Vultee BT-13A  Valiant      XB-JET

                                          

                                                  The Valiant was the most prolific trainer used in the US during the war.  In all well over 11,000
                                                  of these aircraft were built for the Army Air Corps and the Navy between 1940 and 1944.  The
                                                  original model had a 450 hp Pratt and Whitney Wasp Junior R-985-AN-1 engine.  However,
                                                  production of airframes outstripped the ability of United Aircraft to deliver power plants and
                                                  hence a variation, powered by a 450 hp Wright R-975-11 Whirlwind was developed, known
                                                  as  the BT-15.   Cadets that trained on the Valiant referred to it as the "Vultee Vibrator" for
                                                  obvious reasons.  This one found its way onto the Mexican civil register, although a "Jet" it was
                                                  not!.  My shot was taken at Hawthorne Municipal in 1962.