because they were to be used only for training purposes, the US Army Air Corps requested that only fixed gears were necessary, and a smaller and cheaper engine should be used. The resulting design became one of the most famous trainer aircraft in the US during WW2. The first order was placed for 300 aircraft in Sep 1939. During the training process, BT-13 and BT-15 (which featured a Wright engine instead of a Pratt & Whitney engine) aircraft were used during the second of a three-phase program, giving the student pilots a sense of what a more powerful combat aircraft might feel like. The US Navy also used them for training; the aircraft used by the Navy were designated SNV-1 and SNV-2B depending on engine specification. When production ceased in 1944, 11,537 Valiant aircraft of all models were built.

ww2dbaseAfter the war, many BT-13 Valiant aircraft were sold as surplus at cheap prices. Many civilians bought them to salvage the engine for their cropdusters, while others bought them for recreation use. Some of the latter were modified in appearance to look like Japanese attack aircraft for film-making purposes; they could be seen in the 1970 film "Tora Tora Tora" and the 2001 film "Pearl Harbor".

SPECIFICATIONS

BT-13 / SNV-1

Machinery	One Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 Wasp Junior radial engine rated at 450hp
Crew	2
Span	12.80 m
Length	8.79 m
Height	3.51 m
Wing Area	22.00 m²
Weight, Empty	1,531 kg
Weight, Maximum	2,039 kg
Speed, Maximum	290 km/h
Service Ceiling	6,600 m
Range, Normal	1,167 km

BT-15 / SNV-2B

Machinery	One Wright R-975-11 Whirlwind 9 radial engine rated at 450hp
Crew	2
Span	12.80 m
Length	8.79 m
Height	3.51 m
Wing Area	22.00 m²
Weight, Empty	1,531 kg
Weight, Maximum	2,027 kg
Speed, Maximum	268 km/h
Service Ceiling	6,600 m
Range, Normal	1,167 km

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