I believe the AT6 was the best advanced single engine trainer with no other aircraft even close but what was the best initial trainer . The stearman was great except it was limited by its lack of winter weather capability. Was the PT19 or DH82 the PT 22 the PT26 the PO2 an Arado or what about Italian or Japanese and how can this beauty not be mentioned
The Stearman was a great aircraft but the fact it couldn't be used by the BCATP possibly the 2nd largest trainer of aircrew on the allied side is definately a drawback
Asked the question of best trainer of a guy who was an instructer in WW2 flew the Neptune and Cp07 Argus and retired from the left seat of the 747 and he favoured the DH 82 as a primary trainer and his reasoning was that it was harder to fly then the Stearman but its lower performance gave the pilot the the oportunity to "learn how to fly " or make mistakes and survive . He further mentioned the transition from the DH82 to T6/Harvard was easier then the Stearman