PT-22 Recruit

• Manufacturer: Ryan Aeronautical Company

• Model: PT-22 Recruit

• Tail Number: N1616

The precursor of this nimble, innovative airplane ushered in the age of the monoplane trainer in the late 1930s. All trainers used by the U.S. Army Air Corps and its successor, the U.S. Army Air Forces, had been biplanes until the arrival of the PT-20, originally a civilian trainer made by Ryan Aeronautical. In 1941, the Army beefed up the engine in the two-seater, replacing the inline with a Kinner radial, and the PT-22 Recruit was born. It was a deemed an improvement necessary for the rigors of new pilot training. And train it did, bringing qualified pilots online through the end of WWII.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Wing Span: 30' 1"

• Length: 22' 5"

• Height: 7' 2"

• Max Speed: 125 mph

• Gross Weight: 1,858 lbs

• Power Plant: Kinner R-540

• Horsepower: 160

• Fuel Capacity: 24 gal

ARMAMENT

• Unarmed