Fairchild AT-21 Gunner

what is it?

The Fairchild AT-21 is an American World War II specialized bomber crew trainer, intended to train crews in the use of power gun turrets or a gun on a flexible mount, as well as learn to function as a member of a crew. It had a brief career as a training aircraft before modified bombers took over this role.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · mid-wing aircraft · retractable tricycle gear · 16.1 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 362 km/htop speed
• size 5,670 kgmax take-off weight
• built 175made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 83 years ago, in 1943.
• 🏎️Top speed is 2.8× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 16.1 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1943

introduced

1943

retired

1944

status

retired

number built

175

role

trainer

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Fairchild

engines

2× Ranger V-770-11/15

length

11.6 m

wingspan

16.1 m

height

4 m

max take-off weight

5,670 kg

top speed

362 km/h

cruise speed

315 km/h

range

—

ceiling

6,751 m

wings

mid-wing aircraft

landing gear

retractable tricycle gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.