PT-19 Cornell from CAF Airshow Galveston 1973

[bilwor]

The first 5 photos is how the Fairchild PT-19A Cornell c/n 9974-AE, N54375 Looked in 1973. The owner at that time was the late Col John H Kirby III CAF. Ed Earp purchased the PT-19A from him and had it converted to a PT-23 and flew it several years before selling it. The next 4 photos were how it looked as a PT-23.

Ed Earp left & John H Kirby III right Hull Field Sugarland TX 1973.




John H Kirby III



Conroe TX Fly-In 1976 after purchase by Ed Earp and engine change to become a PT-23

[M-62A]

[quote="bilwor"]The first 5 photos is how the Fairchild PT-19A Cornell c/n 9974-AE, N54375 Looked in 1973. The owner at that time was the late Col John H Kirby III CAF. Ed Earp purchased the PT-19A from him and had it converted to a PT-23 and flew it several years before selling it. The next 4 photos were how it looked as a PT-23.

Bill,
Thank you very much for answering my question so well. N54375 is listed in my database but I had no idea it had ever worn these spurious colours.

Was originally PT-19A-AE 43-31559, accepted by the USAAF on March 1, 1944 and delivered to Greenwood, Miss., nine days later. Greenwood was AAF Basic school (BT-13As) so it is not clear to me why a primary trainer should be required there. Whatever the purpose 43-31559 did not remain there very long and was transferred to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation for surplus storage and sale in September 1944.

Personally, I think I prefer the colour scheme it wore after conversion to a PT-23. Still listed in the current FAA database with an owner in Kansas.

Many thanks for scanning your excellent photos.

Tony

[bilwor]

Tony, is your database for the PT-19s, PT-23s, PT-26s online?
bill word

[M-62A]

Tony, is your database for the PT-19s, PT-23s, PT-26s online?
bill word

Bill,
My apologies for this slow resonse.

No, my databases are not completed yet - still too many holes to fill!

Some material was published in the Anglo-Dutch magazine "AMCAR quarterly" over five issues, but another significant resource became available to me during the course of the project which still needs extracting and adding to the databases.

Eventually I hope to publish something further and then perhaps the Fairchild Club site might be a suitable website to upload the database.
Tony

[Chris Brame]

Thanks for posting these, Bill!
(Didn't the PT-19 have the nickname "Maytag Messerschmitt"? Guess that explains the first paint job! )
So why was it converted to PT-23 configuration?

[Tulio]

Tony is THE guy to go to, for PT-19/23/26 stuff. He helped me to find information on mine.

Saludos, Tony!


Tulio

[Tiger Tim]

Didn't the PT-19 have the nickname "Maytag Messerschmitt"? Guess that explains the first paint job!

I believe the PT-21/22 (those pretty little Ryans) were called Maytag Messerschmitts.

That Luftwaffe painted PT-19 kind of has a Klemm thing going on, only less dainty looking.

-Tim

[bilwor]

When Ed purchased the PT-19A he liked the reliability and looks of the radial.
bill word

[Fouga23]

I like the looks of the PT-19 better :/