XBT-17

Role	Training monoplane Type of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Stearman Aircraft
First flight	1940
Number built	1

The Stearman XBT-17 was a prototype 1940s American two-seat low-wing monoplane primary trainer designed and built by Stearman Aircraft (as the Model X-90).^[1] It was evaluated by the United States Army Air Force in 1942 as the XBT-17.^[2]

Design and development

The X-90 was a low-wing cantilever monoplane with two-seats in tandem under an enclosed canopy.^[1] It had a fixed conventional landing gear and was powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Lycoming R-680 engine and first flew in 1940.^[1] It had wooden wings and a steel tube forward fuselage in order to minimize use of aluminum.^[3] In 1942 the aircraft was re-engined with a 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 engine and redesignated the Model X-91.^[1] The X-91 was evaluated by the United States Army Air Force as the XBT-17 but no more were built.^[1]^[2]

According to Edward H. Phillips, "At that time, worries at the War Department about a shortage of strategic materials such as aluminum alloy were rampant. The wood/metal composite construction of the proposed monoplane, which required more raw materials than the biplane trainers on an aircraft-by-aircraft basis, was a major factor in the Air Corps' decision not to place the XBT-17 into production, according to a Boeing technical report."^[4]

Variants

Stearman X-90: Prototype basic trainer with a 225 hp (168 kW) Lycoming R-680 engine.^[1]
Stearman X-91: The X-90 re-engined with a 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985 engine for USAAF evaluation.^[1]
Stearman XBT-17: United States Army Air Force designation for the X-91.^[2]

Specifications (XBT-17)

Data from ^[5]

General characteristics

Crew: two
Length: 27 ft 9 in (8.46 m)
Wingspan: 35 ft 9 in (10.90 m)
Wing area: 200 sq ft (19 m²)
Empty weight: 3,080 lb (1,397 kg)
Gross weight: 4,150 lb (1,882 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-1 , 450 hp (340 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 190 mph (310 km/h, 170 kn)
Cruise speed: 160 mph (260 km/h, 140 kn)
Service ceiling: 20,000 ft (6,100 m)
Rate of climb: 1,300 ft/min (6.6 m/s)

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stearman XBT-17.

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "American airplanes: Stearman". www.aerofiles.com. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
^ ^a ^b ^c Andrade 1979, p. 61
^ Bowers 1989, p.270.
^ Phillips, Edward (2006). Stearman Aircraft: A Detailed History. North Branch, MN: specialtypress. pp. 143–144. ISBN 9781580070874.
^ Bowers 1989, p.271.

Bibliography

Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
Bowers, Peter M. (1989). Boeing Aircraft since 1916 (Third ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-804-6.

v t e Stearman Aircraft
Aircraft	C1 C2 C3 M-2 LT-1 CAB-1 4 5 6 X-70 73 75 76 80 81 Sportster X-85 X-90 X-91 X-100 X-120 200
Military designations	A-21 AT-15 BT-3 BT-5 BT-17 L-15 NS N2S OSS PT-9 PT-13 PT-17 PT-18 PT-27 XPT-943
Companies	Stearman Aircraft United Aircraft and Transport Corporation Boeing Spirit AeroSystems

United States trainer aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Advanced Trainer
(1925–1948)

Basic Combat
(1936–1940)

Basic Trainer
(1930–1948)

Primary Trainer
(1924–1948)

Main sequence
(1948–present)

1948 redesignations	T-6 T-7 T-11 T-13² T-13A T-13B/D T-17 T-19
New designations	T-28 T-29 T-30 T-31 T-32 T-33 T-34 T-35 T-36 T-37 T-38 T-39 T-40 T-41² T-41 (I) T-41 (II) T-42² T-42 (I) T-42 (II) T-43 T-44 T-45 T-46 T-47 B T-48² YT-48 T-48TS T-49 T-50 T-51 T-52 T-53 T-54

Alternate sequences

1962 redesignations	T-1 T-2
1990– sequence	T-1 T-2¹ T-3 T-4¹ T-5¹ T-6 T-7

¹ Not assigned • ² Assigned to multiple types

Design and development

Variants

Specifications (XBT-17)

See also

References