Past Mystery Planes Solutions

Past Mysteries

Mystery Planes & Quizes Answers

Below you will find answers to previous Mystery Planes from The Flyer.

Mystery Plane #4

Mystery Plane #4 is a Timm N2T Tutor, a primary trainer built of plastic-bonded plywood, called Aeromold. The U.S. Navy ordered 262 Tutors, powered by a Continental R-670-4 radial engine of 220 horsepower. Our own George Coombes flew these in training, so next time you see George, ask him about the Timm and what he thought of a plastic and plywood airplane.

Mystery Plane #3

Fairchild Model 77 XAT-13

Mystery Plane #3 is a Fairchild Model 77 XAT-13, the prototype of an all-wood twin-engine crew trainer. The decision to build the design with wood instead of aluminum resulted in major production problems but the prototype first flew on July 19, 1942 powered by two P&W R-1340 engines of 600hp each.

Fitted with two 520hp Ranger V-770 engines, and designated the XAT-14, the second prototype flew on November 25 of that year and was supposed to go into production as the AT-14 Bombardier trainer, but ended up being produced as an aerial gunnery trainer and redesignated the AT-21 Gunner (below).

Only 175 AT-21s were completed, and after 1943, most were used as target tugs, as combat aircraft were then used for most gunnery training.

I’m not aware of any of these rare but good looking planes that still survive — any of our readers know if any still exist? We do have one of the V-770 twelve-cylinder Ranger engines on display in the main CAF hangar.

Mystery Plane #2

Martin Model 187 (A-30) Baltimore

Despite being produced in greater number than any other Martin aircraft except the B-26 Marauder, the Model 187 is often not recognized as an American design, as its primary service was with the British Royal Air Force.

The Model 187, known as the Baltimore in R.A.F. service, was a refinement of the earlier Model 167 Maryland light bomber. Powered by two Wright R-2600 engines, the Baltimore had a crew of four and could carry up to 2,000 pounds of bombs. Top speed was just over 300 mph, with a range of 950 miles.

The R.A.F. used the Baltimore in the Mediterranean theater, and the photo shows one at the U.S. Triolo base in Italy in the winter of 1944.

No one ventured any guesses or answers to this mystery ship.

Image Source: James M. Stitt, Jr. from WWII War Eagles in Original Color by Jeff Ethell and Warren M. Bodie, used with permission.

Mystery Plane #1

Consolidated Model 39 (Convair 104) (R2Y) Liberator-Liner

Congratulations to Col Tom McKown who identified the first mystery plane at the August Wing meeting.

Based on the PB4Y-2 Privateer (the single-tailed final Navy version of the B-24), the Liberator-Liner featured a new circular-section fuselage in an attempt to convert the bomber into an effective transport aircraft, capable of carrying 48 passengers in seats, or 24 in sleeping berths or 18,500 lbs of cargo.

The original order was placed by the U. S. Navy for 253 with the designation R2Y-1 in March 1944 but in April of that year, design deficiencies resulted in the order being cancelled. Convair (the results of the merger of Consolidated and Vultee) received permission to purchase and complete the prototype in Navy markings with the designation XR2Y-1, and it first flew on April 15, 1944. Power was from four P&W R-1830-94 engines. A second Model 39 was completed as the Convair 104, fitted with R-1830-65 engines.

An experimental cargo service with the first Liberator-Liner (named City of Salinas) was operated for a few months by American Airlines with support from Convair. However, lack of any other interest in the design resulted in both aircraft being scrapped.

	The original Model 39 in U.S. Navy markings as the XR2Y-1.
	The same aircraft as operated briefly by American Airlines.

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