A Blast From the Past

A Blast From the Past
Here is an Oldie Goldie - Northeast Airlines Conviar 240.

Monday, June 24, 2013

Past WWII Rides of the Ole Pelican

I was thumbing through some more of my treasure trove of Memorabilia today and came across the Ole' Pelican's Pilot Log book from his WWII days. The inside memoranda page of his logbook showed First Solo's for Howard E. Flett  Lt. A.C. starting with:
 

First Aircraft Solo - February 17, 1943 - Stearman PT-17 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. His first introduction flight was on Febraury 2nd, and lasted just .37 of an hour with Joseph B. Carl as his Flight instructor. This was the primary trainer for cadets equipped with a Continental R-670 225 HP engine.   


Second Aircraft First Solo - April 12, 1943 - Vultee BT-13A in Greenville, Mississippi. His first introduction flight was on April 6th, and lasted .9 of an hour. The Vultee BT-13 was the second phase of the three phase training program for pilots. After primary training in PT-13, PT-17, or PT-19 trainers, the student pilot moved to the more complex Vultee for basic flight training. The BT-13 had a more powerful engine and was faster and heavier than the primary trainer. According to the logbook, there was a 440, and 450 HP variant. It required the student pilot to use two way radio communications with the ground and to operate landing flaps and a two-position Hamilton Standard controllable pitch propeller. It did not, however, have retractable landing gear nor a hydraulic system. The large flaps are operated by a crank-and-cable system. Its pilots nicknamed it the "Vultee Vibrator."
Due to the demand for this aircraft, and others which used the same Pratt & Whitney engine, some were equipped with Wright powerplants of similar size and power built in 1941-42. The Wright-equipped aircraft were designated BT-15. According to his logbook, he flew both versions.



Third Aircraft First Solo - June 7, 1943 - North American AT-6A Texan in Napier Field, Dothan, Alabama. His introduction flight was on June 3rd, and lasted .8 of an hour.  The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the US Army Air Corp, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950s. Designed by North American Aviation, the T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force. The AT-6A was equipped with a 650 HP  Pratt & Whitney R-1340-49 Wasp radial. 

I just thought you ought to know!