Vultee BT-13 Valiant

Basic Trainer Aircraft (1939)

Aviation / Aerospace

1 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

2 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

3 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

4 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

5 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

6 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

7 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

8 / 8

Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

❮ ❯

The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was one of the more outstanding trainer aircraft of World War 2.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/26/2017 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Advertisements

The BT-13 Valiant was a stellar trainer aircraft used for basic flight training and for blind instrument training throughout World War 2. The rear cockpit was equipped with a curtain that could be moved forward to cover the student pilot's vision, forcing him to fly by the aircraft by the five basic instruments: altimeter, air-speed indicator, compass, bank and turn indicators, and an optional tachometer. The BT-13 series differed slightly from the training offered with the AT-6 Texan in that it did not have retractable landing gear. The first delivery to the military was in 1942.

The BT-13 series spawned a few variants including a "A" and a "B" model, both fitted with Pratt & Whitney brand engines. The BT-15 appeared along with the introduction of Wright radial engines to help handle rising production needs. The United States Navy operated the BT-13A and BT-13B as the SNV-1 and SNV-2 respectively. Total production of the BT Valiant series as a whole amounted to over 11,500 examples, some which still fly in the hands of private collectors today.

Specifications

Service Year

1939

Origin

United States

Crew

2

Production

11,537
UNITS

Vultee Aircraft - USA

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

Australia; Chile; China; Egypt; France; Honduras; Peru; Soviet Union; United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Training (General)
Developed ability to be used as a dedicated trainer for student pilots (typically under the supervision of an instructor).

Length

28.7 ft
(8.76 m)

Width/Span

42.2 ft
(12.86 m)

Height

12.3 ft
(3.75 m)

MTOW

4,365 lb
(1,980 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the Vultee BT-13A Valiant production variant)

Installed: 1 x Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 Wasp Jr 9-cylinder radial engine developing 450 horsepower.

Max Speed

183 mph
(295 kph | 159 kts)

Ceiling

16,503 ft
(5,030 m | 3 mi)

Range

513 mi
(826 km | 1,530 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Vultee BT-13A Valiant production variant. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database. View aircraft by powerplant type)

None.

V-51 - Prototype

BC-51 - Prototype Designation for USAAC contract competition.

VF-51 - Based on the BC-51 prototype

VF-54 - Refined VF-51 design

VF-54A - Revised VF-54 model

BT-13 USAAC Base Production Model Designation; 300 initially ordered.

BT-13A - Fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines.

BT-13B - Fitted with Pratt & Whitney engines.

SNV-1 - US Navy designation for the BT-13A series.

SNV-2 - US Navy designation for the BT-13B series.

BT-15 - Fitted with Wright-series R-975 radial engine.

Military lapel ribbon for Operation Allied Force

Military lapel ribbon for the Arab-Israeli War

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Britain

Military lapel ribbon for the Battle of Midway

Military lapel ribbon for the Berlin Airlift

Military lapel ribbon for the Cuban Missile Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for pioneering aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War

Military lapel ribbon for the French-Indochina War

Military lapel ribbon for the Golden Age of Flight

Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War

Military lapel ribbon for the Indo-Pak Wars

Military lapel ribbon for the Iran-Iraq War

Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War

Military lapel ribbon for the 1982 Lebanon War

Military lapel ribbon for the Malayan Emergency

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Military lapel ribbon for the attack on Pearl Harbor

Military lapel ribbon for the Six Day War

Military lapel ribbon for the Soviet-Afghan War

Military lapel ribbon for the Spanish Civil War

Military lapel ribbon for the Suez Crisis

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for Warsaw Pact of the Cold War-era

Military lapel ribbon for the WASP (WW2)

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2

Military lapel ribbon for the Yom Kippur War

Military lapel ribbon for experimental x-plane aircraft

Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.

Advertisements

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2022 Military Pay Scale Army Ranks Navy Ranks Air Force Ranks Alphabet Code DoD Dictionary American War Deaths French Military Victories Vietnam War Casualties

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.