North American AT-6 Texan — The Pilot Maker!

North American AT-6 Texan — The Pilot Maker!

There are famous aircraft, and then there are the over the top famous aircraft! The AT-6 Texan is one of the all time sweethearts of the war, both loved and hated by everyone who learned their trade at her controls. Used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1970s.

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(Photo courtesy of Wiki-Commons)

The advanced trainer was known by several designations depending on where it was in operation. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) and USAAF called it the AT-6, while the US Navy referred to it as the SNJ. In the British Commonwealth air forces, it was called the Harvard, the name by which it is best known outside of the US. After 1962 its US designation was changed to simply the T-6 and it remains a very popular warbird used in countless airshow demonstrations and as static aviation museum displays.

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Photo above and Featured image by Budd Davisson

During the Korean War and, the Vietnam War, T-6s were pressed into service as forward air control aircraft. These aircraft were designated as the T-6 Mosquito.

Specifications

Crew: two (2)

Length: 29 ft.

Wingspan: 42 ft.

Height: 11 ft 8 in.

Wing area: 253.7 ft².

Empty weight: 4,158 lb.

Loaded weight: 5,617 lb.

Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp radial engine, 600HP.

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Performance

Maximum speed: 208 mph @ 5,000 ft.

Cruise speed: 145 mph.

Range: 730 miles.

Service ceiling: 24,200 ft.

Rate of climb: 1200ft/min.

Wing loading: 22.2 lb/ft².

Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb.

Armament

Provisions for up to 3× 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun

 

Updated: January 12, 2017 — 4:58 PM

1 Comment

  1. I love the AT-6 Texan and ended up with the Top Flite Gold Edition several years ago.As usual I wanted something that no one else at the field was flying , everyone was going for the normal war birds , P-51 ,P-40 . Corsair etc.
    I quietly built my Texan and when firstly bringing it to the field I had more than one person state how they never saw a Texan model by anyone .
    It flies like a dream , retract give it realism and the split flaps are to die for ,the 91 4 stroke Magnum gives me more than enough power to push the plane and it sounds great on a low level pass .

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