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Developed in 1942 in anticipation of a shortage of wartime materials, the Ryan YPT-25 was built primarily of plastic bonded plywood. However, such shortages never materialized and Ryan's PT-22 was firmly entrenched in the primary trainer role during the Second World War. Accordingly, only five YPT-25's were ever manufactured (Air Force Serial Numbers 42-8703, 42-8704, 42-8705, 42-8706, and 42-8707). Presumably, all five are captured in the photograph above. Here are a couple of articles in Flight Magazine (today's "Flight International") describing the YPT-25: Plastic Trainer New Ryan Built of Bonded Plywood Flight No. 1768 - Volume XLII Page 531 November 12, 1942 www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1942/1942%20-%202373... Aircraft Types and Their Characteristics Ryan PT-25 Flight No. 1827 - Volume XLIV Page 722 December 30, 1943 www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1943/1943%20-%203038...

I see part of a wing and tail of a B-24 on the right side of this picture.

L-5 42-99123 'Hot Box' 125th Liaison Squadron was lost on a flight from Heerlen to Merkelbeek, the Netherlands on November 26, 1944.

I wonder why 42-8703 has got no short serial way in the back. No paint left?? :-) Stig

Interesting to see that all five of the YPT-25 more or less rolled off the line at the same time (no USAAF serials yet in place...) Stig