North American NA-16

First trainer aircraft of North American Aviation

Overview

North American Aviation (NAA) United States ICAO: NA16 1935–1939

The North American NA-16 was the first trainer developed and produced by North American Aviation and pioneered the line of trainer aircraft of the manufacturing company. In April 1935, the aircraft first flew and served in the United States Army Air Corps, as well as the Royal Austrian Air Force, Swedish Air Force, and French Air Force.

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Specifications

Units
Engine
1 × Wright R-975 Whirlwind
Engine type
Piston
Power
400 hp · 298 kW
Avionics
—
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
2
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
27 ft 7 in  ·  8.41 m
Tail height
11 ft 9 in  ·  3.58 m
Fuselage diameter
3 ft 11 in  ·  1.20 m
Wing span
42 ft 8 in  ·  13.00 m
Baggage volume
—
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
5,050 lb  ·  2,300 kg
Max landing weight
—
Max payload
450 lb  ·  200 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
53 kt  ·  61 mph  ·  98 km/h
Range
610 nm  ·  700 mi  ·  1,130 km
Fuel burn
—
Ceiling
21,500 ft  ·  6,600 m
Rate of climb
1,800 ft/min  ·  9 m/s
Takeoff distance
—
Landing distance
—
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North American BT 9 over Randolph Field

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Operational Context

On December 10, 1934, the NA-16 specification was designed by James Howard Dutch Kindelberger, John L. Lee Atwood, and H.R. Raynor of the North American Aviation. A primary feature was an enclosed canopy. On April 1, 1935, the NA-16 operated by Eddie Allen took to the air for the first time. On May 27, 1935, an enclosed version of the cockpit was presented to the United States Army Air Corps for performance testing as a basic trainer. The NA-16 was produced from 1935 to 1939 with a total number of 1,935 aircraft built.

The NA-16 has an external length of  8.41 meters, an external height of 2.85 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 1.2 meters. The original fuselage was fabric-covered and of steel tubes, before later models featured aluminum monocoque construction.

The aircraft is a low-wing monoplane with a tandem configuration. Aircraft versions vary from having an open cockpit to being glass-covered. It has a wingspan of 13 meters, a tail height of 3.58 meters, and a wheelbase of 5.7 meters. The empty weight is 1,396 kg and the maximum takeoff weight is 2,300 kg. It has a maximum payload of 200 kg and a fuel tank capacity of 100 US gal.

The aircraft could be powered by different air-cooled radial engines such as the Wright Whirlwind, Pratt and Whitney Wasp, and Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior with different horsepowers depending on the need of the customer. The Wright R-975 Whirlwind is a nine-cylinder supercharged air-cooled radial piston engine rated at 400 horsepower thrust and drives a two-bladed Hamilton standard propeller. It has two valves per cylinder, pushrod-actuated, gear-driven supercharger, and direct drive reduction gear.

The NA-16 has a maximum speed of 150 knots and a travel range of 610 nautical miles. It can fly up to 21,500 feet and can climb at a rate of 1,800 feet per minute.