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USAAF TRAINING AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE CODES of WW II

Basic Flying Training

"GD" coded BT-13's based at Greenwood AAF, MS

Official USAAF photo courtesy of the Alan Hammons Collection

Basic Flying Training was a 70 hour program expended over nine weeks to achieve the following: formation flying,
instrument flying, flying by aerial navigation, night flying, long distance flying, use of two-way radio, use of a 2- pitch
prop and operating an aircraft that was significantly heavier aircraft than those used in the Primary program.
In the early days of WWII the Basic aircraft type was the NAA BT-9 and BT-14. These types were soon replaced by
the Vultee Valiant (Source: NMUSAF). Beginning in late 1943 the USAAF (as well as the USN) began replacing the
Valiant with the North American AT-6 Texan. Therefore it will be will noted that the AT-6 is occasionally mentioned
as an assigned trainer. The transition to the AT-6 was never 100 per cent by V-J Day.

Upon completion of Basic the cadet would move on to either an Advanced single-engine school (i.e. fighter aircraft) or
to an Advanced two-engine school in preparation for a multi-engine assignment.

USAAF Western Flying Training Command

Army Air Field

Field Letter Code

Aircraft

Code Letter Source

Chico, CA

M

BT-13

Moffett Field*

Gardner Field, CA

F

BT-13

TaFt, CA

Lemoore, CA

R

BT-13

LemooRe

Marana, AZ

S

BT-13, AT-6

Sahuaro

Mather Field, CA

I,T **

BT-13, AT-6

Instructor, MaTher

Merced, CA

E

BT-13, AT-6

MErced

Minter Field, CA

L

BT-13

Lerdo

Moffett Field, CA

M

BT-13

Moffett

Pecos, TX

P

BT-13, AT-6

Pecos

Roswell, NM

W

BT-13

Roswell

Stockton Field, CA

K

BT-13

StocKton

Historical Notes

Field letter code "M" was originally assigned to Moffett Field when it was a USAAC base. In 1942 Moffett Field was returned to the USN and the USAAC transfered its assets to a new base in Chico, CA. The BT-13's retained the same letter code of "M".
Both letter codes of "I" & "T" were used concurrently at Mather. The "I" identified aircraft of the brief "Centralized Pilot Instructors School".
Stockton Field: Originally an advanced S-E school using the AT-6. At some point in time it converted to an adv 2-E school using AT-20 et.al. In 1944 it converted again to a Basic Flying school.
Pecos AAF: In 1944 Pecos AAF converted from a Basic Flying school to an adv-2E school utilizing AT-17 / UC-78 aircraft.
Merced AAF utilized 539 BT-13 aircraft.
Minter AAF terminated Basic flight training in June 1944. The revised role was that of a 2-E flight training comencing in that same month.

Cal-Aero / Polaris CPS, Basic Flying Schools

Airfield

Field Letter Code

Aircraft

Ontario (Chino), CA

A, then O

BT-13

Lancaster (War Eagle), CA

B

BT-13

Historical Notes

When BFTS#2 closed out of Lancaster, CA (War Eagle Field) the Polaris Academy performed contract Basic flying training for USAAF cadets. The British field letter code of "BL" was changed to "B" as Cal-Aero (Chino) was an "A". In 1944 basic training at Chino was cancelled and some assets were transferred to Lancaster. Therefore Lancaster had a mix of letter codes of both A & B.
In mid 1944 Cal Aero's Mira Loma Academy CPS located in Oxnard was re-located to War Eagle (Lancaster) and it replaced Polaris Academy for Basic flight training.

USAAF Central Flying Training Command

Army Air Field

Field Letter Code

Aircraft

Code Letter Source

Avenger Field, TX

U

BT-13

HoUston

Coffeyville, KS

(NLA)

BT-13, BT-14

Enid, OK

(NLA)

BT-15

Garden City, KS

(NLA)

BT-13

Goodfellow Field, TX (to 1944)

#E

BT-9, BT-13, BT-14

Goodfellow Field, TX (post 1944)

#E

AT-6

unknown

Independence, KS

S

BT-13, BT-14

unknown

Majors Field, TX

(NLA)

BT-13

Perrin Field, TX

N

BT-13, BT-14

PerriN

Randolph Field, TX

H, #G

BT-9, BT-13, BT-14

RandolpH

Strother Field, KS

# K

BT-13

Kansas

Waco, TX

#J

BT-13, AT-6

(NLA): No Letter Assigned

# The field letter code was a suffix to the sequential number (e.g. 201K)

Historical Notes

In 1944 Basic Flying Training was terminated at Coffeyville and it became a Photo-Recon training base
Post WWII Independence AAF became a storage site for 3400 aircraft (including 1500 P-47's).
Post WWII Garden City AAF became a storage site for 1456 aircraft.

