Consolidated Vultee SNV-1 Valiant - California Girl

Before the Wings over Northern Michigan Air Show last weekend, I had never heard of this aircraft.  From a distance, it looks like a T-6 that I'm slightly familiar with.
This is a Vultee SNV-1 Valiant.  The SNV-1 is the Navy variant of the Vultee BT-13 Valiant which was used by the Army Air Corps to train pilots for WWII.
The aircraft was an intermediate trainer for the US Navy.  After passing basic flight training, the pilot trainees would be introduced to more advanced flight characteristics such as radio, flaps, and a controllable pitch propeller in the SNV-1.  The aircraft was generally heavier and had a more powerful engine than the basic trainers.
From what I can find out, there were just over 9500 produced in the early 1940s.  There were many variants along the way and the aircraft was exported to a number of friendly countries.
After WWII, many were sold as surplus for only a few hundred dollars each..  A lot were sold just for the engines that were adapted to other air frames.
This is the California Girl.  This 1942 vintage aircraft is one of less than five known flying originals.

1942 Consolidated Vultee SNV-1 Valiant - In Flight

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

450 mm, 1/250 sec, f/20, ISO 220 (Auto)

EV -.33, Manual Mode

1942 Consolidated Vultee SNV-1 Valiant - California Girl

NIKON D500 Ver.1.15/70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6

292 mm, 1/250 sec, f/20, ISO 280 (Auto)

EV -.33, Manual Mode

Any Air Show where you learn something new is a good Air Show.