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North American BT-9, BC-1, AT-6 and SNJ

During the 1930's North American Aviation developed a series of trainer aircraft for a variety of USAAC, US Navy, and foreign trainer programs. The specific designs that are included in the aircraft analyzed at this website include:
 Per Reference [8] the BT-9, which first flew in April 1936, was a low wing monoplane with fixed landing gear.  Although it had metal wings the sides of the fuselage aft of the firewall and the wing and tail control surfaces were constructed of fabric panels over metal frames. The BT-9B was a slightly modified variant ot the base BT-9 aircraft.

The North American BC-1 was a monoplane Basic Combat Trainer for the USAAC.  It was configured similar to the BT-9 design though it had retractable landing gear.  Per Reference [8] an armed variant of the BC-1 with a semi-monococque external skin for its fuselage was also developed, designated the BC-1A.  Various AT-6 variants would serve with the armed forces of Canada and the UK under the designation of Harvard type trainers, as well as with the US Navy as the SNJ Texan type trainers.

Per Reference [8] the base AT-6 was basically the same as the BC-1A variant of the BC-1, with some small modification.  The AT-6A had a slightly different engine and modified wing fuel tanks.  The US Navy's SNJ-5 was basically equaivalent to the USAAC's AT-6D variant, which had a slightly upgraded engine, a 24V electrical system (in place of the 12V system of earlier variants), and some structural and materials changes, over the earlier AT-6 variants.  The AT-6D/SNJ-5 variant was also operatd by Canada and the UK as the Harvard Mk III.  

The AT-6/SNJ/Harvard family of trainers would eventually serve with numerous air forces around the world both during WWII and after.  After WWII, with the foundation of the US Air Force AT-6 trainers were redesignated as T-6 trainers.

As shown in the images below distinguishing features of the BT-9, BC-1, AT-6 and SNJ aircraft including;
BT-9_BC-1
AT-6_SNJ
[Image Sources: US Government/Public Domain via Ref [8] and Ref [9] - as annotated by this site]

BT9_3-view_ABC1_3-view_AAT6A_3-view_A

BT-9 / BC-1 / AT-6A/SNJ - [Source: Ref [14a] - US Government/Public Domain]

BT-9_3-ViewAT-6+3-View
                BT-9 3-View [Source 8]                                    AT-6 3-View [Source 8]

The table below summarizes the current data collected on this type aircraft, identifying sources for the data
    BT-9B BC-1 AT-6A SNJ-5 Secondary Sources Notes
Primary Source   2 2 2 2
No of Crew   2 2 2 2
Engine:  
   Qty   1 1 1 1
   Model   R-975-7 R-1340-47 R-1340-49 R-1340-AN-1 5, 8
   Displacement  (cu in) 975 1340 1340 1340 5, 8
   Power  
     Military (HP) 600 600 5, 8
     War Emergency (HP)
    Normal (HP) 400 550 550 550 5, 8
    Take Off (HP) 400 600 600 600 5, 8
   Eng Dims  
     Length (ft) 3.54 3.58 3.58 4.00 5, 8
     Width/Dia (ft) 3.75 4.29 4.29 4.33 5, 8
     Height (ft)
   Base Engine Wt (lb) 695 854 854 865 5, 8
Propeller  
   # Blades   2 2 2 2
   Dia (ft) 8 9.08 9.00 9
   Manufacturer   Two-Speed Two-Speed Const Spd Const Spd
   Type   Hamilton Std Hamilton Std
Wing  
   Span (ft) 42.60 42.02
   Root Thickness (%)
  (in)
   Total Area  (sq ft) 248 225 258.1 253.73
     Wing (less Ailerons & Flaps) (sq ft) 218.18 213.47
     Ailerons (sq ft) 11.4 11.4
     Flaps (sq ft) 28.52 28.86
Tail Area (sq ft) 59.23 87.19 87.19 3
   V Tail Area (sq ft) 19.03 18.54 18.54 3
     Fin (sq ft)   5.33 5.33
     Rudder (sq ft)   13.21 13.21
   H Tail Area (sq ft) 40.2 50.11 50.11 3
     Stabilizer (sq ft)   28.34 28.34
     Elevator (sq ft)   21.76 21.76
Total Control Surf Area (sq ft)
Length  
   Overall (ft) 28 28.99 28.99
   Fuselage (ft) 27.6 27.8 29
   Body  (ft) 26.37 20.54 20.54
     Body Depth (ft)
    Body Width (ft)
Fuel Tank Volume (gal) 178 110.4
   Wing Tanks (gal)
    FuselageTanks (gal)
Oil Tank Volume (gal) 15.5 12.2
Water Injection Fluid Tank Volume (gal)
Wetted Area (sqf) (sq ft)
Pwr Ldng (lb/HP) 11.11 8.70 8.69 8.78
Wing Ldng (lb/sq ft) 17.91 23.20 20.19 20.75
Struct. Des. GW  (lb) 5246 5280
Ultimate Load Factor (G's) 8.5
Design Speed (mph) 170 207 210 251
Not to Exceed Speed (mph)
   
