AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2013 - 55

SPEC SHEET

Vultee BT–13 and BT–15 Valiant
warm oil is used to change propeller pitch.
The BT does not have an electric fuel
pump. To create fuel pressure for starting,
the pilot moves up and down a wobblepump handle located to the left of his seat.
If the engine-driven fuel pump fails during
flight, the pilot must continually “wobble”
the manual pump to keep the engine running until after landing. The BT–13 was
equipped with built-in relief tubes. (That’s
my kind of airplane.) Its “artificial horizons”
and “directional gyros” are vacuum-driven
by venturi tubes.
The Valiant has wet wings, each containing 60 gallons of fuel. Takeoff is made on
the fullest tank, but when the right tank is
selected, only 43 of its 60 gallons are usable.
The bottom 17 gallons of the right tank is

considered reserve fuel and can be used only
by selecting Reserve with the fuel selector.
Taxiing with an open canopy on a warm
day with the rumble of the radial engine’s
exhaust is delightful. Forward visibility over
the large nose, though, is poor, requiring
S-turns on a straightaway to ensure that you
don’t bump into something. The hydraulic
brakes and main landing-gear wheels are
the same as those on an AT–6.
The slotted flaps are extended using a
hand crank between the seat and the left
cockpit sidewall. Each full rotation of the
crank lowers the flaps two degrees. The
aircraft has a flap-position indicator, but
some pilots prefer counting cranks. Setting
20 degrees for takeoff requires rotating the
crank 10 times. Another way to set takeoff

COST DURING WORLD WAR II: $23,068
POSTWAR PRICE: APPROXIMATELY $500
SPECIFICATIONS

Powerplant |
BT–13	
Pratt & Whitney R-985,
9-cylinder radial, 450 hp
BT–15	
Wright R-975 Whirlwind,
9-cylinder radial, 440 hp
Recommended TBO | typically 1,500
to 1,800 hr
Propeller | 2-blade, Hamilton Standard,
2-position
	 Diameter | 108 in
Length | 28 ft 10 in
Height | 12 ft 4 in
Wingspan | 42 ft
Wing area | 239 sq ft
Wing loading | 19.9 lb/sq ft
Power loading | 10.5 lb/hp
Dihedral | 7 deg
Seats | 2
Empty weight | 3,375 lb
Empty weight, as tested | 3,560 lb
Max gross weight | 4,745 lb
Useful load | 1,370 lb
Useful load, as tested | 1,185 lb
Payload w/full fuel | 650 lb
Payload w/full fuel, as tested | 465 lb
Max takeoff weight | 4,745 lb
Max landing weight | 4,745 lb
Fuel capacity | 120 gal
		
720 lb
Oil capacity | 10.9 gal
Baggage capacity | 150 lb
PERFORMANCE

Takeoff distance, ground roll | 750 ft
Takeoff distance over 50-ft obstacle |
1,400 ft
Rate of climb, sea level | 1,050 fpm
Max level speed, sea level | 183 mph
Cruise speed/range (no reserve)
	 (fuel consumption), 10,000 ft
	 @ max. cont. power | 156 mph/340 sm
		
(198 pph/33 gph)
	 @ normal power | 146 mph/550 sm
		
(162 pph/27 gph)
	 @ max. range | 123 mph/790 sm
	
	
(90 pph/15 gph)
Service ceiling | 21,650 ft
Landing distance over 50-ft obstacle |
1,300 ft
Landing distance, ground roll	 | 650 ft
LIMITING AND RECOMMENDED AIRSPEEDS

VX (best angle of climb) | 80 mph
VY (best rate of climb) | 90 mph
VGLIDE | 90 mph
VFE (max flap extended) | 120 mph
VNE (never exceed) | 230 mph
VLIFTOFF (rotation) | 70 mph
VS1 (stall, clean) | 72 mph
VSO (stall, in landing configuration) | 62
mph
All specifications are based on manufacturer’s calculations. All performance
figures are based on standard day, standard atmosphere, sea level, gross weight
conditions unless otherwise noted.

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AOPA Pilot Magazine - February 2013

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