Consolidated PT-3

PT-3
Consolidated PT-3
Role	Trainer
Manufacturer	Consolidated Aircraft Company
Introduction	1927
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Produced	September 1927
Number built	250
Variants	Consolidated NY, Consolidated O-17

The Consolidated Model 2 was a training airplane used by the United States Army Air Corps, under the designation PT-3 and the United States Navy under the designation NY-1.

Development

Seeing the success of the Navy's NY-1 modification of a PT-1 airframe, the USAAC came to the conclusion that a radial engine was indeed ideal for a trainer. It was reliable and offered a good power-to-weight ratio. Therefore one PT-1 airframe was completed as XPT-2 with a 220 hp (164 kW) Wright J-5 Whirlwind radial engine^[1].

The XPT-3 was almost identical with the XPT-2 except for the tail, revised wing panels and different shape. One hundred and thirty production PT-3 aircraft were ordered in September 1927^[1], with one being completed as the XO-17. These were followed by one hundred and twenty PT-3A aircraft with minor changes. The XPT-3 became the XPT-5 when fitted with the Curtiss Challenger R-600 two-row 6-cylinder radial engine, but was soon converted to PT-3 standard^[2].

The PT-3 aircraft were superseded by the Boeing PT-13 Stearman starting in 1937, but a number were still operational with the Spartan Flying School in Tulsa Oklahoma into the middle of World War II^[1].

Variants

XPT-2

one PT-1 airframe with a 220 hp (160 kW) Wright J-5 (R-790) radial engine, wingspan 34 ft 7 in (10.5 m), length 28 ft 4 in (8.6 m), gross weight 2,427 lb (1100 kg)^[3]

XPT-3

one PT-1 airframe with revised wing panels (Clark "Y" wings) and a different vertical tail, wingspan 34 ft 6 in (10.5 m), length 28 ft 3 in (8.6 m), gross weight 2,439 lb (1106 kg)^[3]

PT-3

130 ordered, one completed as the XO-17 prototype, gross weight 2,481 lb (1125 kg)^[3]

PT-3A

120 ordered with minor updates, Wright J-5, gross weight 2,432 lb (1103 kg)^[3]

XPT-4

unbuilt, was to be a development PT-3 with the experimental Fairchild-Caminez 447C engine^[3]

XPT-5

the airframe of the XPT-3 was temporarily fitted with the Curtiss Challenger R-600-1 two-row 6-cylinder radial engine in 1929, later converted to PT-3 standard^[3]

Operators

 Cuba

• four PT-3s

 Argentina

• one PT-3

 Brazil

• one PT-3

 Peru

• one PT-3

 Mexico

• a small number may have been sold to Mexico^{[citation needed]}

 United States

• United States Army Air Corps
• United States Navy
• United States Marine Corps

Specifications (PT-3)

Data from "United States Military Aircraft Since 1908" by Gordon Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Putnam Newy York, ISBN 0370000943) 1977, 675 pp.

General characteristics

• Crew: Two
• Length: 28 ft 1 in (8.56 m)
• Wingspan: 34 ft 6 in (10.52 m)
• Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
• Wing area: 300 ft² (27.87 m²)
• Empty weight: 1,785 lb (810 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 2,481 lb (1,125 kg)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-790-AB radial, 220 hp (164 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 102 mph (164 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 81 mph (130 km/h)
• Range: 300 miles (483 km)
• Service ceiling: 14,000 ft (4,267 m)
• Rate of climb: 658 ft/min (200 m/min)

See also

• Consolidated PT-1 "Trusty"
• Consolidated O-17
• Consolidated PT-11

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft" cover Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, (Amber Books Ltd. Bradley's Close, 74-77 White Lion Street, London, NI 9PF, 2002, ISBN 0-7607-3432-1), 1152 pp.
2. ^ "United States Military Aircraft Since 1909" by F. G. Swanborough & Peter M. Bowers (Putnam New York, ISBN 085177816X) 1964, 596 pp.
3. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946" by James C. Fahey, 1946, 64pp.