Ryan PT-22 Recruit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_PT-22_Recruit

The Ryan PT-22 Recruit, the main military version of the Ryan ST, is a military
trainer aircraft used by the United States Army Air Corps and its successor, the
United States Army Air Forces for primary pilot training.

The PT-22's fuselage is a simple monocoque structure, with thick gauge alclad
skin. The wings feature spruce spars, aluminum alloy ribs, steel compression
members, with aircraft fabric covering aft to the trailing edge and aluminum
alloy sheet covering from the leading edge to the spar. The wings have 4° 10' of
sweep back, 3° of incidence and 4° 30' dihedral.

The PT-22 fuel system consists of a single tank mounted forward of the front
cockpit. Fuel is gravity fed to the carburetor. The oil system is a dry-sump
type, with all oil stored in a tank located on the front side of the firewall in
the upper section of the fuselage. The wing flaps are mechanically operated from
a lever located on the left side of each cockpit. Adjustable elevator trim is
provided via an elevator trim tab controllable from a handwheel mounted on the
left side of each cockpit. In its original configuration, the aircraft was not
equipped with an electrical system. Hydraulic brakes are provided for each
wheel, controllable via the rudder pedals in each cockpit.

In order to simplify maintenance, the wheel spats and landing gear fairings were
deleted in the production examples

Role
Trainer

Manufacturer
Ryan Aeronautical Company

Primary users
United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Corps

Number built
1,048

Unit cost

$10,000


Developed from
Ryan ST

The PT-22 was developed in 1941 from the civilian Ryan ST series. The earlier
PT-20 and PT-21 were the military production versions of the Ryan ST-3 with a
total of 100 built. The PT-22 was the United States Army Air Corps' first
purpose built monoplane trainer. The rapid expansion of wartime aircrew training
required new trainers, and the Ryan PT-22 was ordered in large numbers. Named
the "Recruit", it entered operational service with the U.S. Orders also were
placed by the Netherlands, but were never realized as the nation capitulated to
Axis forces. The small order of 25 ST-3s was redirected to the United States and
redesignated as the PT-22A. Another order also came from the U.S. Navy for 100
examples. The PT series was in heavy use throughout the war years with both
military and civil schools, but with the end of the war, was retired from the
USAAF.

The Ryan PT-22 remains a popular World War II collector aircraft.

Specifications (PT-22)

General characteristics
Crew: two (student and instructor)
Length: 22 ft 5 in (6.90 m)
Wingspan: 30 ft 1 in (9.17 m)
Height: 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
Wing area: 134.25 sq ft (12.5 sq m)
Airfoil: NACA 2412
Empty weight: 1308 lb (593 kg)
Useful load: 552 lb (250 kg)
Loaded weight: 1860 lb (844 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 1,860 lb (844 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Kinner R-540, 160 hp (120 kW)

Performance
Never exceed speed: 190 mph (305 km/h)
Maximum speed: 125 mph (200 km/h)
Cruise speed: 100 mph (160 km/h)
Stall speed: 62 mph, flaps down; 64 mph, flaps up (100 km/h, flaps down; 103
km/h, flaps up)
Range: 231 miles @1560 RPM (371 km @1560 RPM)
Service ceiling: 15,400 ft (4,700 m)
Rate of climb: 710 fpm @ max TO weight (216 m/min @ max TO weight)
Wing loading: 13.6 lb/sq ft ()

Armament

none

Avionics

none



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