Total Struct Weight   1621 1950 1995 1960
   Total Wing   663 716 743 755
     Wing        
     Ailerons        
     Flaps        
     Fuselage Carry-Through        
   Tail   96 112 119 119
     H Tail   70 81 87 86
       Stabilizer        
       Elevator        
     V Tail   26 31 32 33
       Fin        
       Rudder        
   Body + Eng Section + LG  
   Body + LG   862 1122 1133 1086
   Body   532 659 671 641
     Fuselage        
     Engine Section        
   Landing Gear   330 463 462 445
     Mn Landing Gr   299 427 425 403
     Tail/Nose Aux LG   31 36 37 42
   Tail Hook  
   Booms  
   Nacelles        
Total Propulsion Weight   1082 1303 1333 1386
   Engine w/ Accessories   740 919 939 945
   Engine(s) as Installed   690 846 851 871
     Accessories   50 73 88 74
    Turbocharger(s)  
   Controls   15 22 22 12
   Propeller(s)   161 176 176 184
     2-Blade   161 176 176 184
     3-Blade        
     4-Blade        
   Starting System   42 45 43 46
   Water Injection System  
     Tanks        
     Piping Etc        
   Cooling System  
   Lube System   17 24 30 73
     Tanks        
     Piping Etc        
   Fuel System   107 117 123 126
     Tanks        
     Piping Etc        
Total Sys. & Eqpmt.   611 793 710 744
   Instruments   71 79 83 86
   Surface Controls    92 101 100 110
   Hydraulics   52 40
   Electrical Equip   207 229 223 195
Electronics (Purple means incl in Furn/Gray in Useful Ld)  
   Arm Prov/Equipment & Armor   24 38
    Furnishings   241 384 228 275
   Anti-Ice (If not in Furn)  
   Other /Misc  
     Hoisting Gear  
     Floatation Gear  
     Armor Plate        
         
Empty Wt   3314 4046 4038 4090
Basic Mission Useful Load   1128 1175 1174 1175
   Crew   400 400 400 400
   Equipment  
   Oil   72 77 76 77
   Fuel   624 666 666 666
   Fuel & Oil Trapped in Systems  
   Water Solution for Engine Injection  
   Bombs/Torp Etc  
   Radio (if Not Included in Empty Wt)  
   Nav Equipment  
   Oxygen System  
   Armament  
     Guns & Ammo        
       Guns        
       Ammo        
     Pyrotechnics        
     Camera        
     Other        
   Other Useful Load   32 32 32 32
Basic Mission GW   4442 5221 5212 5265

For the filming of the movie "Tora, Tora, Tora" in 1970 several T-6 aircraft were converted to look like Japanese Mitsubishi Zero A6M fighter planes, some of which still appear in air shows.

Notes: This website has been developed with a number of low cost or free programs including Hot Metal Pro, KompoZer, MicroSoft Designer and Da Button Factory.com

Rev 3-16-25

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