Aircraft Photo of 42-3692 / 23692 | Fleetwings BT-12 Sophomore | USA - Air Force | AirHistory.net #681303
Aircraft
Registration / Serial:42-3692
Alternate Serial:23692
Aircraft Original Type:Fleetwings BT-12 Sophomore
Aircraft Generic Type:Fleetwings BT-12 Sophomore
Aircraft Version:Fleetwings BT-12 Sophomore
C/n (msn):[ 42-3692 ]
Operator Titles:USA - Air Force
Location
City / Airport:Bristol - Kaiser Field (closed)
Region / Country:Pennsylvania, United States
Airport Codes:None
 
Photo Date:1943
Photo from:William Engle Collection (via Tim Martin)
Photo ID: 681303
Photo Comment

The BT-12 production line inside the Fleetwings plant showing ships #9 thru #14 of a 24 ship order with serials 42-3684 to 3707 allocated. Serials 42-3708 thru 3883, which would have brought the order up to 200, were cancelled when the military decided they preferred the Vultee BT-13. Construction involved the extensive use of stainless steel, including for skin panels. The fuselage structure was made from carbon steel tube with stainless skin panels attached using "Shake-proof Fasteners" (probably what is known as quarter-turn fasteners today). The novelty of the design probably put the military off as being too different for maintenance to cope with.

This photo was added on 27 April 2024, and has since been viewed 110 times.


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