Overview ²

• North American T-6 Texan/SNJ/Harvard
• Role: Trainer aircraft
• Manufacturer: North American Aviation
• First flight: 1 April 1935
• Primary users: United States Army Air Forces; United States Navy; Royal Air Force; South African Air Force
• Number built: 15,495
• Developed from: North American NA-16
• Variants: North American A-27

The North American Aviation T-6 Texan was a single-engine advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force and other air forces of the British Commonwealth during World War II and into the 1950’s. Designed by North American Aviation, the T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force. The USAAC and USAAF designated it as the AT-6, the United States Navy the SNJ, and British Commonwealth air forces, the Harvard, the name it is best known by outside of the US. After 1962, US forces designated it the T-6. It remains a popular warbird aircraft used for airshow demonstrations and static displays.

Development ²

The Texan originated from the North American NA-16 prototype (first flown on April 1, 1935) which, modified as the NA-26, was submitted as an entry for a USAAC "Basic Combat" aircraft competition in March, 1937. The first model went in to production and 180 were supplied to the USAAC as the BC-1 and 400 to the RAF as the Harvard I. The US Navy received 16 modified aircraft, designated the SNJ-1, and a further 61 as the SNJ-2 with a different engine.

The BC-1 was the production version of the NA-26 prototype, with retractable tailwheel landing gear and the provision for armament, a two-way radio, and the 550 hp (410 kW) R-1340-47 engine as standard equipment. Production versions included the BC-1 (Model NA-36) with only minor modifications (177 built), of which 30 were modified as BC-1I instrument trainers; the BC-1A (NA-55) with airframe revisions (92 built); and a single BC-1B with a modified wing center-section.

Three BC-2 aircraft were built before the shift to the "advanced trainer" designation, AT-6, which was equivalent to the BC-1A. The differences between the AT-6 and the BC-1 were new outer wing panels with a swept forward trailing edge, squared-off wingtips and a triangular rudder, producing the definitive Texan appearance. After a change to the rear of the canopy, the AT-6 was designated the Harvard II for RAF/RCAF orders and 1,173 were supplied by purchase or Lend Lease, mostly operating in Canada as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.

Next came the AT-6A which was based on the NA-77 design and was powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-1340-49 Wasp radial engine. The USAAF received 1,549 and the US Navy 270 (as the SNJ-3). The AT-6B was built for gunnery training and could mount a 30-cal machine gun on the forward fuselage. It used the R-1340-AN-1 engine, which was to become the standard for the remaining T-6 production. Canada’s Noorduyn Aviation built an R-1340-AN-1-powered version of the AT-6A, which was supplied to the USAAF as the AT-16 (1,500 aircraft) and the RAF/RCAF as the Harvard IIB (2,485 aircraft), some of which also served with the Fleet Air Arm and Royal Canadian Navy.

In late 1937 Mitsubushi purchased two NA-16’s as technology demonstrators and possibly a licence to build more. However, the aircraft developed by Watanabe/Kyushu as the K10W1 (Allied code name "Oak") bore no more than a superficial resemblance to the North American design. It featured a full monocoque fuselage as opposed to the steel tube fuselage of the T-6 and NA-16 family of aircraft, as well as being of smaller dimensions overall and had no design details in common with the T-6. It was used in very small numbers by the Imperial Japanese Navy from 1942 onwards. After the war the Japanese Air Self Defense Force operated Texans.

The NA-88 design resulted in 2,970 AT-6C Texans and 2,400 as the SNJ-4. The RAF received 726 of the AT-6C as the Harvard IIA. Modifications to the electrical system produced the AT-6D (3,713 produced) and SNJ-5 (1,357 produced). The AT-6D, redesignated the Harvard III, was supplied to the RAF (351 aircraft) and Fleet Air Arm (564 aircraft). The AT-6G (SNJ-5) involved major advancements including a full-time hydraulic system and a steerable tailwheel and persisted into the 1950’s as the USAF advanced trainer.

Subsequently the NA-121 design with a completely clear rearmost section on the canopy, gave rise to 25 AT-6F Texans for the USAAF and 931 as the SNJ-6 for the US Navy. The ultimate version, the Harvard 4, was produced by Canada Car and Foundry during the 1950’s, and supplied to the RCAF, USAF and Bundeswehr.

A total of 15,495 T-6’s of all variants were built.

