Stinson Reliant


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 until late 1943 for the US and British armed forces.
Reliant production can be broken into two distinct types – the straight-wing Reliants and the gull-wing Reliants, 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 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

The SR-10 Reliant was available as a landplane, seaplane and skidplane in the following configurations:
;SR Reliant: Powered by a Lycoming R-680 radial piston engine.
;SR-1: Powered by a Lycoming R-680-2 radial piston engine. Two built.
;SR-2: Powered by a 240-hp 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 Wright R-760-E radial piston engine.
;SR-5: Improved version, powered by a 225-hp Lycoming R-680-4 radial piston engine.
;SR-5A: Powered by a 245-hp Lycoming R-680-6 radial piston engine.
;SR-5B: Powered by a 240-hp Lycoming R-680-2 radial piston engine.
;SR-5C: Powered by a 260-hp Lycoming R-680-5 radial piston engine.
;SR-5E: Powered by a 225-hp Lycoming R-680-4 radial piston engine.
;SR-5F: Powered by a 250-hp 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 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.
;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 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.
;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:
;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
;AT-19A
;AT-19B
;AT-19C
;UC-81:
;UC-81A
;UC-81B
;UC-81C
;XC-81D
;UC-81E
;UC-81F
;UC-81G
;UC-81H
;UC-81J
;UC-81K
;UC-81L
;UC-81M
;UC-81N
;L-12
;L-12A
;RQ-1
;XR3Q-1
;Reliant I

Operators

Military operators

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