USAAF Eastern Flying Training Command

Army Air Field

Field Letter Code

Aircraft

Code Letter Source

Bush Field, GA (CPS)

A

BT-13

Augusta

Bainbridge, GA

B

BT-13, AT-6

Bainbridge

Cochran Field, GA

C

BT-13, AT-6

Cochran

Courtland, AL

CL

BT-13, AT-6, AT-10, UC-78

CourtLand

Gunter Field, AL

G

BT-13, BT-14, AT-6

Gunter

Greenwood, MS

GD

BT-13

GreenwooD

Greenville, MS

GR

BT-13

GReenville

Jackson, MS

J

BT-13, AT-6

Jackson

Malden, MO

ML

BT-13

MaLden

Maxwell, AL

M

BT-13

Maxwell

Newport, AR

NE

BT-13

NEwport

Shaw Field, SC

S

BT-13, AT-6

Shaw

Tuskegee, AL

TU

BT-13

TUskegee

Walnut Ridge, AR

W

BT-13

Walnut

Historical Notes

In 1945 Basic flight training was transferred from Cochran to Spence utilizing the AT-6.
Gunter AAF utilized 400 BT-13's.
Basic flying training was conducted at Stewart Field, NY and was excusively for the cadets at the USMA, West Point, NY. Their BT-13's did not display a field letter code.
Bainbridge AAF utitilized 132 BT-13's and 14 BT-15's
Shaw AAF: Basic flight training lasted from Oct '41 to Oct '42. In Oct 42 it became a 2-E training field utilizing AT-10's.
Cochran AAF utilized 300 BT-13's.
Post WWII Walnut Ridge AAF had approx 11,000 aircraft in storage...for dispostion.
Walnut Ridge AAF had 250 BT-13's assigned.
Newport AAF had 230 BT-13's assigned.
Cortland AAF had 240 BT-13's assigned

Some General Notes of Interest...

Vultee Valiant production for the USAAF: 9,525 (BT-13: 7,832) + (BT-15: 1,693).
North American BT-14 production for the USAAF: 251
Cadets received about 70 hours flight time prior to moving on to advanced.
The above training aircraft field letter codes for the EFTC were assigned by a letter dated 20 May 1942 from "HQ, S.E. Army Air Forces Training Center, Maxwell Field, Ala".
According to W. Larkins text "Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft" pg.180, BT-13's were selling for $ 450.00 (Jan 1946 price).
According to W. Larkins text "Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft" pg 189, 5237 BT-13's were placed on the surplus market by the WAA.
According to W. Larkins text "Surplus WWII U.S. Aircraft" there was no mention of NAA BT-14's offered on the surplus market.
As of June 2016 it is estimated that there are fewer than 50 Valiants remaining as 'airworthy'.

Photo Gallery

Western Flying Training Commnd (WFTC)

"M" coded BT-13 's based at Chico AAF, CA

USAAF photo from the Collction of Ken Crist

"F" coded BT-13 based at Gardner Field, CA

USAAF Photo from the Collection of Ken Crist

"R" coded BT-15 based at Lemoore AAF, CA

W.T. Larkins photo

"S" coded AT-6 based at Marana AAF, AZ utilized in 'BT' role

Harry Thorell photo from Collection of W.T. Larkins

"S" coded BT-13 based at Marana AAF, AZ

Official USAAF photo courtesy of theS. Hoza Collection

"E" coded BT-13 based at Merced AAF, CA

USAAF Photo from the Collection of Ken Crist

"E" coded AT-6 based at Merced AAF, CA utilized in "BT" role

USAAF photo from the Collection of Ken Crist

"L" coded  BT-13 based at Minter Field, CA

USAAF Photo from Collection of Ken Crist

"M" coded BT-13's based at Moffett Field, CA

USAAF Photo from the Collection of Ken Crist

"P" coded BT-13 based at Pecos AAF, TX

Collection of W.T. Larkins

"P" coded Nacelle on Pecos BT-13

USAAF Photo

Cadet Byers boards "K" marked BT-13 based at Stockton AAF, CA

Photo Source: Byers family Collection

Note: With the exception of Lemoore and Minter Fields ALL aircraft in the WFTC utilized a hyphen between the field code letter and the field number.

