(modified to appear as Japanese Aichi D-3 Val for movie "Tora, Tora, Tora"
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| Description | |||
| Manufacturer: | Vultee | ||
| Designation: | BT-13 | ||
| Version: | A | ||
| Nickname: | Valiant | ||
| Type: | Trainer (Basic) | ||
| Specifications (below is for BT-13A) | |||
| Length: | 28' 10" | 8.79 M | |
| Height: | 9' 1" | 2.77 M | |
| Wingspan: | 42' 2" | 12.85 M | |
| Wingarea: | 238.00 Sq Ft | 22.11 Sq M | |
| Empty Weight: | 3375.00 lbs | 1530.00 Kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 4496.00 lbs | 2039.00 Kg | |
| Propulsion (below is for BT-13A) | |||
| No. of Engines: | 1 | ||
| Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney R-985-25 | ||
| Horsepower (each): | 450 | ||
| Performance (below is for BT-13A) | |||
| Range: | 516 miles | 830.00 Km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 140.00 mph | 225.00 Km/H | 121.62 Kt |
| Max Speed: | 166.00 Mph | 267.00 Km/H | 144.32 Kt |
| Ceiling: | 16500.0 Ft | 5029.00 M | |
The Japanese Navy 99 Aichi D-3A1, known to the Allies by the code-name "Val", was designed as a dive bomber to operate from carriers by a team of Japanese engineers who copied it from a German Heinkel design. It was the first low wing, all metal dive bomber operated by the Japanese. The aircraft had elliptical wings which folded at the tip and nonretractable landing gear. This was the type of aircraft that sank the US gunboat Panay in 1937. These aircraft took heavy losses when they met Allied fighters and those remaining 1944 were relegated to kamikaze aircraft.
The aircraft at the museum is a movie star stunt double. Our aircraft is actually a BT-13A, serial number 41-1414. It was manufactured by Vultee Aviation, Downey, CA, and received by the USAAF on 28 June 1941. Assigned to the Pilot School (Basic) at Cochran AAF, Macon, GA, this aircraft crashed on 3 May 1943 with 1553 airframe hours and was disposed of as surplus. It found its way to Hollywood where it was modified along with eleven other BT-13's for use in the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! On December 7, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor included combat by 126 Japanese Val aircraft. A restoration with a green paint scheme and a red and yellow tail was completed in August 2004 by museum Restoration staff and volunteers. This aircraft is on loan from the USAF.
