North American T-6 Texan

The North American T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots for the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, the Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations (Commonwealth) during World War II and the years after, and also served in many other countries. Designed by North American Aviation in the 1930s XX, the T-6 It is known by several different names, depending on the model and the air force that used it. The USAAC designated it AT-6, the US Navy SNJ, the Commonwealth air forces called it Harvard. It is now a very popular historical military aircraft in exhibitions.

Design

T-6G Texan of the United States Air Force at the time of the Korean War.

North American T-6G Texan of the Spanish Air Force at the Orleans Infant Foundation during an exhibition on April 10, 2012.

The story began before North American Aviation (NAA) named its own aircraft, at a time when NAA was associated with General Aviation of Dundalk, Maryland, making aircraft of the type GA-1 to GA-15. In late 1934, the US Army issued a specification for a new basic trainer, that is, the aircraft that trainees would encounter after they passed the stage of light-duty primary trainers. The General Aviation design team, led by J. Lee Atwood, quickly produced a low-cantilever, all-metal frame monoplane (with heavy-duty skin and flush riveting, although the rest of the plane was largely clad in fabric).) with fixed cantilever landers, a 400 hp Wright R-975 Whirlwind engine, and tandem open cockpits. Instead of being called GA-16, it was baptized NA-16, thus making the company name change clear.

The NA-16 made its maiden flight in April 1935, in Dundalk, with the civilian registration X-2080. US Army pilots at Wright Field judged it to be the best design submitted, as well as the trainer with the best chance of becoming a tactical aircraft, though they noted several changes. This classic prototype became the NA-18, featuring tandem cockpits with sliding covers, shrouded landing gear and Pratt & 600hp Whitney R-1340 Wasp. This aircraft was later sold to Argentina, but at the end of 1935, the US Army adopted the NAA trainer and signed an order for 42 examples, under the designation BT-9. With the security of this order, the company moved to Inglewood, California.

Most of the BT-9 had fixed slats on the outer wing section and were used as unarmed pilot trainers, equipped with flaps that were actuated by a manual hydraulic system. In all probability these were the first basic trainers with flaps, which were thereafter incorporated into all subsequent models. The R-975 Whirlwind engine powered most fixed-gear versions, except for the NJ-1 for the US Navy and a batch for China; it was smaller in diameter than the Pratt & Whitney Wasp, which was used in the much more numerous retractable gear versions, which resulted in better forward visibility. The main landing gear was quite forward, making it very difficult for it to stick its nose in, and on most of these variants the exhausts came together ahead of the engine and discharged through the starboard side of the cowl.

In the first two large French orders several subtypes with the original curved wingtips and drifts were included. The second batch aircraft were diverted and converted to Yale for Canada, most of them with exhaust lengthened above the starboard wing root. Export sales progressed rapidly. In particular, no two production batches were exactly alike, although all aircraft had R-975 or R-1340 engines, except for the Sk 14 produced under license in Sweden during the war, which had Italian Piaggio engines, and Imperial Japanese Navy models, fitted with Kotobuki engines driving a wooden propeller. The Japanese variants, named K10W and K5Y1, incorporated several local modifications, mainly to the cockpit, rear section of the fuselage and vertical empennage.

A competitive attack trainer

The T-6 Texan was a development of the prototype of the North American NA-16, which first flew on April 1, 1935, and which was modified as the NA-26, fitted with a larger Wasp-type engine, driving a variable-pitch Hamilton propeller, and with a hydraulic pump feeding the introduced system to operate the flaps and the new retractable landing gear, was submitted as a candidate for the competition for a BC trainer (Basic Combat, basic combat trainer) convened by the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) in 1937, capable of unifying pilot training and simulating the characteristics and type of cockpit of a fighter plane, with the optional possibility of mounting fixed and mobile machine guns, as well as bombs in case of need, so that fighter pilots and gunners could be trained in a single plane.