Civilian Contract Flight Training

"A" coded BT-13's based at Cal-Aero, Chino, CA

USAAF Photo courtesy of the Ken Crist Collection

"B" coded BT-13 operated by Polaris Academy, Lancaster (War Eagle Field), CA

Photo courtesy of California State Military Museum

"O" coded BT-15 operated by Cal-Aero at Chino, CA

Photo by W.T. Larkins

Central Flying Training Command (CFTC)

"U" coded BT-13 based at Avenger Field, TX

Photo credit as noted

"E" (suffix) coded AT-6 based at Goodfellow AAF, TX utilized in "BT" role

USAAF photo from the Collection of Craig Fuller

"S" coded BT-14 based at Independence AAF, KS

USAAF Photo

"N" coded BT-13 based at Perrin Field, TX

Official USAAF Photo

"G" (suffix) coded BT-14 based at Randolph Field, TX

Photo courtesy of the SDAM

"K" (suffix) coded BT-13's based at Strother Field, KS

Photo courtesy of Strother Field Airport, KS
Official USAAF Photo

"H" coded BT-13 based at Randolph Field,TX

Photo courtesy of the SDAM

"E" (suffix) coded BT-13 based at Goodfellow AAF, TX

Source: USAFHRA

"J" (suffix) coded BT-13 based at Waco AAF, TX

Source: USAFHRA

"S" coded BT-13's based at Independence AAF, KS

(note mis-use of hyphen in field code)

Source: Ken Crist

Eastern Flying Training Command (EFTC)

"A" coded BT-13's based at Bush Field, GA

USAAF Photo

"B" coded BT-13 based at Bainbridge AAF, GA

Photo courtesy of San Diego Air & Space Museum

"C" coded BT-13 based at Cochran Field, GA

Source: Collection of Ken Crist

"C" coded AT-6's based at Cochran Field, GA utilized in "BT" role

USAAF Photo

"CL" coded BT-13 based at Courtland AAF, AL

Photo courtesy of San Diego Air and Space Museum

"G" coded BT-13 based Gunter Field, AL

USAAF Photo

"G" coded AT-6 based at Gunter AAF, AL utilized in 'BT' Role

USAAF Photo

"GR" coded BT-13 based at Greenville AAF, MS

Official USAAF Photo

"GD" coded BT-13 based at Greenwood AAF, MS

Photo from the Collection of Allan Hammons

"J" coded BT-13 based at Jackson AAF, MS

Photo from the NIMH Collection

"ML" coded BT-13's based at Malden AAF, MO

Photo Courtesy of the Malden MO, MAAPS Military Museum

"M" coded BT-13's based at Maxwell Field, AL

USAAF photo from Air University Office, Maxwell AFB, AL

NewportBT-13No.4.jpg

"NE" coded BT-13 based at Newport AAF, AR

Photo courtesy of Jackson Co. Library, Newport, AR,
RE: "Newport Army Airfield Armed Forces Training Command", Army & Navy Publishing of Lousiana, Baton Rouge, LA

Official USAAF Photo

Interesting color usage on Field Letter Code for Newport AAF aircraft. Source of image unknown...

"S" coded BT-13's based at Shaw Field, SC

USAAF Photo from the Collection of Ken Crist

"TU" coded BT-13 based at Tuskegee AAF, AL

Source: Jeters Collection

"TU" coded AT-6 based at Tuskegee AAF, AL utilized in "BT" role

Source: Collection of Ken Crist

"W" coded BT-13 based at Walnut Ridge AAF, AR

USAAF photo from the Collection of Ken Crist

Note: More BT-13 images are illustrated in the subsection titled Miscellaneous Codes