10/09/2024
The North American T-6 Texan was known as "The Pilot Maker" because of its important role in preparing pilots for combat. It is a single-engine advanced trainer 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.
Designed by North American Aviation, the T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force. The United States Army Air Corps (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. It has also been used many times to simulate the Japanese Mitsubishi Zero in movies depicting World War II in the Pacific. (Tora Tora Tora)
Our aircraft was commissioned into the US Navy on the 15th July 1942 serving as a trainer at Jacksonville, Vera Beach, Corpus Christi and Daytona Beach Naval Air Stations. At some time in her history she was transferred to and operated by the Paraguayan Air Force until she was purchased and transported to Australia in 1994. The aircraft underwent a complete restoration by Sandora Pty Ltd at Caboolture and registered VH-NAG on 6th Feburary 2002. Unusually, restored as a SNJ-4C complete with tailhook and 3 bladed prop, it returned to the air on 13th July 2009.
Texan Pty Ltd takes pride in keeping the "NAG" in the best possible condition to preserve an important part of aviation history. The aircraft forms part of the warbird collection at the Caboolture Warplane and Flight Heritage Museum.
More can be found at the link below.
http://thetexan.com.au/
📸 MMPI Aviation Photography
📸 Mark Greenmantle
