Each photograph is offered at a 300dpi res/13x8cm size making them available for a very good quality digital print, but also for Iphone/IPad, smartphone or computer screen (but should convert the image into a jpeg format for doing so)

This photo album is extracted from the publication Allied Wings 3 – The Northrop BT-1 and USN Aircraft 1922 – 1962 Vol 3

Photo Northrop BT – 01: Aircraft of VB-6 flying in close formation during a training flight. Red Section is leading the formation with Blue Section flying on its right. If the standard formation practice is being followed the photograph was taken from 6-B-9.

Photo Northrop BT – 02: BT-1 Bu.No 0591/5-B-1 during a test flight in 1938. The cowling and fuselage band are red.

Photo Northrop BT – 03: BT-1 0592/5-B-2 being pushed back on the desk of USS Yorktown. It would be lost on an accident on 24 AUgust 1939

Photo Northrop BT – 04: BT-1 Bu.No 0609/5-B-13, this was the aircraft flown by the leader of Green Section, warming-up at NAS Norfolk in 1939.

Photo Northrop BT – 05: BT-1 Bu.No 0607/5-B-11, the second aircraft of Black Section, photographed around 1939.

Photo Northrop BT – 06: BT-1 Bu.No 0606/5-B-10, this was the aircraft flown by the leader of Black Section, seen at the factory in May 1938.

Photo Northrop BT – 07: BT-1 Bu.No 0602/5-B-6 after its overhaul at San Diego in December 1939. The former VB-6 machine has now received VB-5’s markings, for White Section (aircraft 4 to 6), and it is ready to be delivered to this unit. Under the cockpit is “Ensign Perrin”, the pilot’s name.

Photo Northrop BT – 08: BT-1 0599/6-B-12 in 1940. This airframe was stricken in December 1943.

Photo Northrop BT – 09: BT-1 0598/6-B-15 as it was during it first assigment. It was later used by VB-5 before to be lost by accident on 12 February 1940.

Photo Northrop BT – 10: The sixth production BT-1 (Bu.No 0595/5-B 5), photographed at the factory on 1 April 1938 just before its delivery to the USN. At that time all markings were applied at the factory.

Photo Northrop BT – 11: Later the leader of Black Section took charge of BT-1 Bu.No 0614. Its upper wings were painted in accordance with the regulations which came into force in October 1940.

Photo Northrop BT – 12: The BT-1 0638/5-B-2 with the new wing markings introduced in October 1940. Note the inscriptions on the tail, Bu.Aer number and white landing band which have been partially deleted.

Photo Northrop BT – 13: Another factory shot taken on 24 May 1938, this one shows BT-1 Bu.No 0615/6-B-1, the aircraft flown by the leader of Red Section.

Photo Northrop BT – 14: Another view of 0615/6-B-1

Photo Northrop BT – 15: BT-1 0615/6B-1 during the acceptance flight

Photo Northrop BT – 16: BT-1 0614/5-B-14 in an uncomfortable situation.

Photo Northrop BT – 17: In 1940 the USN experimented with a new camouflage for its aircraft. The basic designs were drawn by McClelland Barclay. He used outlandish circles, stripes, and trapezoid shapes. The colours used were Deep Blue and Dark Grey for the upper surfaces and Bright Blue and White for the undersurfaces. Two Brewster F2A-2 fighters, two Vought SB2U-2 scout-bombers, two Douglas TBD-1 torpedo bombers and two Northrop BT-1 dive-bombers received the new camouflage schemes, each receiving a different design. On the opposite page a BT-1 (serial unknown) illustrates design No.3 and on this page BT-1 Bu.No 0633 has design No.4. All the pictures were taken at North Island NAS (San Diego) on
9 September 1940. (see also photo 18 to 22)

Photo Northrop BT – 18: See photo 17

Photo Northrop BT – 19: See photo 17

Photo Northrop BT – 20: See photo 17

Photo Northrop BT – 21: See photo 17

Photo Northrop BT – 22: See photo 17

Photo Northrop BT – 23: BT-1 0643 never served with a USN unit, instead it was modified to test a tricycle landing gear. This photo was taken the day before it was officially handed over
to the USN.

Photo Northrop BT – 24: Side view of BT-1 0643 with its tricycle landing gear.

Photo Northrop BT – 25: An unidentified BT-1 on the ground

Photo Northrop BT – 26: BT-1 5-B-5 preparing to land with gear and flaps down, a very delicate operational phase for the pilots.

Photo Northrop BT – 27: Nine BT-1s of the NAOTC flying in an echelon of Vees formation, above the city of Miami, Florida.

Photo Northrop BT – 28: Line-up of BT-1s belonging to the VB-5

Photo Northrop BT – 29: Eleven BT-1s aligned by sections, the Black in the foreground and the White one behind.

Photo Northrop BT – 30: Front view of a BT-1

Photo Northrop BT – 31: An unidentified BT-1 on the ground

Photo Northrop BT – 32: VB-6 and VB-5 aircraft parked on a grass field. Ahead of 0598/6-B-15 are 5-B-11 and 5-B-9 of VB-5.

Photo Northrop BT – 33: The XBT-1 Bo.No 9745 in flight. It cannot be said that it was a lovely aircraft but it did exactly what it was designed to do, dive-bombing, which required a strong airframe.

Photo Northrop BT – 34: Side view of XBT-1

Photo Northrop BT – 35: Another view of the XBT-1

Photo Northrop BT – 36: Another view of the XBT-1

Photo Northrop BT – 37: BT-1 0627 was modified into a XBT-2 with a new design and retractable gear. It would become the famous DOuglas SBD.

Photo Northrop BT – 38: Side view of the XBT-2

Photo Northrop BT – 39: Opposite view of the XBT-2

Photo Northrop BT – 40: Top view of BT-1 0615/6-B-1

Photo Northrop BT – 41: BT-1 Bu.No 0624/6-B-14 served with the VB- for six months only. 0624 was among the very last BT-1s to be stricken from the Navy list in October 1944