View source for Fairchild AT-21 Gunner

{{Short description|1943 trainer aircraft family by Fairchild}}
{{Redirect|AT-21|the Dutch target drone|Aviolanda AT-21}}
{{Use American English|date=November 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
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{{Infobox aircraft
|name = AT-21 Gunner
|image = Fairchild AT-21.jpg
|type = Trainer
|manufacturer = [[Fairchild Aircraft|Fairchild]]
|first_flight = 1943
|introduction = 1943
|retired =1944
|primary_user = [[United States Army Air Forces]]
|number_built = 175
|variants = [[Fairchild BQ-3]]
}}
The '''Fairchild AT-21''' was 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.<ref>Mondey 2006, p. 130.</ref>
==Design and development==
The [[United States Army Air Corps]] (USAAC) issued a specification for a specialized bomber trainer, ordering two prototypes from [[Fairchild Aircraft]]. The '''XAT-13''' powered by two {{cvt|450|hp}} [[Pratt & Whitney R-1340]]-AN-1 radial engines, emerged as a "scaled down" bomber with a single machine gun in the glazed nose and a top turret with twin machine guns and fitted with tricycle landing gear.<ref>Taylor 1989, p. 506.</ref> The concept was to have a single type that was able to duplicate the bomber crew positions from piloting, navigation, bomb aiming/dropping to aerial gunnery.<ref name="eden">Eden and Moeng, 2002, p. 641.</ref>
The second prototype, designated the '''XAT-14''' was similar in layout but was powered by two 520&nbsp;hp (388&nbsp;kW) [[Ranger V-770]] inline inverted 12-cylinder vee-type engines. It first flew in late 1942.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://archive.aviationweek.com/issue/19421201#!&pid=268|title=Sleek Successor to AT-13|issue=December 1942|access-date=30 July 2021|journal=Aviation}}</ref> A further refinement to suit the aircraft for bombardier training with the nose gun and turret removed, led to a new designation, the '''XAT-14A'''. Both prototypes featured an unusual construction, being built from "[[Duramold]]" plastic-bonded plywood.<ref name="eleven">Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 256.</ref> At the end of the testing period, the USAAC ordered the inline version as the '''AT-21''' Gunner, specialized for gunnery training. The ''AT-21'' had a crew of five, pilot, co-pilot/gunnery instructor and three pupils.<ref name="eden"/>
Fairchild Aircraft Company built one aircraft in Hagerstown and 106 aircraft at their [[Burlington, North Carolina]] plant in 1943 and 1944, while [[Bellanca|Bellanca Aircraft]] built 39 at [[New Castle, Delaware]], and [[McDonnell]] built 30 aircraft at their [[St. Louis]] plant. Both companies were enlisted to speed production and delivery to training units.<ref name="eleven"/>
==Operational history==
The AT-21 proved unsuitable for use as a trainer due to vibration and oscillation tendencies, as well as an inherent instability caused by the short distance between the rudders and the gull wing. The aerodynamic instability resulted in unacceptable yaw when even slight rudder movements were made.<ref>Mondey 2006, p. 131.</ref>
Deemed unsuitable for its original purpose, the AT-21 was evaluated as an advanced pilot trainer. This also did not work out well, due to poor single-engine performance and multiple landing gear problems. The aircraft was withdrawn from service in 1944 and was replaced in training by examples of the actual aircraft in which the gunners would eventually serve. Many AT-21s were then relegated to target-tow duties.<ref name="p257">Swanborough and Bowers, 1976, p. 257.</ref>
A small number of  AT-21s survived as civilian examples, with one (s/n 42-48053 owned by Craig Cantwell) still in existence in North Texas awaiting restoration.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fairchild AT-21 'Gunner' |url=http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/specs/fairchil/at-21.htm |website=Aviation Enthusiast Corner |access-date=28 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060203055750/http://aeroweb.brooklyn.cuny.edu/specs/fairchil/at-21.htm |archive-date=3 February 2006}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=December 2022}}
