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 is a three-place high-wing fixed tailwheel land monoplane powered with a variety of radial engines.

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.^{[citation needed]}

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.^{[citation needed]}

Operational history

The Reliant was used by the U.S. Army in World War II as a utility aircraft, designated UC-81, and as trainer designated AT-19. They were also used by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force 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 300hp 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.^{[citation needed]}

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:

• Ambulance (2 Stretchers)
• Cargo/Ambulance
• Target Towing
• Firefighting
• Photographic

Civilian variants

SR Reliant

Powered by a 215-hp (160-kW) Lycoming R-680 radial piston engine.

SR-1

Powered by a Lycoming R-680-2 radial piston engine.

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.

SR-7C

Five-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5 radial piston engine. Three built.

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

SR-9A

SR-9B

Powered by a Lycoming R-680-B2 radial piston engine.

SR-9C

Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D5 radial piston engine.

SR-9D

Powered by a Wright R-760-E1 radial piston engine.

SR-9E

Powered by a Wright R-760-E2 radial piston engine.

SR-9F

Powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 radial piston engine.

SR-10

SR-10B

Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D6. One built.

SR-10C

Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D5 engine. 46 built.

SR-10D

Wright R-760E-1 engine. 3 built.

SR-10E

Powered by a Wright R-760E-2 radial piston engine. 21 built.

SR-10F

Powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior SB radial piston engine. 18 built.

SR-10G

Powered by a Lycoming R-680-E1 radial piston engine. 12 built.

SR-10J

Lycoming R-680-E3 engine. 11 built.

SR-10K

Wright R-760E-3. Two built.

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.

AT-19A

Original designation of the L-9A which was a Voyager not a Reliant.

AT-19B

Original designation of the L-9B which was a Voyager not a Reliant.

AT-19C

Conversions of AT-19s for photo-survey aircraft for the USAAF, 51 conversions.

UC-81

Four impressed SR.8Bs.

UC-81A

Two impressed SR.10Gs.

UC-81B

One impressed SR.8E.

UC-81C

Three impressed SR.9Cs.

XC-81D

One civil SR.10F operated by the military for the development of glider pick-up techniques.

UC-81E

Four impressed SR.9Fs.

UC-81F

Seven impressed SR.10Fs.

UC-81G

Three impressed SR.9Ds.

UC-81H

One impressed SR.10E.

UC-81J

Nine impressed SR.9Es.

UC-81K

Five impressed SR.10Cs.

UC-81L

Two impressed SR.8Cs.

UC-81M

One impressed SR.9EM.

UC-81N

Two impressed SR.9Bs.

L-12

Two SR.5As impressed into service with the USAAF during World War II.

L-12A

Two SR.7Bs impressed into service during World War II.

RQ-1

One SR-5 Reliant was acquired by the US Coast Guard in 1935.

XR3Q-1

One SR-5 Reliant was acquired by the US Navy in 1935.

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

Australia

• Royal Australian Air Force - 1

Philippines

• Philippine Army Air Corps

United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force
  • No. 510 Squadron RAF
• Fleet Air Arm

United States

• United States Army Air Force
• United States Coast Guard
• United States Marine Corps
• United States Navy
• Civil Air Patrol

Civil operators

Brazil

• Aerolloyd Iguassu
• Aerovias Minas Gerais
• NAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira

El Salvador

• Grupo TACA

Mexico

• Aerovías de México

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

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)

See also

Related lists

• List of aircraft of World War II
• List of aircraft of the U.S. military, World War II
• List of aircraft of the RAF
• List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of military aircraft of the United States (naval)
  

References

• 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 83 9. 
• Wegg, John (1990). General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors. London: Putnam. ISBN 0-85177-833-X. 

External links

• National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
• Fleet Air Arm Archive
• Alberta Aviation Museum
• (1944) T.O. No. 01-50KA-1 Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions for Army Model AT-19 Airplanes, British Model Reliant