Combat Use ²

During the Korean War and, to a lesser extent, the Vietnam War, T-6’s were pressed into service as forward air control aircraft. These aircraft were designated T-6 "Mosquitos".

No. 1340 Flight RAF used the Harvard in Kenya against the Mau Mau in the 1950’s, where they operated with 20-lb bombs and machine guns against the gangs. Some operations took place at altitudes around 20,000 ft above mean sea level. A Harvard was the longest-serving RAF aeroplane, with an example, taken on strength in 1945, still serving in the 1990’s (as a chase plane for helicopter test flights, role for which the Shorts Tucano’s high stall speed was ill-suited).

The T-6G was also used in a light attack or counter insurgency role by France during the Algerian war in special Escadrilles d’Aviation Légère d’Appui (EALA), armed with machine guns, bombs and rockets. At its peak, there were 38 EALA’s active. The largest unit was the Groupe d’Aviation Légère d’Appui 72, which consisted of up to 21 EALA’s.

From 1961 to 1975, Portugal, also, used hundreds of T-6G in the counter insurgency role during the Portuguese Colonial War. During this war, almost all the Portuguese Air Force bases and air fields in Angola, Mozambique and Portuguese Guinea had a detachment of T-6G’s.

In 1957-58, the Spanish Air Force used T-6’s as counterinsurgency aircraft in the Ifni War, armed with machine guns, iron bombs and rockets, achieving an excellent reputation due to its reliability, safety record and resistance to damage.

The Pakistan Air Force used T-6G’s in the 1971 war as a night ground support aircraft hitting enemy soft transport vehicles. In the early hours of 5 December, during a convoy interdiction mission in the same area, Squadron Leader Israr Quresh’s T-6G Harvard was hit by enemy ground fire and a shell fractured the pilot’s right arm. Profusely bleeding, the pilot flew the aircraft Back with his left hand and landed safely. The World War II vintage prop-engine trainers were pressed into service and performed satisfactorily in the assigned role of enemy convoys at night.

Mainly as a result of the United Nations arms embargo against South Africa’s Apartheid policies, T-6’s remained in service with the South African Air Force as a basic trainer until 1995. They were replaced by Pilatus PC-7 Mk.II turboprop trainers.

In Popular Culture ²

After WWII, the National Air Races established a unique racing class for the AT-6/Texan/Harvard aircraft; This class continues today at the Reno National Air Races each year.

Since the Second World War, the T-6 has been a regular participant at air shows, and was used in many movies. For example, in Tora! Tora! Tora! and The Final Countdown, converted single-seat T-6’s painted in Japanese markings represent Mitsubishi Zeroes, whereas in A Bridge too Far it represented the razorBack Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The T-6 also appeared in the Pat Benatar video for Shadows of the Night. The New Zealand Warbirds "Roaring 40’s" aerobatic team use ex-Royal New Zealand Air Force Harvard’s.

Recent Research Testbed ²

The Harvard 4 has also been recently used in Canada as a testbed aircraft for evaluating cockpit attitude displays. Its aerobatic capability permits the instructor pilot to maneuver the ship into unusual attitudes, then turn the craft over to an evaluator pilot in the "blind" rear cockpit to recover, based on one of several digitally-generated attitude displays.

Variants ³

North American BC Series

• BC-1 — Basic Combat trainer version initial production version with 600-hp R-1340-47 engine, 177 built.
• BC-1A — Same as BC-1 but with semi-monocoque rear fuselage, squared-off wingtips and vertical tail surfaces, 93 built.
• BC-1B — One BC-1A fitted with an AT-6A wing center section.
• BC-1I — BC-1s converted to instrument trainers, 30 modified.

North American AT-6 Texan Series:

• AT-6 Texan — Same as BC-1A with minor changes, powered by a 600-hp R-1340-47 and armed with forward-firing 0.3-in machine gun, nine original started as BC-1A’s and 85 built.
• AT-6A Texan — Same as AT-6 but with 600-hp R-1340-49 and removable wing center section fuel tanks, 1847 built with 298 transferred to the United States Navy as the SNJ-3. Survivors re-designated T-6A in 1948.
• AT-6B Texan — Same as AT-6A but with 600-hp R-1340-AN-1 and dorsal gun fitted as standard, 400 built.
• AT-6C Texan — Same as AT-6B but with material changes to low-alloy steel and plywood, 2970 built including transfers to the United Kingdom as the Harvard III.
• AT-6D Texan — Same as AT-6B but with a 24V DC electrical system, 4388 built including transfers to the United States Navy as the SNJ-5 and to the United Kingdom as the Harvard IIA. Redesignated T-6D in 1948.
• XAT-6E Texan — One AT-6D re-engine with a 575-hp V-770-9 engine for trials.
• AT-6F Texan — Same as AT-6D but with a strengthened airframe and minor modifications, 956 built including transfers to the United States as the SNJ-6, Redesignated T-6F in 1948.

