Stinson Reliant

Reliant

Role	Liaison and training monoplane
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Stinson Aircraft Company
First flight	1933
Primary user	United States Army Air Corps
Number built	1327

The Stinson Reliant was a popular single-engine four- to five-seat high-wing monoplane manufactured by the Stinson Aircraft Division of the Aviation Manufacturing Corporation of Wayne, Michigan.

Design and development

The Reliant was a high-wing, fixed-tailwheel land monoplane powered with a variety of radial engines.^[1]

1,327 Reliants of all types were made from 1933 to 1941, in different models, from SR-1 to SR-10. The final commercial model, the Stinson Reliant SR-10, was introduced in 1938. A militarized version was first flown in February 1942 and remained in production through several additional versions (all externally identical) until late 1943 for the US and British armed forces.

Reliant production can be broken into two distinct types – the straight-wing Reliants (all models up to SR-6) and the gull-wing Reliants (all models from SR-7 and after, including the militarized V-77/AT-19), with there being little in common between the two groups of types. The straight-wing Reliant had a wing of constant chord and thickness which was supported by two struts each side with additional bracing struts. In contrast the taper-wing Reliant had the broadest chord and thickness of the wing at mid-span, with the outer wing trailing edge heavily angled forward and a rounded cutout on the leading edge root, all supported by a single strut. The taper wing had a significant step up between the fuselage and the wing, and the changes in wing thickness gave it a distinct gull appearance from the front.

Operational history

A Stinson (Vultee) V-77

The Reliant was used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II as a utility aircraft, designated UC-81, and as trainer designated AT-19. The Royal Navy and Royal Air Force also used Reliants, for light transport and communication duties. After the war they were sold on the civilian market as the Vultee V-77.

The V-77 was a spartan version of the SR-10 with the 300 hp Lycoming R680-E3B, a single door on the left side and the traditional "bump" cowl was replaced with a simpler smooth cowl. Internal structure was beefed up significantly over the commercial models, and a distinctive triangle-shaped counterbalance was added to the rudder.

Variants

SR-6 Reliant at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum, Dauster Field, Missouri in 2006

The SR-10 Reliant was available as a landplane, seaplane and skidplane in the following configurations:^[2]

Ambulance (two stretchers)
Cargo/Ambulance
Target Towing
Firefighting
Photographic

Civilian variants

SR Reliant: Powered by a 215 hp (160 kW) Lycoming R-680 radial piston engine.^[3]
SR-1: Powered by a 240 hp (180 kW) Lycoming R-680-2 radial piston engine. Two built.^[4]
SR-2: Powered by a 240-hp (179-kW) Lycoming R-680-7 radial piston engine.
SR-3: Similar to the SR-1, but with minor structural changes.
SR-4: Powered by a 250-hp (186-kW) Wright R-760-E radial piston engine.
SR-5: Improved version, powered by a 225-hp (168-kW) Lycoming R-680-4 radial piston engine.
SR-5A: Powered by a 245-hp (183-kW) Lycoming R-680-6 radial piston engine.
SR-5B: Powered by a 240-hp (179-kW) Lycoming R-680-2 radial piston engine.
SR-5C: Powered by a 260-hp (194-kW) Lycoming R-680-5 radial piston engine.
SR-5E: Powered by a 225-hp (168-kW) Lycoming R-680-4 radial piston engine.
SR-5F: Powered by a 250-hp (186-kW) Wright R-760-E radial piston engine.
SR-6: Five-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-6 radial piston engine.
SR-6A: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a 225-hp (168-kW) Lycoming R-680-4 radial piston engine.
SR-6B: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-5 radial piston engine.
SR-7: First gull wing series.
SR-7B: Five-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B6 radial piston engine. 47 built.^[5]
SR-7C: Five-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5 radial piston engine. Three built.^[5]
SR-8A: Four-seat cabin aircraft.
SR-8B: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B6 radial piston engine.
SR-8C: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5 radial piston engine.
SR-8D: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Wright R-760-E2 radial piston engine.
SR-8DM: Utility transport version of the SR-8D.
SR-8E: Five-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a 320-hp (239-kW) Wright R-760-E23 radial piston engine.
SR-8DE: Utility transport version of the SR-8E.
SR-9: 1937 series. Fitted with a curved windshield, unique to this series.^[6]
SR-9A: Proposed version with Lycoming R-680-B4 engine. Unbuilt.^[6]
SR-9B: Powered by a 245 horsepower (183 kW) Lycoming R-680-B6 engine. 35 built.^[6]^[7]
SR-9C: Powered by a 260 horsepower (190 kW) Lycoming R-680-B5 engine. 65 built.^[6]^[7]
SR-9D: Powered by a 285 horsepower (213 kW) Wright R-760-E1 engine. 22 built.^[6]^[7]
SR-9E: Powered by a 320 horsepower (240 kW) Wright R-760-E2 engine. 43 built.^[6]^[7]
SR-9F: Powered by a 450 horsepower (340 kW) Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior radial engine. 34 built.^[6]
SR-10

