The Stinson Reliant is 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 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.

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 has a wing of constant chord and thickness which is supported by two struts each side with additional bracing struts. In contrast the taper-wing Reliant has 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 has 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

thumb|right|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 is 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

thumb|right|SR-6 Reliant at the [[Historic Aircraft Restoration Museum, Dauster Field, Missouri in 2006]]

All versions of the Reliant were powered with radial piston engines, and could be operated on wheels, floats and skis, and in the following configurations:

  • Cargo
  • Ambulance (two stretchers)
  • Firefighting
  • Photographic mapping

Civilian variants

  • SR Reliant: Powered by a Lycoming R-680.
  • SR-1: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-2. Two built.
  • SR-2: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-7.
  • SR-3: Similar to the SR-1, but with retractable undercarriage.
  • SR-4: Powered by a Wright R-760-E.
  • SR-5: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-4.
  • SR-5A: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-6.
  • SR-5B: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-2.
  • SR-5C: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-5.
  • SR-5E: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-4.
  • SR-5F: Powered by a Wright R-760-E.
  • SR-6: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-6.
  • SR-6A: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-4.
  • SR-6B: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-5.
  • SR-7: First gull wing series.
  • SR-7B: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B6. 47 built.
  • SR-7C: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5. Three built.
  • SR-9C: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5 engine. 65 built.
  • SR-10C: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D5 engine. 46 built.
  • SR-10E: Powered by a Wright R-760E-2. 21 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-19B

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

;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

thumb|right|Stinson V77 Reliant

thumb|right|Stinson V77 Reliant

Military operators

;

  • Argentine Navy

;:

  • Royal Air Force
  • No. 510 Squadron RAF
  • Fleet Air Arm
  • 730 Naval Air Squadron
  • 748 Naval Air Squadron

;:

  • United States Army Air Forces – A total of 47 Reliants impressed during World War 2
  • United States Coast Guard

Civil operators

;

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

;:

  • Grupo TACA

;:

  • 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

;

  • Widerøe

;:

  • Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional (LATN)

;:

  • New York City Police Department Aviation Unit
  • Northwest Airways

Specifications (SR-10F)

frameless|right|3-view line drawing of the Stinson AT-19 Reliant

See also

References

</references>

Bibliography

  • Stinson SR-10F Reliant National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
  • Stinson SR-9 Alberta Aviation Museum
  • (1944) T.O. No. 01-50KA-1 Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions for Army Model AT-19 Airplanes, British Model Reliant