PT-20

PT-20. The Consolidated PT-20 was an experimental primary trainer aircraft developed in the late 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps. It was a single-engine, two-seat biplane designed as a potential successor to earlier trainers like the Consolidated PT-3 and Consolidated PT-11. Only one prototype was constructed, and it did not enter large-scale production, with the Boeing-Stearman Model 75 ultimately becoming the service's standard trainer during World War II.

Design and development

The PT-20 was developed by Consolidated Aircraft in response to a United States Army Air Corps requirement for an advanced primary trainer. It was a conventional biplane design with a fabric-covered, welded steel tube fuselage and wooden wing structures, evolving from the company's earlier Consolidated PT-11. A key design feature was its use of a more powerful radial engine, the 225 horsepower Jacobs L-4, intended to provide improved performance for student pilots transitioning to more advanced aircraft like the North American BT-9. The aircraft featured tandem open cockpits, a fixed tailwheel landing gear, and was designed for durability and ease of maintenance, common goals for military trainers of the era like the Ryan PT-22 and the Fairchild PT-19.

Operational history

The sole PT-20 prototype was delivered to the United States Army Air Corps for evaluation in 1939. It underwent rigorous flight testing at facilities like Wright Field, competing against other contemporary designs including the aforementioned Fairchild PT-19 and the Vultee BT-13 Valiant. Despite satisfactory performance, the Army Air Corps did not place a production order, favoring the all-metal monoplane configuration of the Fairchild PT-19 and the established Boeing-Stearman Model 75. Consequently, the PT-20's operational history was limited to its service as a test and evaluation airframe, and it never saw combat or widespread use during World War II. The fate of the prototype is not well-documented, and it was likely scrapped after its testing role concluded.

Specifications (PT-20)

* **Crew:** 2 (student and instructor) * **Length:** 27 ft 0 in (8.23 m) * **Wingspan:** 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m) * **Height:** 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) * **Wing area:** 295 sq ft (27.4 m²) * **Empty weight:** 1,850 lb (839 kg) * **Gross weight:** 2,550 lb (1,157 kg) * **Powerplant:** 1 × Jacobs L-4 7-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 225 hp (168 kW) * **Propellers:** 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller * **Maximum speed:** 125 mph (201 km/h, 109 kn) * **Cruise speed:** 105 mph (169 km/h, 91 kn) * **Range:** 350 mi (560 km, 300 nmi) * **Service ceiling:** 15,000 ft (4,600 m) * **Rate of climb:** 900 ft/min (4.6 m/s)

Variants

Only one variant of the PT-20 was built, the original prototype. The design did not progress to any production models or significant derivatives. However, it represented a developmental step within Consolidated Aircraft's trainer lineage, which began with the Consolidated PT-1 and included the Consolidated PT-3, Consolidated PT-11, and the Consolidated NY (Navy) series. The company's subsequent focus shifted to more famous aircraft like the Consolidated PBY Catalina and Consolidated B-24 Liberator.

Operators

The sole operator of the PT-20 was the United States Army Air Corps, which tested the single prototype. No other military services, such as the United States Navy or foreign air forces like the Royal Air Force or Soviet Air Forces, acquired the type. The primary trainer role during its era was ultimately filled in large numbers by aircraft from Boeing, Fairchild, and Ryan Aeronautical Company.

Category:United States military trainer aircraft 1930–1939 Category:Consolidated aircraft Category:Biplanes