This NA-26 prototype won the contest, the model went into production and 180 aircraft were delivered to the USAAC, as BC-1, although some examples were specially designed for instrument training and designated BC-1I. Other changes included tough-skinned fuselages, integral wing tanks and angular profile wingtips and drifts. In 1940, the BC category was replaced by the AT (Advanced Trainer); North American aircraft became AT-6. NAA was unable to fill all orders, even after the expansion of the Inglewood factory. As a result of this, a new factory was built in Dallas, Texas, and around 1942 the AT-6 was called Texan, regardless of the fact that since 1938 the devices destined for the British Commonwealth would have been designated Harvard.

Mass production

Most of the gigantic war contracts were for the AT-6A, AT-6C and AT-6D, in addition to the SNJ-3, SNJ-4 and SNJ-5 corresponding to the US Navy, which were externally similar, with a fuselage in resistant coating and the possibility of mounting a manually operated rear machine gun. The biggest structural change was introduced in the NA-88, in 1941, when production was already on a large scale. Faced with the threat of a possible aluminum shortage, NAA redesigned this variant, so that the basic wing structure, flaps, drift and all control surfaces were made of spot-welded light alloy steel, and the side panels of the forward section of the fuselage, the whole of the rear section, the floor of the cabin and the stabilizers, in plywood. With this solution, 565 kg of aluminum and light alloy were saved in each aircraft, with a modest penalty in weight and a minimal difference in production costs. This model received the designations AT-6C, SNJ-4 and Harvard Mk IIA, but when it was found that there would be no restrictions on supply aluminum, the structure returned to its original configuration and the new names AT-6D, SNJ-5 and Harvard Mk III were adopted, in which a new 24 volt electrical system was introduced. Features of the aircraft included a flywheel starting system, Ki-Gass manual engine priming, an auxiliary pump to raise fuel pressure before starting, a manual selector to increase fuel pressure hydraulics, large cast metal steering wheels for the trim tabs and levers of the same type for the landing gear and flaps.

New team and appointments

An original T-6 Texan (painted as an SNJ in the United States Navy), right, with the new T-6 Texan II, left, at the Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in 2007.

In June 1948, the AT category was replaced by the T (Trainer), and postwar models were designated T-6G, with around 250 engineering changes, including cockpit redesign with improved instrumentation, optimized controls and pilot vision, relocated antenna masts (with a gonio in the rear section of the fuselage), different propeller, and increased fuel capacity thanks to auxiliary tanks in the inner and outer sections of the planes. Also, new avionics were adopted, such as VHF equipment, rangefinder receiver and beacon receiver, new intercoms, radio compass and ILS, as well as training equipment upgraded to the level of the next generation T-28 Trojan. Many of the improved T-6G came from the Downey (Los Angeles) factory, but some were converted in Columbus and their products were named T-6H and later T-6G-NT.

Despite being primary trainers, the components of the NA-16 family have played a notable role in various wars. In July 1940, the Harvard Mk I began carrying bombs. Much later, the USAF 6147th Tactical Air Control Squadron initiated on the Korean front what would later become known as "Mosquito" observation tactics, and the T-6F and LT-6G Texan, built specifically for such purposes, were the pioneers in these FAC (Forward Air Control) missions. In Kenya, the RAF's 1340th Patrol carried out similar tasks, carrying out continual harassing flights against the Mau Mau. From November 1948, the Israeli Heyl Ha'Avir used its T-6s in front line dive bombing missions, armed with eight 50 kg bombs and often carrying three machine guns. Around 1953, there were about 90 active units, although at that time its fundamental mission was that of armed training. But this figure is small when compared to the 450 that the Armée de l'Air and the Aéronavale used during the Algerian war, between 1956 and 1960. Furthermore: in 1969, they congregated in Biafra Harvard of all types to constitute a mercenary squad that acted remarkably effectively against the bases of federal aircraft.

