Military Trainers
NAA T-2 Buckeye
ICAO: T2
Overview
North American BT-14 — basic military trainerThe BT-14 first flew in 1935 and entered service shortly thereafter. It featured a low-wing configuration with retractable landing gear, a step forward for training aircraft of the era. The design prepared student pilots for more complex military types.A radial piston engine producing approximately 400 horsepower powered the BT-14. Cruise speed exceeded 150 knots (278 km/h). Maximum takeoff weight was around 4,500 pounds (2,041 kg), consistent with its two-seat layout and training mission.The BT-14 formed an important link in the U.S. pilot training pipeline before the outbreak of World War II. Although later overshadowed by newer trainers, it played a key developmental role in military aviation training programs.
Live Fleet Activity (BT14)
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Specifications
Units
- Engine
- 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-975-E3
- Engine type
- Piston
- Power
- 420 hp · 313 kW
- Avionics
- —
- Wing tips
- No winglets
- Seats
- 2
- Crew
- —
- Cabin width
- —
- Cabin height
- —
- Cabin length
- —
- Exterior length
- 28 ft 7 in · 8.70 m
- Tail height
- 13 ft 5 in · 4.10 m
- Fuselage diameter
- 3 ft 7 in · 1.10 m
- Wing span
- 43 ft 0 in · 13.10 m
- Baggage volume
- —
- Gross weight
- —
- Empty weight
- —
- Max takeoff weight
- 4,550 lb · 2,050 kg
- Max landing weight
- 4,500 lb · 2,050 kg
- Max payload
- 600 lb · 300 kg
- Fuel capacity
- 100 gal · 400 L · 300 kg (AvGas)
- Max cruise speed
- 150 kt · 173 mph · 278 km/h
- Maximum speed
- —
- Cruise speed
- —
- Approach speed
- 56 kt · 64 mph · 104 km/h
- Range
- 762 nm · 880 mi · 1,410 km
- Fuel burn
- —
- Ceiling
- 21,650 ft · 6,600 m
- Rate of climb
- 1,100 ft/min · 6 m/s
- Takeoff distance
- —
- Landing distance
- —
Gallery
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Live fleet activity details
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Operational Context
The North American BT-14 is a two-seat primary training monoplane with a lengthened fuselage of welded chrome-molybdenum steel-tube framework. The fuselage is fabric-covered and has an external length of 8.7 meters, an external height of 2.7 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 1.1 meters.
The cantilever tail and fin were made of metal and covered in sheets and the rudder and elevators were of light-alloy frames covered in fabric. The tail height is 4.1 meters. It has a low wing with a wingspan of 13.1 meters and a wing area of 23 square meters.
The wing has five sections such as a center-section of parallel cord and thickness, two outer sections with back-swept leading edge and straight trailing edge, and wingtips.
It has a single-spar structure that carries most of the forces with spaced ribs and was covered with stressed aluminum-alloy skin. The ailerons have aluminum-alloy frames and were fabric-covered. The aircraft has divided undercarriage with two cantilever oleo struts, hydraulically-operated, wheel brakes, and an oleo-sprung steerable tail wheel. It has a wheelbase of 5.9 meters.
The BT-14 is powered by a single Wright R-975-E3 Whirlwind engine on welded chrome-molybdenum steel-tube mounting. It is a nine-cylinder supercharges air-cooled piston engine with two valves per cylinder pushrod-actuated, gear-driven supercharger, and direct drive reduction gear.
The engine produces a maximum thrust of 420 horsepower at 14,000 feet. The aircraft has two welded aluminum-alloy fuel tanks with a normal fuel capacity of 104 US gal, while the oil tank in the engine compartment can carry 9.5 US gal. The aircraft has a maximum speed of 150 knots at 1,500 feet and a cruise speed of 130 knots. The landing speed is 57 knots. It has a travel range of 762 nautical miles and a service ceiling of 21,650 feet. The aircraft can climb at a rate of 1,100 feet per minute.
The aircraft has a maximum takeoff and landing weights od 2,065 kg and 2,030 kg, respectively.
Sources and references used for research and fact-checking.