Designed by Edgar Schmued and Roy Liming, the NAvion embodied many design features of the parent P-51 Mustang, including the famed laminar-flow wing. It was priced at $7,750 which had risen to $8,990 in 1948. A large four seat all metal tourer with sliding canopy produced from 1947 to 1957.
The first 1109 were built by North American, including 47 to the USAF as L-17A (NA-154). With a market slump and increased production costs (planned selling price of $6,000 was a bit unrealistic in the face of a construction cost nearly $18,000), rights were sold in 1948 to Ryan Co, who used a lower-case “A” in the plane’s name. Ryan Aircraft who built about a thousand more.
The first 1109 were built by North American, including 47 to the USAF as L-17A (NA-154). With a market slump and increased production costs (planned selling price of $6,000 was a bit unrealistic in the face of a construction cost nearly $18,000), rights were sold in 1948 to Ryan Co, who used a lower-case “A” in the plane’s name. Ryan Aircraft who built about a thousand more.
In 1948 the original 1946 model was upgraded from 185 hp to 205 hp. The Navion B of 1951 introduced 260 hp, and the 240 and 250-hp Continentals came out in 1958 and 1959 respectively.
Original L-17A was military version of civil NAvion (47-1297-1379) built by North American. When Ryan took over production, 158 more were ordered by U.S.A.F. as L-17B’s. L-17C is L-17A modified by Ryan. Forty-seven L-17A went to National Guard units. All are 4-seat liaison aircraft powered by a 205 h,p. Continental O-470-3 engine. The US,A.F. transferred 170 L-17s to the Civil Air Patrol during 1954. Some were converted to QL-17 target drones.
Ryan produced more than 1000 Navion 205 during 1948-50.
The 1960 Rangemaster G-1 was a five-seat version of North American/Ryan Navion (N514H) first flying on 10 June 1960.
Navion Rangemaster N2420T
One of the later manufacturers introduced the Rangemaster model which had conventional doors and was produced from 1962 to 1970.
Ryan L-17 Navion
Navion Aircraft Co was founded in 1965 by the American Navion Society to provide spares and support for owners of Ryan/North American Navion lightplanes. All rights to the aircraft were acquired and a developed version, the five-seat Navion Rangemaster H, was produced before the company was liquidated and taken over by the Navion Rangemaster Aircraft Company.
In 1972 Navion Rangemaster Aircraft Co purchased the assets of the bankrupt Navion Aircraft Company, including jigs, machine tools, and spare parts to support Ryan/North American Navion lightplanes. In 1973 production of the Navion Rangemaster restarted, the first aircraft flying late the following year. Consolidated Holding Incorporated acquired control of the company in 1975 and announced plans to manufacture the Rangemaster H at the rate of one per week.
Navion Rangemaster
The Navion Rangemaster has been in and out of production in the past, and its 1977 revival has at times seemed surrounded more by promises than production. Where the factory formerly sold Rangemasters direct, all selling will now be done by Two Jacks, of Olive Branch, Mississippi. Two Jacks has, in fact, obligated itself to accept 100 Navion Rangernasters, to be built during 1976-78.
In the summer of 1944, North American Aviation completed the project design for a jet fighter using a wing based on that of the P 51 but with a completely new fuselage with a straight through jet duct from a nose inlet. Two designs were prepared, the second being a longer and heavier aircraft for the USAAF (this was later delayed and finally emerged as the XP 86, the first of the sweptwing Sabre family). The original proposal became the NA 134, ordered by the US Navy as the three XFJ-1 prototypes with the name Fury on January 1, 1945. The Navy became aware of German swept-wing data in the summer of 1945 but, unlike the USAAF, decided not to incorporate it in the new jet fighter.
A US Navy contract for the building of three XFJ-1 prototypes was awarded on 1 January 1945. Designed around the General Electric J35 axial flow turbojet, NAA chose a simple configuration with a nose intake and straight through airflow to the engine in the rear fuselage. This necessitated putting the cockpit above the intake ducting and resulted in a short and stumpy looking fuselage. The armament of six 12.7mm machine guns was installed on the sides of the nose. Fuel was housed in the fuselage and in tip tanks on production aircraft.
