Vultee BT-13 Valiant

Basic Trainer Aircraft (1939)

Aviation / Aerospace

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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.

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.

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