Consolidated PT 3

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.

The XPT-3 was almost identical to the XPT-2 except for the tail, revised wing panels and different shape. 130 production PT-3 aircraft were ordered in September 1927, with one being completed as the XO-17. These were followed by 120 PT-3A aircraft with minor changes. The XPT-3 became the XPT-5 when fitted with the Curtiss Challenger R-600 two-row six-cylinder radial engine, but was soon converted to PT-3 standard.

The PT-3 aircraft were superseded by the Boeing PT-13 Stearman starting in 1937, but a number were still operational with the Spartan Flying School in Tulsa Oklahoma into the middle of World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

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)

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)

PT-3

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

PT-3A

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

XPT-4

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

XPT-5

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

Operators

 Cuba

four PT-3s

 Argentina

one PT-3

 Brazil

one PT-3 for Brazilian Naval Aviation, serial number 434.

 Peru

one PT-3

 Mexico

a small number may have been sold to Mexico

 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 0-370-00094-3) 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)