There is a curious fact that involves a Texan in Argentina: around 1955 there was a military rebellion against the then president Juan Domingo Perón. The Argentine armed forces were divided and some officers took part in the rebel faction and others remained faithful to the Government of Perón. The Argentine Air Force was not immune to that division, so there were both rebel and loyal pilots. Over the Aeroparque in the city of Buenos Aires, a loyal Gloster Meteor and a rebel Texan faced each other, the latter being shot down by the Gloster, falling into the River of the Silver. The pilot survived.

201 examples of the types T-6D, 130 SNJ-4, -5 and -6, and 71 T-6G, with military designations C.6 (T-6D and SNJ), CE.6 (T-6D) and E.16 (T-6G). The first examples arrived in Spain in 1954 and entered service with Group 74 of Matacán and Group 79 of the General Air Academy of San Javier, Murcia. The last examples, 10 T-6G, came from the French Armée de l'Air. Some T-6 have belonged to Tactical Aviation, such as those employed by the missing 463 Squadron of the 46 Wing based in Gando, Gran Canaria, during the Sahara conflict. There was also T-6 in Guinea. Subsequently, the Texans were distributed by various base squadrons for training and liaison flights for the pilots assigned there.

Production breakdown

400 aircraft were delivered to the RAF (Royal Air Force) as the Harvard I. The US Navy received 16 models called SNJ-1 modified to operate from aircraft carriers (navalized), and later obtained another order for 61 aircraft called SNJ-2 with a different engine.

Another 92 BC-1A and three BC-2 aircraft were manufactured before the name change to "advanced trainer," AT -6, which was equivalent to the BC-1A. The differences between the AT-6 and BC-1 models were the new wingtips, more rounded, and a redesigned tail rudder, producing the definitive appearance of the T-6 Texan. The AT-6 was named Harvard II for the RAF, which ordered 1,173 aircraft, most of which operated in Canada as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme (Imperial Air Training Plan).

Next came the AT-6A, which was based on the NA-77 design and had a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-49 Wasp. The USAAF received 1,549 units and the Navy 270 (designation SNJ-3). The AT-6B was built for weapons training, being able to mount two 7.62 mm caliber machine guns in the front part of the fuselage. It used the Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp that ended up being the standard for the rest of the manufactured versions of the Texan. The Canadian Noorduyn Aviation factories built a version of the AT-6A with the R-1249-AN-1 powerplant, of which 1,500 were supplied to the USAAF as the AT-16 and 2485 aircraft to the RAF as Harvard Mk IIBs, some of which served with the Royal Navy.

Of the NA-88, 2,970 units were built as AT-6C and 2,400 as SNJ-4. The RAF received 726 units of the AT-6C as Harvard IIA. Some modifications to the electrical system originated the AT-6D, of which 3,713 aircraft saw the light of day and another 1,357 for the Navy as the SNJ-5. The AT-6D was redesignated Harvard III, and 351 aircraft of this model were delivered to the RAF and 564 to the British Navy. Finally, the design of the NA-121 led to the sale of 25 AT-6Fs to the USAAF and 931 SNJ-6s to the US Navy.

Excluding retrofits, 21,342 NA-16 family aircraft were built; in addition, NAA manufactured 53 aircraft dedicated to strike missions.

After the war, T-6 Texans have been used mostly in air shows and movies. For example, in the mythical Tora! Torah! Tora!, posing as a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero.

Operational history

Training aircraft

African-descendant USAAF pilot, assigned to instructor functions, aboard his T-6.

T-6 painted with the colors of the Spanish Air Force.

T-6G Aircraft Pilot, U.S. National Air Guard.

A student practices attack tactics on a Lockheed B-34.

T-6 employed in the Korean War for Advanced Air Control.

T6 used by Chilean Air Force in the Fidae 2022.

Spain

The T-6 arrived at the Air Force in 1954, as a consequence of the Agreements with the United States of 1953. The first 60 aircraft were delivered in the port of Santander. Four years later, a second batch of another 60 aircraft arrives. Named E.16, they were assigned to the Basic School of Salamanca and, later, to the General Air Academy and other units.

