The story
Fairchild built the M-62 in 1938 with its own money, a low-wing monoplane at a time when Army cadets still learned on biplanes. It beat 17 other designs in a fly-off at Wright Field, and the Army ordered 270 as PT-19s in September 1939. The wings were wood under a plywood skin, so Fairchild leaned on 27 woodworking subcontractors, including furniture stores and a hosiery plant. Fairchild and its partners built 7,742 Cornells, from open-cockpit PT-19s to radial-engined PT-23s and canopied PT-26s for Canada.
By the end of 1944, says the Smithsonian, more Allied airmen got their primary training in a Fairchild than in any other military trainer.
Quick answers
How do you identify a PT-19 Cornell?
Low wing with no struts or bracing wires, and two open cockpits in tandem. The slim, pointed nose hides an inline engine, which sets it apart from radial-nosed trainers like the PT-22. The fixed main gear is set wide apart under the wing. A PT-26 adds a long greenhouse canopy, and a PT-23 swaps the pointed nose for a round radial engine.
What does a PT-19 Cornell sound like?
The smooth buzz of a six-cylinder inverted inline Ranger, not the rumble of a radial.
How fast is the PT-19 Cornell?
Top speed is 115 kts (132 mph) (PT-19A).
How many passengers does the PT-19 Cornell carry?
Up to 0. A typical layout is Student and instructor in tandem open cockpits.
How far can the PT-19 Cornell fly?
Range is about 350 nmi (PT-19A).
How big is the PT-19 Cornell?
It is 28 ft 0 in long and 36 ft 0 in across the wings.
When did the PT-19 Cornell first fly?
Its first flight was in 1939.
How many PT-19 Cornells have been built?
7,742 (all Cornell models) built.
How rare is a PT-19 Cornell in Bogey?
UNCOMMON. Not rare, but not every day either. Worth looking up for. Your first PT-19 Cornell catch is worth 50 points.
