Fairchild M62A  Cornell     CF-CVA           (c/n FV-728)

                                    

                                        The Fairchild M62 was designed as a military low wing monoplane trainer in 1939.  Hitherto, most
                                        USAAC trainers had been biplanes, but it was agreed that monoplanes, with their higher wing loading
                                        would provide would be Air Corps pilots with more realistic flight attributes.   The aircraft was granted
                                        a civilian Approved Type Certificate (ATC # 724) although most of the production went into the military
                                        as either PT-19s or PT-26s.   There was a radial engined variety (220 hp Continental) known as the
                                        PT-23.  In addition to Fairchild, production was also undertaken by Aeronca, St. Louis Aircraft,
                                        Howard Aircraft and by Fleet in Canada.   The nice photograph above by Leo J. Kohn shows a Fleet
                                        built ex RCAF Cornell civilianized after the war.  My shot below, was taken at Long Beach in the
                                        early 1970s and shows an M-62A-3 in pseudo military markings.  This was the period when it was just
                                        starting to be chic to paint ex-military machines in 'warbird' paint schemes.  Consequently, all it has are the
                                        stars and bars.   Evidently the owner didn't realize at the time that one needed to put unit markings
                                        et al on it, and virtually hide the civil registration. 

                                     Fairchild  M-62A-3  Cornell     N58202               (c/n  FV-639)