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BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE FAB * - BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE

24)NORTH AMERICAN NA 46


Total received: 12


Characteristics:


Crew: two,


Length: 28 ft (8.5 m)  


Wingspan: 42 ft (12.8 m)   


Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.1 m)  


Loaded weight: 4,470 lb (2,030 kg)   


Powerplant: One 9-cylinder Wright R-975-7Whirlwind air-cooled radial engine, developing 400 HP.


Performance


Maximum speed: 169 mph (147 knots, 273 km/h) 


Service ceiling 18,000 ft (6,019 m) Rate of climb: 1,030 ft/min (5.2 m/s) 


Wing loading: 23.1 lb/ft² (113 kg/m²) Power/mass: 0.09 hp/lb (150 W/kg)


Armament: Two Browning .30 machine guns, one on the right wing and one synchronized with the propeller on the cowl. A mobile machine gun at the rear. Up to 4 50 kg bombs under the wings.


The BT-9 evolved from the North American NA-16 (NA-19 production line), which first flew in April 1935. The BT-9 design first took to the skies in April 1936.Fabric covered the movable surfaces on the tail and wings, as well as the sides of the fuselage from just behind the firewall to the tail.   


The remainder of the plane was metal-covered and featured fixed (non-retractable) landing gear. The Army Air Corps purchased a total of 199 BT-9s, BT-9As and BT-9Bs. Many foreign countries also used variants of this aircraft.   


An improved version came along in the form of the BT-14. It featured a Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Jr. engine versus the Wright R-975 Whirlwind on the BT-9, as well as metal skin replacing the fabric on the fuselage.   


Brazilian Government ordered 12 planes in 1938 for the Naval Aviation Corp. In accordance with the manufacturer the designation was NA-46 (NA-16-4), having its original version as BT-9C. The aircrafts were short lived in Naval Aviation, as they were incorporated to the Air Ministry with the creation of the Air Force arm in 1941.   



Picture shows two NA 46 sided by two Focke Wulf FW 58 AT Afonsos Field the craddle of Brazilian Air Force. Photo. http://castropr.blogspot.com/



NA 46 seen above taxiing for a training flight circa 1940. Photo http://castropr.blogspot.com/



Rare view of this NA 46 at the Naval Airbase Galeão in 1940, sided by one FW-58 and on the bottom left detail of the facilities where the latter was assembled. Photo http://www.armasnacionais.com/2018/03/north-american-bt-9-na-46-no-brasil.html


 

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