Germany and Japan

Before the war, France placed large orders for T-6s, of which just over 100 were received. After the fall of France, the Luftwaffe recruited as many as it could into its service (it is believed that at least 93 T-6s came to be employed by it). They were joined by a few T-6s captured in the Netherlands.

The Imperial Japanese Navy ordered the T-6 aircraft, produced locally and equipped with Kotobuki engines. The Japanese variants were called K10W and K5Y1, they incorporated various local modifications, mainly to the cockpit, rear section of the fuselage and vertical empennage.

T-6 Texan

The T-6 entered production for the USAAC and US Navy in 1938. The original order was for 94 AT-6 Texans, later 4,388 were ordered of T-6D and 956 T-6F. After the war, T-6 aircraft were sold to more than 50 nations, being used until the 1980s.

Starting in 1949, 2,068 aircraft were converted to the T-6G version for the USAF and US Navy. These aircraft had much more modern instrumentation, propeller blade tips and the same landing gear as the P-51 Mustang.

Harvard

The interest of the RAF in the T-6 led to an order for 200 Harvard Mk I aircraft in 1938 to be destined for Rhodesia, under the program of Commonwealth Training. The RAF received 400 aircraft produced by the NAA as the Harvard I. Since NAA could not meet delivery schedules for the 1,173 Harvards ordered, the Canadian government undertook to supply them for the Empire Air Training Plan. The aircraft was produced in Canada and carried American instruments (unlike the RAF's Harvards), being designated the Harvard Mk.IIB. In 1944, the T-6D was ordered by the RAF as the Harvard MK III, for instrument flight training. After the war, in 1951, an order was received for 270 new Harvard Mk.IV aircraft, similar to the T-6G.

SNJ

The SNJ were navalized T-6s, since they were equipped to make landings on aircraft carriers, which allowed them to carry out operations from them. Some were armed with a machine gun located on the right wing, and were used for air-to-ground shooting training. The aircraft carriers USS Sable and USS Wolverine operated in the Great Lakes between 1943 and 1945 so that aspiring naval pilots could practice landing and taking off, piloting the SNJs Texan. Naval pilots continued to use the SNJ well into the 1950s.

Ground Attack and Observation Aircraft

Argentina

During the 1950s, some AT-6s bombed and attacked the civilian population in Plaza de Mayo (CABA) with rockets as part of an attempted coup by certain sectors of the the Armed Forces. They even came to face off against the Gloster Meteor of the Air Force, being an AT-6 shot down in these combats.

Israeli

20 AT-6 Texans were used by the Syrians in the 1948 War. They attacked Israeli airfields, convoys and other targets. A T-6 Texan shot down an Israeli Avia S.199, which was shot down six days later by anti-aircraft fire.

Since 1948, Israel used its T-6s in bombing missions, carrying up to eight 50kg bombs and often carrying three machine guns. Around 1953, there were still around 90 aircraft in service, although their main mission was to train weapons.

Greece

The three squadrons of T-6D and T-6G were employed in the civil war for air support, observation, and directing artillery fire. The guerrillas called them "O Galatas" (The Milkman), they always flew first thing in the morning to locate and point out the targets to the attack planes that would follow them.

Kenya

In Kenya, an RAF T-6 detachment conducted harassing flights against the Mau Mau.

Korea

The USAF 6147th Tactical Air Control Squadron initiated "Mosquito” observation tactics in Korea. Aircraft T-6F and LT-6G Texan, specially modified, carried out FAC (Forward Air Control) missions.