Like the same company’s XB 45 four jet bomber, the XFJ 1 was little more than jet propulsion applied to an advanced traditional airframe, with a laminar wing similar in profile to the P 51. The first flight was made at Inglewood on November 27, 1946, the engine being the 1733 kg (3820 lb) thrust General Electric J35 2 (TGA80) axial. By this time Inglewood was building 100 production FJ 1 Furies, with the Allison J3-A 5 2, virtually the same engine but rerated at 1814 kg (4000 lb) thrust, and with full carrier equipment and six 0.3 in (12.7 mm) guns. Features included small dive brakes above and below the non¬-folding wings, tip tanks, a primitive ejection seat and a ‘kneeling’ nose gear for stacking in a tight nose to tail line below decks. Desig¬nated NA 141, this batch was cut to 30 in 1948. Deliveries of these aircraft began in March 1948 with Allison-built engines and served only with VF 5A, soon restyled VF 51, between November 1947 and May 1949. In 1948 VF-5A (later VF-51) became the first jet unit to complete a seagoing tour of duty, aboard USS Boxer, the first carrier landing having been on March 10, 1948.
The Fury was quickly overtaken by the rapid pace of jet fighter development and remained in front line USN service for only 14 months before being relegated to Naval Reserve units. VF-5A / VF-51 was only operational squadron to fly the aircraft.
FJ-1 Fury 1948
One of the prototype FJ-1s achieved a speed of Mach 0.87 in 1947 when, the fastest by any US fighter to that point.
FJ-2
Though the original Fury was no better than several other fighters of the day, the Air Force clearly had made a major advance with the F 86 Sabre, and despite the Cutlass, Skyray and even the later McDonnell Demon the Navy decided to order a naval version of the Sabre in 1950. Confusingly, it decided to designate this FJ 2, instead of F2J, and to perpetuate the name Fury, thereby funds easier to obtain by suggesting that the type was a mere improved FJ 1 instead of a totally new aircraft. The first of the new NA 179 / XFJ-2 Fury prototypes flew on December 27, 1951 (piloted by Bob Hoover). It was essentially an F 86E with four 20 mm (0.79¬in) M 2 guns, an A frame arrester hook, catapult hooks and a lengthened nose leg, the General Electric J47 13 engine remaining.
With successful conclusion of initial carrier qualification trials aboard the USS Midway, this type was ordered into quantity production. Deliveries began in 1954, but only 200 had been completed by 1954 when production switched to the FJ-3.
North American FJ-3 Fury
Carrier qualification was outstanding, and the Columbus, Ohio, factory (previously a Curtiss Wright facility) constructed 300 of the much refined FJ 2 production type, with 2722 kg (6000 1b) thrust J47 2 engine, modified power folding wings, wider track landing gear and APG 30 radar gunsight. Production was assigned lower priority than the F 86F, and when the Korean war ended orders were cut to 200; all were delivered in the first nine months of 1954. All served with shore based Marine fighter squadrons, with bomb racks and, from 1955, the new Sidewinder AAM.
On 3 March 1952, the design of a new Fury shipboard fighter began around the newly-available Sapphire engine, built by Wright and Buick as the J65 2 at 3538 kg (7800 1b) thrust, fed by an enlarged duct which made the fuselage deeper. Assigned the designation FJ-3, the new fighter differed from the FJ-2 primarily in having a redesigned fuselage with a deeper air intake to accommodate the Wright J65 engine, as the US-built version of the Sapphire was known. The fifth FJ-2 was adapted to take the new engine as the NA 196 XFJ-3 and flew on 3 July 1953, and the first of 389 production FJ-3 (NA 194), powered by a J65-W-4 engine rated at 7,650 lb st (3 470 kgp) and carrying an armament of four 20-mm cannon, followed on 11 December 1953. De¬liveries to the US Navy began in September 1954, and, in the following year, the wing slats were discarded in favour of extended leading edges, while, with the 345th aircraft, additional wing stores stations were introduced for 500- or 1,000-lb (227- or 454-kg) bombs or rocket packs. The navy later added 214 NA 215 models with the W 4D engine, but cut this back to an extra 149 only, for a total of 538. In August 1956, as the 538th and last FJ-3 was delivered, a new weapon capability was introduced in the form of the Sidewinder AAM. 80 aircraft subsequently being modified as EJ-3Ms which augmented cannon armament with a pair of the AAMs.