Jimmy Doolittle's Shell Stinson Reliant SR-10, restored

SR-10B: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D6. One built.^[6]
SR-10C: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D5 engine. 46 built.^[6]
SR-10D: Wright R-760E-1 engine. 3 built.^[8]
SR-10E: Powered by a Wright R-760E-2 radial piston engine. 21 built.^[8]
SR-10F: Powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior SB radial piston engine. 18 built.^[9]
SR-10G: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-E1 radial piston engine. 12 built.^[6]
SR-10J: Lycoming R-680-E3 engine. 11 built.^[6]
SR-10K: Wright R-760E-3. Two built.^[6]

Military variants

AT-19: USAAF designation for a training variant of the UC-81 for the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease as the Reliant I, 500 built.^[10]
AT-19A: Original designation of the L-9A which was a Voyager not a Reliant.^[10]
AT-19B: Original designation of the L-9B which was a Voyager not a Reliant.^[10]
AT-19C: Conversions of AT-19s for photo-survey aircraft for the USAAF, 51 conversions.^[10]
UC-81: Four impressed SR.8Bs.^[11]
UC-81A: Two impressed SR.10Gs.^[11]
UC-81B: One impressed SR.8E.^[11]
UC-81C: Three impressed SR.9Cs.^[11]
XC-81D: One civil SR.10F operated by the military for the development of glider pick-up techniques.^[11]
UC-81E: Four impressed SR.9Fs.^[11]
UC-81F: Seven impressed SR.10Fs.^[11]
UC-81G: Three impressed SR.9Ds.^[11]
UC-81H: One impressed SR.10E.^[11]
UC-81J: Nine impressed SR.9Es.^[11]
UC-81K: Five impressed SR.10Cs.^[11]
UC-81L: Two impressed SR.8Cs.^[11]
UC-81M: One impressed SR.9EM.^[11]
UC-81N: Two impressed SR.9Bs.^[11]
L-12: Two SR.5As impressed into service with the USAAF during World War II.^[12]
L-12A: Two SR.7Bs impressed into service during World War II.^[12]
RQ-1: One SR-5 Reliant was acquired by the US Coast Guard in 1935, later redesignated XR3Q-1 and decommissioned in 1941.^[13]
XR3Q-1: One SR-5 Reliant was acquired by the US Navy in 1935.^[14]
Reliant I: 500 Reliants were supplied to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease. The Reliants were used for light transport and communications, navigation and radio training duties.