France

The French AT-6 Texan were the best-known aircraft of the Algerian War, as they were the ones used in the greatest number. When a post or a convoy was attacked, they requested air support, quickly provided by the T-6s. Their yellow color was due to the fact that they were originally used as training aircraft. France turned to the second-hand market, buying a final total of 119 T-6D and 693 T-6G, to which were added 81 Harvards and 56 SNJ-4. Not all the planes destined for training were armed, but being stationed in pilot schools in Morocco and Algeria, some training planes, at least 62, were converted into attack aircraft. In 1956, 585 T-6G were purchased, expressly intended to be converted into attack aircraft and to carry out missions of all kinds in Algeria (reconnaissance, escort of land convoys, aerial surveillance, fire support, etc.). A MAC 34/39 machine gun was mounted under each wing, while the T-6G-1 had pods with AA 52 machine guns, as well as rocket launchers and bomb launchers. Although they provided excellent service, the harshness of the mission and the weather took their toll and the Air Force bought Fennec and Skyraider planes to replace them. The T-6G equipped almost all EALA in Algeria. After the end of the war, some were sold to Spain and Portugal (at least 56 T-6Gs were delivered to Portugal).

Spain

In 1953, the Spanish government signed military agreements with the United States. However, given the prohibition of the United States to acquire this model^{[citation required]}, Spain bought T-6, some already prepared to carry weapons (those bought from France) and others transformed in Spain. The armed North American T-6D, designated C.6, were assigned to Ala 46, based in Gando (Gran Canaria). In 1957-58, the first armed T-6 were used in combat in Ifni and the Sahara, with excellent results. Years later, armed T-6 Texans formed a squadron based in Gando. These T-6 were painted camouflage and sent to the Sahara at the end of 1974. There they were part of the military detachment that had to face Moroccan pressure and the local guerrillas.

South Africa

Due to the arms embargo, the Harvards remained in service for many years as trainers, until 1995. Some were armed in 1962.

Dominican Republic

In April and May 1965, some armed AT-6s participated in the attacks on the positions of the Constitutionalist rebels in the capital. After the war, the AT-6s did double duty as armed patrol aircraft and trainers, accommodating two 2.75-inch HVAR rocket launchers under each wing and one 7.62 Browning machine gun. mm.

1971 Indo-Pakistani War

The Pakistan Air Force used T-6G in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani War as a ground support night aircraft, attacking light transport vehicles of the Indian Army. In the early hours of December 5, during a convoy interdiction mission in the same area, squadron leader Israr Quresh's T-6G Harvard was hit by Indian anti-aircraft ground fire and a shell fractured. the pilot's right arm. Bleeding profusely, the pilot flew the plane back with his left hand and landed safely. WWII propeller powered trainers were put into combat service and performed satisfactorily in their assigned role of convoy escort at night.

Variants

Operators

T-6 Texan de la Luftwaffe.

North American T-6 of the Brazilian Air Force.

AT-6 Texan of the Colombian Air Force, serving as a patrol in the Caribbean during the Second World War.

Two T-6 Texan belonging to the Infant Foundation of Orleans in Cuatro Vientos, Madrid.

T-6 Texan de la Aeronautica Militare.

AT-6C Harvard IIA of the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

T-6 Texan at the museum of the Portuguese Air Force.

Specifications (T-6G)

Reference data: Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II

Drawing 3 views of the North American T-6G Texan.

General Features

• Triple: Two (student and instructor)
• Length: 8.8 m (29 ft)
• Scope: 12.8 m (42 ft)
• Height: 3.6 m (11.7 ft)
• Elong surface: 23.6 m2 (254 ft2)
• Empty weight: 1886 kg (4156.7 lb)
• Weight loaded: 2548 kg (5615.8 lb)
• Motriz plant: 1× radial nine-cylinder air-cooled Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp.
  • Power: 447 kW (616 HP; 608 HP)
• Propellers: 1× Bipala by motor.

Performance

• Maximum operating speed (Vno): 335 km/h (208 MPH; 181 kt) to 1500 m
• Cruise speed (Vc): 233 km/h (145 MPH; 126 kt)
• Scope: 1175 km (634 nmi; 730 mi)
• Flight board: 7400 m (24 278 ft)

Weaponry

Related aircraft

T-6 Texan of the British Royal Air Force with desert camouflage.

