The Stinson Reliant is a popular single-

engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...

four- to five-seat high-wing

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple planes. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

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

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

The Reliant was used by the

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

as a utility aircraft, designated UC-81, and as trainer designated AT-19. The

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

and

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

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

The SR-10 Reliant was available as a landplane, seaplane and skidplane in the following configurations: * Ambulance (two stretchers) * Cargo/Ambulance * Target Towing * Firefighting * Photographic

Civilian variants

;SR Reliant: Powered by a Lycoming R-680 radial piston engine.Wegg 1990, pp. 131, 133. ;SR-1: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-2 radial piston engine. Two built.Wegg 1990, p. 132. ;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 The Wright R-760 Whirlwind was a series of seven-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by the Wright Aeronautical division of Curtiss-Wright. These engines had a displacement of 756 in³ (12.4 L) and power ratings of 225-3 ...

-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: Four-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: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B6 radial piston engine. 47 built.Wegg 1990, p. 135. ;SR-7C: Four-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5 radial piston engine. Three built. ;SR-8A: Five-seat cabin aircraft. ;SR-8B: Five-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B6 radial piston engine. ;SR-8C: Five-seat cabin aircraft, powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5 radial piston engine. ;SR-8D: Five-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. ;SR-9A: Proposed version with Lycoming R-680-B4 engine. Unbuilt. ;SR-9B: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-B6 engine. 35 built.''Aviation'' February 1937, p. 36. ;SR-9C: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-B5 engine. 65 built. ;SR-9D: Powered by a Wright R-760-E1 engine. 22 built. ;SR-9E: Powered by a Wright R-760-E2 engine. 43 built. ;SR-9F: Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior radial engine. 34 built. ;SR-10 N21104-1 Doolittle Reliant 2

;SR-10B: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D6. One built.Wegg 1990, p. 136. ;SR-10C: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-D5 engine. 46 built. ;SR-10D: Wright R-760E-1 engine. 3 built.Wegg 1990, pp. 136–137. ;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: Powered by a Wright R-975E-3 radial engine. 2 built for

New York City Police Department The New York City Police Department (NYPD), officially the City of New York Police Department, established on May 23, 1845, is the primary municipal law enforcement agency within the City of New York, the largest and one of the oldest in ...

; one with

conventional landing gear Conventional landing gear, or tailwheel-type landing gear, is an aircraft undercarriage consisting of two main wheels forward of the center of gravity and a small wheel or skid to support the tail.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Term ...

, one seaplane with Edo floats.

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 Flying

;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, later redesignated XR3Q-1 and decommissioned in 1941.Pearcy 1991, p. 317. ;XR3Q-1 :One SR-5 Reliant was acquired by the US Navy in 1935.Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 469. ;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

Military operators

; * Argentine Navy ; *

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

– 1 ;: *

** No. 510 Squadron RAFHalley 1980, p. 306. *

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...

730 Naval Air Squadron 730 Naval Air Squadron (730 NAS) was a Naval Air Squadron of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm. It was active between 1944 and 1945 as a communications squadron. History of 730 NAS Communications Squadron (1944 - 1945) 730 Naval Air Squadron was ...

; *

Uruguayan Air Force The Uruguayan Air Force ( es, Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya, abbreviated FAU) is the air service branch of the Armed Forces of Uruguay. Originally created as part of the National Army of Uruguay, the Air Force was established as a separate branch on Dec ...

;: *

– A total of 47 Reliants impressed during World War 2Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p. 532. *

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Civil operators

; *

Aerolloyd Iguassu Aerolloyd Iguassú S.A., was a Brazilian airline founded in 1933. In 1939 it was sold to VASP. History Aerolloyd Iguassú was founded in the beginning of 1933, in Curitiba, Brazil with initial financial support from the mate manufacturer Ma ...

Aerovias Minas Gerais Aerovias S/A Minas Gerais was a Brazilian airline founded in 1944. It went bankrupt in 1949. History Aerovias Minas Gerais was founded on February 7, 1944, and flights started in 1945. The airline was grounded on November 23, 1949, and went ba ...

* NAB – Navegação Aérea Brasileira ;: *

Grupo TACA Transportes Aereos del Continente Americano, (''Air Transports of the American Continent'', known and branded formerly as TACA International), operating as Avianca El Salvador, is an airline owned by Kingsland Holdings based in El Salvador. As T ...

;: * 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 1934Aeromexico – The Story of a Great Company
last accessed on 2012 November 30 ; *

Widerøe Widerøes Flyveselskap AS, trading as Widerøe, is a Norwegian airline, and is the largest regional airline operating in the Nordic countries. The airline's fleet of 40 Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft, and 3 Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, serves over 40 ...

;: * Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional (LATN) ;: * New York City Police Department Aviation Unit * Northwest Airways

Specifications (SR-10F)

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * *

External links

Stinson SR-10F Reliant National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
* ttps://www.albertaaviationmuseum.com/otw_pm_portfolio/stinson-sr-9/ Stinson SR-9 Alberta Aviation Museumbr>(1944) T.O. No. 01-50KA-1 Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions for Army Model AT-19 Airplanes, British Model Reliant
{{AircraftDesignationNavboxShell, {{USAF liaison aircraft {{USAF trainer aircraft {{USAF transports {{USN transports {{USN transport single-engined 1930s United States civil utility aircraft 1930s United States military utility aircraft High-wing aircraft

Reliant Reliant Motor Company was a British car manufacturer based in Tamworth, Staffordshire, England. It was founded in 1935 and ended car production in 2002, the company had been known as "Reliant Motor Company" (or RMC for short) until the 1990s ...

Single-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1933