Operators

Stinson V77 Reliant

Stinson V77 Reliant

Military operators

Argentina

Argentine Navy^[9]

Australia

Royal Australian Air Force - 1^[15]

United Kingdom

Uruguay

Uruguayan Air Force

United States

United States Army Air Forces - A total of 47 Reliants impressed during World War 2^[17]
United States Coast Guard^[13]
United States Navy^[9]

Civil operators

Brazil

El Salvador

Grupo TACA

Mexico

Aeronaves de México - the Reliant was the first aircraft used by Aeronaves, later to become Mexico's largest airline, Aeromexico, on their initial service between Mexico and Acapulco on 14 September 1934^[18]

Norway

Widerøe

Paraguay

Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional (LATN)

United States

Northwest Airways

Specifications (SR-10F)

A Stinson SR-10 Reliant (black) and a De Havilland DH-4B (wood) hanging from the ceiling at the National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.

Data from General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors^[9]

General characteristics

Crew: one, pilot
Capacity: 3 to 4 passengers
Length: 27 ft 11 in (8.51 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 7 in (12.68 m)
Height: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m)
Wing area: 256.5 sq ft (23.84 m²)
Empty weight: 3,045 lb (1,384 kg)
Loaded weight: 4,605 lb (2,093 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior SB nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, 400 hp (298 kW)

Performance

Cruise speed: 154 knots (177 mph, 285 km/h)
Range: 739 nmi (850 mi, 1,369 km)
Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
Rate of climb: 1,330 ft/min (6.8 m/s)

References

↑ Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions for Army Model AT-19 Airplanes and British Model Reliant - 15 June 1944
↑ Stinson SR-10 Specifications - April 1940
↑ Wegg 1990, pp. 131, 133.
↑ Wegg 1990, p. 132.
1 2 Wegg 1990, p. 135.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Wegg 1990, p. 136.
1 2 3 4 Aviation February 1937, p. 36.
1 2 Wegg 1990, pp. 136–137.
1 2 3 4 Wegg 1990, p. 137.
1 2 3 4 Andrade 1979, p.79
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Andrade 1979, p.81
1 2 Andrade 1979, p.130
1 2 Pearcy 1991, p. 317.
↑ Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 469.
↑ "A38 Stinson Reliant". RAAF Museum. 2009. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
↑ Halley 1980, p. 306.
↑ Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p. 532.
↑ Aeromexico - The Story of a Great Company, last accessed on 2012 November 30

Andrade, John (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.
Halley, James J (1980). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians). ISBN 0 85130 083 9.
Pearcy, Arthur (1991). U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Since 1916. Shrewsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-118-4.
"Stinson Restyles". Aviation Week & Space Technology. Vol. 36 no. 2. February 1937. pp. 35–36. (Registration required (help)).
Swanborough, F. G.; Bowers, Peter M. (1963). United States Military Aircraft since 1909. London: Putnam.
Swanborough, Gordon; Bowers, Peter M. (1976). United States Navy Aircraft since 1911 (Second ed.). London: Putnam. ISBN 0-370-10054-9.
Wegg, John (1990). General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-833-X.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stinson Reliant.

Aircraft produced by Stinson Aircraft Corporation
Civil designations	SB-1 SM-1 SM-2 SM-6 SM-6000 Model A Model L Model M Model O Model R Model S Model SR Model U Model W Model 10 Model 74 Model 105 Model 108
Military designation	AT-19 C-81 C-91 CQ-2 L-1 L-5 L-9 L-12 L-13 O-49 O-54 O-62 U-19
Names	Airliner Detroiter Reliant Sentinel Vigilant Voyager

Aircraft produced by Vultee
Manufacturer designations	V-1 V-11 V-12 V-20 V-32 V-33 V-35 V-37 V-38 V-39 V-40 V-41 V-42 V-43 V-44 V-45 V-46 V-47 V-48 V-49 V-50 V-51 V-52 V-54 V-55 V-56 V-57 V-58 V-61 V-69 V-70 V-72 V-74 V-75 V-76 V-77 V-78 V-80 V-83 V-84 V-85 V-86 V-88 V-90 Model numbering continued by Convair
By role	Fighters XP-54 P-66 Attack aircraft A-19 A-31 A-35 XA-41 Trainers BT-13 BT-15

Designation sequences for this aircraft:

