Northrop BT

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The Northrop BT was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, dive bomber built by the Northrop Corporation for the US Navy. At the time Northrop was a subsidiary of the Douglas Aircraft Company. The design of the initial version began in 1935. A 700 hp Pratt and Whitney XR-1535-66 Twin Wasp Jr. double row, radial air-cooled engine powered the aircraft. The aircraft had slotted flaps and a landing gear that partially retracted.

The next iteration of the BT, designated the XBT-1 was equipped with a 750 hp R-1535 engine. This aircraft was followed in 1936 by the BT-1 that was powered by an 825 hp Pratt and Whitney R-1535-94 engine. One of the BT-1 aircraft was modified with a fixed tricycle landing gear and was the first such aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier.

The next version, the XBT-2, was a BT-1 aircraft modified in 1939 by Douglas Aircraft Company to incorporate a fully retracting landing gear, wing slots, a re-designed canopy, and was powered by an 800 hp Wright XR-1820-32 radial air-cooled engine. The XBT-2 became the prototype for the Douglas SBD-1.

[edit] Specifications (BT-1)

[edit] General characteristics

Crew: two: pilot, gunner
Length: 9.5 m (31 ft 3 in)
Wingspan: 12.7 m (41 ft 6 in)
Height: 3.81 m (12.5 ft )
Wing area: 29.63 m² (134.5 sq ft)
Empty: 2029 kg (4464 lb)
Maximum takeoff: 3209 kg (7060 lb)
Powerplant: one, Pratt and Whitney R-1535-94 Twin Wasp Jr. double row radial air-cooled engine, 615 kW (825 hp)