Jeep is a big deal here in the States, but also all over the world. Question is, how many of you know where Jeep got it's big start? Okay, so it's pretty common knowledge that Willys Jeep company started out by creating a Willys Jeep for use in WWII, but did you know that the Jeep name was also used for an aircraft, too? While it wasn't made by Jeep (and we're not sure how it became known so widely known as the Jeep, because it was originally nicknamed "Fledgling") it was manufactured by US-American Curtiss-Wright Airplane Company.
So, meet the Curtiss AT-9 Jeep Aircraft!
The AT-9 Advanced Trainer was used to bridge the gap between single-engine trainers and twin-engine combat aircraft. Since the AT-9 was not easy to fly or land, it was particularly suitable for teaching new pilots to cope with the demanding flight characteristics of a new generation of high-performance, multi-engine aircraft, such as the Martin B-26:
and Lockheed P-38:
The first prototype of the AT-9 Jeep flew in 1941, and the production version entered service in 1942. The prototype had a fabric-covered steel tube fuselage and fabric-covered wings, but production AT-9s were of stressed metal skin construction. 491 AT-9s and 300 AT-9As were built before production ended in February 1943.
The AT-9 Jeep operated with two radial Lycoming R-680-9 engines, each one capable of 295hp. It was capable of reaching a top speed of 197 mph, but its average cruise speed was only 175mph. Also, it could fly a range of 748 miles before needing to refuel.
The AT-9 was operated solely by the United States Army Air Force.
(Article: Flugzeug Info & National Museum of the US Airforce)
No comments:
Post a Comment