News Letter 1941 Jul-Dec - Air Force Historical Studies Office

NEW AIR~RAFT
FOR THE ARMY AIR FOR~ES
AT.9
AToll
EWplanes delivered to the Air Corps for ser- equipped with retractable landing gear. Manu-
testing during the past monthare the AT-9 factured by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, it is
Nvice
and AT-H, both twin-engine advancedtrainers. designed for the training of pilots of multi-
The AT-!! 1s a low-wing, all-metal monoplane engine fighters and bombers. According to plans
manufactured by the Beech Aircraft Corporation it is expected to facilitate the transitional
for training a crew of three or four men. It is training necessary in the transfer of pilots from
equipped with flexible guns and bombracks. The single-engine planes to the latest types of multiwing
span is approximately 47 feet, the length 35 engine tactical aircraft.
feet. Seats for the instructor and the student pilot
Equipped with a retractable landing gear and are placed side by side in the AT-9. The plane
twin tail, the AT-!! is powered with two nine- also incorporates the samegeneral performance and
cylinder, 450 horsepowerPratt and Whitneyengines. operating characteristics of modernmulti-engine
Propellers are two-bladed, and have a diameter canbat planes, and includes manyof the same inof
approximately eight feet. The plane will be struments. Poweredwith two 280 horsepower radial
used for the specialized training of bombardiers air-cooled engines, the plane has a wing span of
and gurmers, 40 feet, and weighs more than two and one-half
The AT-9is also a low-wing, all--metal monoplane tons.