Noorduyn AT-16 Harvard Series:

• Noorduyn AT-16 Harvard — Noorduyn built AT-6A’s for lend-lease as Harvard’s, 1800 built.

T-6 Texan Series

• T-6A Texan — AT-6A’s re-designated in 1948.
• T-6C Texan — AT-6C’s re-designated in 1948 including 68 re-builds with new serial numbers.
• T-6D Texan — AT-6D re-designated in 1948 including 35 re-builds with new serial numbers.
• T-6F Texan — AT-6F re-designated in 1948.
• T-6G Texan — Earlier model AT-6/T-6s re-built between 1949-1953. They have improved cockpit layout, increased fuel capacity, modified landing gear with steerable tailwheel, updated radios and a 600-hp R-1340-AN-1 engine. 2068 modified.
• LT-6G Texan — T-6G’s converted for battlefield surveillance and forward air controller duties, 97 modified.
• T-6H Texan — Number of T-6F’s converted T-6G standard.
• T-6J Texan — Designated used for Canadian-built Harvard Mk.IV’s supplied to Belgian, France, Italy, Portugal and West Germany, 285 aircraft.

SNJ Texan Series

• SNJ-1 — United States Navy designation same as BC-1 with metal-covered rear-fuselage, 16 built.
• SNJ-2 — Same as SNJ-1 but with a R-1340-56 engine and detailed changes, 61 built.
• SNJ-3 — Same as AT-6A, 270 built and 296 transferred from USAAC.
• SNJ-3C — SNJ-3 converted as deck landing trainers with arrester gear, twelve modified.
• SNJ-4 — Same as AT-6C, 1240 built.
• SNJ-4C — SNJ-4s converted as deck landing trainers with arrester gear.
• SNJ-5 — AT-6D’s transferred from the USAAC, 1573 aircraft.
• SNJ-5C — SNJ-5s converted as deck landing trainers with arrester gear.
• SNJ-6 — AT-6F’s transferred from the USAAF, 411 aircraft.
• SNJ-7 — Early models modified to T-6G standards in 1952.
• SNJ-7B — An armed variant of the SNJ-7.
• SNJ-8 — Order for 240 canceled.

Harvard Series

• Harvard I — Similar to BC-1 but without rear gun and with a 600-hp R-1340-S3H1 engine, 400 aircraft.
• Harvard II — Similar to BC-1A, 526 built, again without provision for rear gunner.
• Harvard IIA (RAF & Commonwealth) — AT-6C, many with wooden rear fuselages when first delivered.
• Harvard IIA (RCAF) — "Armed" Harvard II - Any RCAF Harvard II & IIB fitted with guns (in the wing), rockets or bombs.
• Harvard IIB — Noorduyn built Mk.II’s, some to US orders as AT-16’s for lend-lease. Transfers Back from the USAAF (1800) and 757 built.
• Harvard T.T. IIB — Target Tug - 42 aircraft built for the RAF by Noorduyn. Number probably included in II totals.
• Harvard IIF — Bombing/gunnery trainer - One-off modified from Mk.II with bomb aimers blister and AT-6 cockpit.
• Harvard III — AT-6D, 537 aircraft for RAF.
• Harvard 4 — Development of Harvard II paralleling the T-6G, and built by Canadian Car & Foundry, 270 for the RCAF and 285 for USAF. Some publications refer to these as T-6J however the aircraft record cards do not use this designation.

A-27

• North American A-27 — Tandem two-seat attack version of the AT-6 with a 785-hp R-1820-75 engine and five O.3-in machine guns (two in nose, one on each wing and one dorsal). Designation used for ten aircraft for Thailand impressed into United States Army Air Corps use.

North American Aviation Company Designations ³

Operators ²