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5050 Santa Fe Drive • Atwater, California • 95301
North American AT-6 Texan (Harvard)
MUSEUM HOURS
May 1- October 31
9:00am - 5:00pm
November 1 - April 30
10:00am - 4:00pm
The museum is open
daily year round,
except for the
following days:
New Year's Day,
Easter,
Thanksgiving and
Christmas Day.
The North American AT-6 Texan was built in greater numbers than any other trainer of World War II. More than 15,000 were produced between 1938 and 1951. Built in 1940, its design began as an upgraded version of the BT-9, first called the BC-1. The end result of the upgrade was a trainer that closely matched the performance and handling of many operational types of combat aircraft. In 1948 it was designated as T-6 and those remaining in service were remanufactured as T-6Gs. Its first use was as an advanced trainer in the final phase of student pilot training. In its last days as a trainer, it was used in the initial phase of training.
The Texan was used by many Allied countries, as well as the Army Air Corps and the Navy, where it was called the SNJ. In Britain and Canada, it was called the Harvard, while an Australian derivative was called the "Wirraway". Harvards were produced in several countries and in all, over 20,000 aircraft were produced. Harvards were used by the RAF as trainers until 1955.
American T-6's served mostly as trainers, but foreign versions did see combat. One Wirraway was even credited with the downing of a Japanese Zero. The T-6 also saw service in Korea, where they served as forward air controllers with the 6147th Tactical Control Group, designated as LT-6. They carried an observer in the back seat and were armed with smoke rockets to mark targets for fighter-bombers.
The North American Harvard was the RCAF's (Royal Canadian Air Force's) mainstay flying training Aircraft for over two decades. Known as the "Yellow Peril", the Harvard was one of the most reliable training Aircraft ever produced. It bridged the gap between the initial trainers and the more advanced Aircraft the graduate military pilot could fly.
Harvard number 20449 was actually a North American T-6J, one of the last lot of 270 such Aircraft taken on strength by the RCAF in November, 1951. It was assigned to No. 1 Flying Instructors School which had been reformed at RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario on 01 April, 1951. It then followed the school as it moved to RCAF Station Moose Jaw in on 08 June, 1959 where the school still exists today as Canadian Forces Flying Instructors School which has upgraded its training Aircraft from the Harvard to the current Canadair CT-114 Tutor. The aerobatic display team of the 1950's were the Golden Hawks but the flying instructors so disparaged their former students' efforts on the Sabres that they formed their own team, the Goldilocks, with the training Aircraft displaying what they thought of their students' flying abilities in formation flying.
The display aircraft at Castle Air Museum was built in 1940 for the RAF who called it "Harvard Mk. II". It was used in the Commonwealth Air Training Scheme in Canada. It is painted in the colors of a trainer as it would have appeared in the mid 1950's.
Specifications
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: North American Aviation
Role/Function: Advanced Trainer
Serial Number: Harvard Mk. II (s/n 2684)
Model Number/Mk. #: NA-26
Crew: 2
Power Plant: 1 - 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340 (S3H1) radial engine.
Maximum Speed: 205 mph.
Cruising Speed: 185 mph.
Service Ceiling: 23,200 ft.
Range: 770 mi.
Weights: Empty: 4,060 lbs. Maximum: 5,155 lbs.
Wing Span: 42 ft.
Length: 29 ft. 6 in.
Height: 10 ft. 10 in.
Wing Area: n/a
Armament: 2 - .30 caliber machine guns (AT-6B)
Cost: n/a
# Built: 15,000+ (including licence-built in Canada by Canadian Car & Foundry Harvard II and Harvard IV as well as the Austrailian-built Wirraway)
# in Current Service: None. Hundreds are in flying condition in private, civilian ownership.