Aircraft

Fairchild PT-19 Cornell

MAPS Member Bill Everett during PT-19 training, Chickasha Field, Oklahoma, 1944
• photos courtesy W. Everett

Aircraft Background:
First developed in 1938 as a civilian aircraft (the M-62), orders for this rugged primary trainer grew rapidly with the onset of World War II. By war's end, over 7,000 Cornells variants were produced. Cornells were supplied to Canada, Norway, Brazil, Ecuador, and Chile. To keep up with demand, they were built under license by Aeronca, Howard, St. Louis Aircraft Corporation and Fleet Aircraft, Ltd.

Aircraft History:

The PT-19A (serial number 43-31365) was a gift to MAPS by Barbara Bergstrom of Cleveland. It was disassembled and transported to MAPS in April 2002. photos © Bruce Balough

working on the rudder pedal linkage assembly • photo © Rick Willaman

with the wing center section done, work starts on the port (left) wing • photo © Rick Willaman

rudder before cleaning and metal work • photo /strong> James Kohan

rudder after cleaning and metal work • photo © James Kohan

MAPS Member Carl working on the PT-19's 175hp Ranger engine • photo © James Kohan

The center spar of the PT-19 is completely made of laminated mahogany. With the consumption of luxury goods down during the war, many companies found themselves working in new areas. The Baldwin Piano company of Cincinnati, with its years of wood-working experience, was 'drafted' into helping produce the wood components that went into the PT-19 and other aircraft. photo © John Ashley

For a partial list of consumer goods companies that were drawn into the war effort, and produced goods in Ohio, click here

MAPS Father & Son team working on the PT-19 center spar • photo © James Kohan

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 36 ft.
Length: 27 ft. 8 in.
Height: 7 ft. 9 in.
Weight: 2,450 lbs. loaded
Armament: none
Engines: Ranger L-440 of 175 hp.
Crew: Two
Serial Number: 43-31365

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 124 mph.
Cruising speed: 106 mph.
Range: 480 miles
Service Ceiling: 16,000 ft.

Crew Chief: Jerry Saunders

Crew Chief's Update (Restoration Progress):
03/02/2008 With major work on the wing center section done, we've brought the left wing into the restoration workshop for our crack woodworkers to start on. Work is also continuing on the fuselage, focusing on the rudder pedal linkages.

05/29/2007 Work continues on the wooden center spar. This is some additional work being done to smaller wooden assemblies that will attach to the fuselage later.

04/28/2007 Work continues on the wooden center spar, control surfaces, and engine cleaning. We had a nice visitor today, a MAPS member from the Akron / Canton area that restored and flew his own PT-26 (a canopied version of the PT-19) in the mid-1950s. We're hoping that he's able to come back and give us some of his time, but he's currently working on a 2/3 scale P-51, so we don't know if he will be able to or not. of the aircraft has been media blasted by U.S. Technology of Canton and is being cleaned while work starts on the center section.