Fairchild AT-21 Gunner

Fairchild · United States · first flew 1943 · bomber

The Fairchild AT-21 Gunner was a twin-engine advanced trainer designed to teach flexible gunnery and bombing skills to USAAF students, notable for its largely wooden construction intended to conserve aluminium for combat aircraft.

Recognition (WEFT)

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Spot it by:

• Twin-engine flexible gunnery trainer
• Glazed nose bombardier position
• Wooden construction to conserve strategic materials

A twin-engine mid-wing trainer with a glazed nose, twin fins, and a prominent rear dorsal gun position; its wooden construction gave it smooth, rounded contours unusual for a military aircraft of the period.

Specifications

• The Fairchild AT-21 Gunner has a length of 11.28 m (37 ft).
• It has a wingspan of 17.07 m (56 ft).
• Its maximum speed is 454 km/h (282 mph).
• Typical crew: 5.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed and built from 1941, the AT-21 entered service in 1943 and was built by Fairchild and under subcontract by Bellanca and McDonnell. It simulated the environment of a bomber crew position, providing realistic turret-gunnery training.

Variants

Only the AT-21 production standard was built; a small number of variants differed in engine fit but retained the same basic airframe.

Where you'll see it

Operated exclusively by the USAAF for gunner and bombardier training within the continental United States; withdrawn rapidly at war's end.

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