===BQ-3 Assault Drone===
{{main|Fairchild BQ-3}}
In October 1942, the U.S. Army Air Forces ordered two XBQ-3 "aerial torpedoes", based on the AT-21 design. Optionally piloted for flight testing and intended to carry {{cvt|4000|lb}} of explosive, the XBQ-3 first flew in July 1944, but the project was cancelled later that year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Parsch |first1=Andreas |title=Fairchild BQ-3 |url=http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app1/bq-3.html |website=Designation-Systems.net |access-date=28 December 2022 |date=2003}}</ref>
==Variants==
;XAT-13
:Twin-engined bomber crew trainer powered by two {{cvt|450|hp}} [[Pratt & Whitney R-1340]]-AN-1 engines, one built,<ref name="eden"/> serial number 41-19500<ref name="eleven"/>
;XAT-14
:AT-13 variant with two {{cvt|520|hp}} Ranger V-770-6 engines, one built, later converted to XAT-14A,<ref name="eden"/> serial number 41-19503<ref name="eleven"/>
;XAT-14A
:XAT-14 modified as a bombardier trainer with dorsal turret and nose gun removed.<ref name="eleven"/>
;AT-21
:Production version of the XAT-14A with two 520 hp (388 kW) Ranger V-770-11 or -15 engines, 164 built.<ref name="eden"/>
;XBQ-3
:Guided bomb version, AT-21 modified with a {{cvt|4000|lb}} explosive charge in fuselage.<ref name="eden"/>
==Operators==
;{{USA}}
* [[United States Army Air Forces]]
==Specifications (AT-21) ==
[[File:Fairchild AT-21 Gunner 3-view line drawing.png|frameless|right|3-view line drawing of the Fairchild AT-21 Gunner]]
{{Aircraft specs
|prime units? = kts
|ref=''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''<ref name="eden"/>
|crew= five
|length ft= 38
|span ft= 52||span in= 8
|height ft= 13||height in= 1.25
|wing area sqft= 378
|empty weight lb= 8654
|gross weight lb= 11288
|max takeoff weight lb= 12500
|max takeoff weight note=<ref name="p257"/>
|eng1 name=[[Ranger V-770]]-11/15
|eng1 type=12-cylinder inverted-vee air-cooled piston engine
|eng1 number=2
|eng1 hp=520
|max speed mph= 225
|cruise speed mph= 196
|range miles= 910
|ceiling ft= 22150
|climb rate ftmin= 930
|armament=
* one {{cvt|0.30|in|2}} [[M1919 Browning machine gun|Browning trainable machine-gun]] in the nose
* two {{cvt|0.30|in|2}} Browning machine guns in a power operated dorsal turret
|avionics=
}}
==See also==
{{Portal|Aviation}}
{{aircontent
|related=
* [[Fairchild BQ-3]]
|similar=
* [[Airspeed Oxford]]
* [[Avro Anson]]
|lists=
* [[List of military aircraft of the United States]]
|see also=
}}
==References==
{{external media
| float  = right
| video1 = [http://www.archive.org/details/87594TheAT21 The AT-21: A Modern Twin-Engined Military Airplane]
}}
===Notes===
{{Reflist}}
===Bibliography===
* Andrade, John M. ''U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909''. Hinckley, England: Midland Counties Publications, 1979, {{ISBN|0-904597-22-9}}.
* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng, eds. ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. {{ISBN|0-7607-3432-1}}.
* Mondey, David. ''American Aircraft of World War II'' (Hamlyn Concise Guide). London: Bounty Books, 2006. {{ISBN|978-0-7537-1461-4}}.
* Swanborough, F.G. and Peter M. Bowers. ''United States Military Aircraft Since 1909''. New York: Putnam, 1964. {{ISBN|0-85177-816-X}}.
* Taylor, Michael J.H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation Vol. 3''. London: Studio Editions, 1989. {{ISBN|0-517-10316-8}}.
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(2414917).pn. Apparatus For Molding Wood or the Like Material] – patent for the construction method used to build the AT-21, featuring a drawing of the airplane
{{Fairchild aircraft}}
{{USAF trainer aircraft}}
{{US unmanned aircraft}}
[[Category:Fairchild aircraft|AT-21]]
[[Category:1940s United States military trainer aircraft]]
[[Category:World War II trainer aircraft of the United States]]
[[Category:Aircraft first flown in 1943]]
[[Category:Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft]]
[[Category:Aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear]]
[[Category:Mid-wing aircraft]]