SNJ-4 Texan with South African Air Force badges.

AT-6A Texan at the Aeronautical Museum of Maracay, Venezuela.

Related Developments

Similar Aircraft

Designation sequences

• Sequence NA-_ (intern of North American): ← NA-23 - NA-24 - NA-25 - NA-26 - NA-27 - NA-28 - NA-29-- NA-33 - NA-34 - NA-35 - NA-36 - NA-37 - NA-38 - NA-39-- NA-41 - NA-42 - NA-43 - NA-44 - NA-45 - NA-46 - NA-47 -- NA-49 - NA-50 - NA-51 - NA-52 - NA-53 - NA-54 - NA-55 - NA-56 - NA-57 - NA-58 - NA-59 - NA-60 - NA-61 - NA-62 - NA-63 - NA-64 - NA-65 - NA-66 - NA-67 - NA-68 - NA-69 - NA-70 - NA-71 - NA-72 - NA-73 - NA-74 - NA-75 - NA-76 - NA-77 - NA-78 - NA-79 - NA-81 - NA-82 - NA-83 - NA-84 - NA-85 - NA-86 - NA-87 - NA-88 - NA-89 - NA-90-- NA-116 - NA-117 - NA-118 - NA-119 - NA-120 - NA-121 - NA-122 - NA-123 - NA-124 - NA-125 - NA-126 - NA-127 - NA-128 - NA-129 - NA-130 - NA-131 -- NA-165 - NA-166 - NA-167 - NA-168 - NA-169 - NA-170 - NA-171 -- NA-179 - NA-180 - NA-181 - NA-182 - NA-183 - NA-184 - NA-185 - NA-186 - NA-187 - NA-188 - NA-189 - NA-190 - NA-191 - NA-192 - NA-193 - NA-194 - NA-195 - NA-196 - NA-197 - NA-198 - NA-199 - NA-200 - NA-201 →
• Sequence AT-_ (USAAS/USAAC/USAAF Advanced Coach, 1925-1948): ← AT-3 - AT-4 - AT-5 - AT-6 - AT-7 - AT-8 - AT-9 -- AT-13 - AT-14 - AT-15 - AT-16 - AT-17 - AT-18 - AT-19 →
• Sequence BC-_ (USAAC Basic Combat Coach, 1936-1940): BC-1 - BC-2 - BC-3
• Sequence T- (American trainers (redesignations of 1948), 1948-present): T-6 - T-7 - T-11 - T-13A →
• Sequence SN_J (U.S. Navy Exploration Trainers, 1939-1946 (North American, 1937-1962)): SNJ - SN2J
• Sequence T_J (U.S. Navy trainers, 1946-1962 (North American, 1937-1962)): TJ - T2J - T3J
• Sequence Sk _ (Swedish Air Force trainers, pre-1940): ← Sk 12 - Sk 14 - Sk 15 - Sk 16
• Sequence Alphanumeric of the Swedish Air Force, 1940-present: B/S/T/Tp 16 - Sk 16 - B/S 17 - B/S/T 18 - J 19 →
• Sequence C. _ (Spanish Air Army Aircraft, 1954-1978): C.1 - C.4E/J - C.5 - C.6 - C.8 - C.9 - C.10 →
• Sequence E. _ (Spanish Air Army School Aircraft, 1954-1978): ← XE.12 - E.14 - E.15 - E.15 - E.16 - E.17 - XE.18 - E.18 →
• Sequence C. _ (Spanish Air Force Air Force Aircraft, 1978-present): EA.6 - A.9 - A.10 - C.11 →
• Sequence E. _ (Spanish Air Army School Aircraft, 1978-present): E.3 - E.14 - E.15 - E.15 - E.16 - E.17 - E.18 - E.19 →