The Stinson Reliant (Stinson SR-10 Reliant "Gullwing") was a four-to-five seat commercial monoplane which was the brainchild of E.A. "Eddie" Stinson, and was designed for private operators and small charter companies. It was the the last model produced by his company before it was bought out in the late 1930s. It was regarded as a strikingly handsome airplane - with its distinctive gull wing - and was known for its ease in handling and its ability to carry four to five people in comfort. An excellent aircraft, the Reliant could recover from a stall and return to level flight "hands off". These features along with state of the art navigation and communication radios, made it popular with executive charter services as well as with the more sophisticated, wealthy buyer.

The Stinson AT-19s Reliant ( Stinson Reliant SR) was built by the Americans for the British during WWII. This type represents the end of the famous Stinson Gullwing design that includes four different models dating back to 1936. The Stinson Reliant was also produced in improved models, SR-1 through SR-6 which, though still called Reliant, had a different wing design from the SR. Development culminated in the classic SR-9F "Gull Wing", many of which flew in Canada.

The military version, the AT-19 (UC-91 in RN), served with the USAAF and US Navy pre-war. Although commercial production ceased on America's entry into World War II, 500 Reliants were built during 1942-1943 in a modified and more powerful form for use by the Royal Navy.

During the post-war era, the Stinson AT-19 Reliant was repatriated by the United States and put on the commercial market. Because the war-surplus Gullwings were so inexpensive, US$1,500 each, commercial air carriers in Alaska bought sizable quantities for their feeder-line routes. The Stinson AT-19 was a rugged aircraft powered by reliable and readily available Lycoming R680, 300 HP radial engines. This made the aircraft a good candidate for bush operations where short gravel runways were the norm. In addition to Alaska Airlines, the Stinson AT-19 types were used by Northern Consolidated Airlines, Wien Airlines and Munz Northern Airlines in Nome. It wsas also recoignised as being a type of airplane suited to Canadian bush operations, however only one was imported before World War II. A second Reliant entered Canada in 1953. This airplane was not retired until 1973.

The Fleet Air Arm Stinson Reliant I was the Royal Navy equivalent of the AT-19. In total the FAA received 500 lend-lease aircraft which were used as an advanced trainer, and all were the military version. The first to be delivered was FB544 to theStation Flight Henstridge in June 1944. This was closerly followed by the fierst squadron being equipped with th e Reliant, 759 squadron in August 1944.
About 415 aircraft were returned to Norfolk, VA, USA in February 1946. After the war the US authorities attempted to sell the former Fleet Air Arm Reliants as "war surplus", but no one could buy them because the AT-19 had never been certified as a Civilian Aircraft. Vultee bought them all up and certified them as the V-77. This was Vultee's 77th design. As a result all of the wartime Reliants are known as V77's instead of SR-10s. Vultee had to "remanufacture" them to comply with the type certificate. This consisted of removing the military equipment, painting over the British roundels, painting on a US "N" civil number and selling them. All the V77's show a manufacture date in 1946 and the factory started new logs, so the military logs are not associated with the individual airplanes.

(Source: From Fleet Air Arm Archive)

This aircraft has been restored to AT-19 paint scheme. The engine and prop were overhauled in 1991 and have only 390 hours since overhaul. The engine was overhauled by Radial Engines, LTD, in Guthrie, OK, recognized as one of the best radial shops in the country. In 1991 the wings, horizonatal stabilizers, elevators, rudder and fueselage were recovered with Ceconite 101.

Based in Midwest USA (Minnesota and Illinois since 1955. Log book from 1945 to 1954 is missing.

Airspeeds:
Rotation: 52 knots
Best Climb: 76 knots
Best Glide: 70 knots
Vne: 175 knots

Range:
104 knots - 650 NM @ 14.7 gph
97 gallons usable fuel

Gross Weight: 4,000
Empty Weight: 2,556
Useful Load: 1,444

Fun Fact: The aircraft has windows that roll up and down with a crank!