United States trainer aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems

Advanced Trainer
(1925-1948)

Basic Combat
(1936-1940)

Basic Trainer
(1930-1948)

Primary Trainer
(1924-1948)

Main sequence
(1948-present)

1948 redesignations	T-6 T-7 T-11 T-13A T-13B/D T-17 T-19
New designations	T-28 T-29 T-30 T-31 T-32 T-33 T-34 T-35 T-36 T-37 T-38 T-39 T-40 T-41 T-42 T-43 T-44 T-45 T-46 T-47 T-48 (I) T-48 (II) CT-49 T-50 T-51 T-52 T-53

Alternate sequences

1962 redesignations	T-1 T-2
1990-1996 sequence	T-1 T-2¹ T-3 T-4¹ T-5¹ T-6

¹ Not assigned

United States military transport aircraft designations, Army/Air Force and Tri-Service systems
Army/Air Force sequence (1925-1962)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7 C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16 C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20 C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27 C-28 C-29 C-30 C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34 C-35 C-36 C-37 C-38 C-39 C-40 C-41/A C-42 C-43 C-44 C-45 C-46 C-47/T C-48 C-49 C-50 C-51 C-52 C-53 C-54 C-55 C-56 C-57 C-58 C-59 C-60 C-61 C-62 C-63 C-64 C-65 C-66 C-67 C-68 C-69 C-70/A/B/C/D C-71 C-72 C-73 C-74 C-75 C-76 C-77/B-D C-78 C-79 C-80 C-81 C-82 C-83 C-84 C-85 C-86 C-87 C-88 C-89 C-90 C-91 C-92 C-93 C-94 C-95 C-96 C-97/KC-97 C-98 C-99 C-100 C-101 C-102 C-103 C-104 C-105 C-106 C-107 C-108 C-109 C-110 C-111 C-112 C-113 C-114 C-115 C-116 C-117 C-118 C-119 C-120 C-121/F C-122 C-123/A C-124 C-125 C-126 C-127 (I) C-127 (II) C-128 C-129 C-130/J C-131 C-132 C-133 C-134 C-135/KC-135 C-136 C-137 C-138¹ C-139¹ C-140 C-141 C-142
Tri-service sequence (1962-present)	C-1 C-2 C-3 C-4 C-5 C-6 C-7/B C-8 C-9 C-10 C-11 C-12 C-13¹ C-14 C-15 C-16¹ C-17 C-18 C-19 C-20A-D/F-H C-21 C-22 C-23 C-24 C-25 C-26 C-27/J C-28 C-29 C-30¹ C-31 C-32 C-33 C-34¹ C-35 C-36 C-37A/B C-38 C-39¹ C-40 C-41 C-42¹ C-43¹ C-44¹ C-45 C-46
Revived original sequence (2005-present)	C-143 C-144 C-145 C-146
Non-sequential designations	C-767 C-880
¹ Not assigned See also: AC-47 • AC-119 • AC-130 • DC-130 • EC-130 • HC-130 • KC-130 • LC-130 • MC-130 • WC-130 • CT-39 • CT-43

USN/USMC transport designations 1931–1962
Atlantic Aircraft	RA
Budd	RB
Curtiss	RC R2C⁴ R3C⁴ R4C R5C
Douglas	RD R2D R3D R4D R5D R6D
Bellanca	RE
Kinner	RK
Kreider-Reisner	RK² R2K
Martin	RM
Lockheed	RO R2O R3O R4O R5O R6O R7O-1/-2 to "V" (see below, at "Lockheed")
Stinson	RQ R2Q² R3Q
Fairchild	RQ R2Q R3Q² R4Q
Ford	RR
Sikorsky	RS
Northrop	RT
Lockheed	from "O" (see above, at "Lockheed") R6V R7V-1/-2 R8V
Convair	RY R2Y R3Y R4Y
¹ Not assigned ² Assigned to a different manufacturer's type ³ Sequence restarted ⁴ Assigned to a different class of aircraft

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