I have a couple of photos of this plane and pilot and was looking for some help IDing the plane. It has tail number 134 and below is 234178. I think it is a Vultee Valiant, but not sure. I also don't know what the frame is for that the pilot is holding. Thanks for your help.
Yes, it's a Fairchild, a Primary Trainer (hence PT in the title), and the frame is a roll-over bar, in case of the aircraft flipping onto its back in a crash-landing.