FJ-3 Fury
This fighter/bomber equipped 17 navy and four marine squadrons, and VF 21 in January 1956 became the first combat unit to embark aboard the super carrier Forrestal. (The first FJ 3 unit at sea was VF 173, aboard Bennington, in May 1955.)
From August 1956 a total of 80 FJ 3s were converted to fire Sidewinders as the FJ 3M, while later others were rebuilt as drone targets and as drone (RPY) directors. The FJ¬3D controlled the Regulus 1 ship launched cruise missile, while the FJ 3D2 was parent aircraft to F9F 6K and KDA target aircraft. By 1959 surviving FJ 3s were being rebuilt with a long chord wing, without slats, with integral wing fuel tanks and either three or four weapon pylons. In 1962 the new designations became DF 1C, DF 1D and MF 1C.
In 1953 Columbus, which from the start had a competent and aggressive design and project staff, proposed a completely re-egineered Fury with much enhanced capability. This was soon accepted, and a rebuilt FJ 3 styled NA 208 and with the Navy designation XFJ-4, flew on October 16, 1953. Hardly any part was common to earlier Furies. The wing was much broader and thinner, with mid span ailerons and full integ-ral tankage, inboard high lift flaps and small fences on a fixed leading edge. The sweep was 35 degrees. The very deep reprofiled fuselage combined with the wing to increase internal fuel capacity by M, and with the four underwing pylons all loaded the gross weight was increased by the same proportion compared with the original FJ 2. The tail was thinner, and the vertical surface taller, and much of the engineering was that of the F 100C then in production at the Ohio factory. Main gears had levered suspension and further widened track, and the result was a superior carrier based attack aircraft.
Production FJ 4 (NA 209) Furys flowed from February 1955, the engine being the 3493 kg (7700 1b) thrust J65 16A. The first batch of 150, completed in March 1957, were followed by 222 FJ 4B (71 followed by 151 improved NA 244) which finally closed out production of Sabres and Furys in the United States in May 1958. The FJ 4B had a stiffer wing with six pylons, LABS (Low Altitude Bombing System) for nuclear toss¬-delivery, extra air brakes on the rear fuselage and other changes. It was entirely configured as an attack bomber, and cleared to fire the ASM N 7 Bullpup air to surface guided missile in January 1957.
North American FJ-4B Fury
Five Bullpups could be carried, with the radio command guidance pod on the sixth pylon. In the revised Department of Defense numbering scheme the FJ 4 became the F 1E, and the FJ4B the AF 1E. The AF equipped nine navy and three marine corps attack squadrons, before being progressively transferred to the reserve in 1962 65. A little-¬known research programme involved mixed-power trials using two FJ 4 Furys with North American hydrogen peroxide rockets mounted in a fuselage extension above the normal jetpipe, and with nose extensions housing instrumentation.
Introduced to service in 1957, the FJ-4B was finally retired from the front-line inventory in late 1962 although it continued to fly with second-line squadrons and Reserve units for several more years, the post-1962 designations being F-1C (FJ-3), MF-1C (FJ-3M), F-1E (FJ-4) and AF-1E (FJ-4B). Lesser-used variants were the FJ-3D and FJ-3D2 (DF-1C and DF-1D) drone-director conversions.
FJ-1 Fury Engine: one 4.000-lb (1,814-kg) thrust Allison J35-A-2 turbojet Maximum speed 547 mph (800 km/h) at 9000 ft (2,745 m) Initial climb rate 3,300 ft (1,006 m) per minute Service ceiling 32,000 ft (9,755 m) Range w/max.fuel 1500 miles (2,414 km) Empty weight 8,843 lb (4,011 kg) Maximum take-off weight 15,600 lb (7,076 kg) Wing span 38 ft 2 in (11.63 m) without tip tanks Length 34 ft 5 in (10.49 m) Height 14 ft 10 in (4.52 m) Wing area 221.0 sq ft (20.53 sq.m) Armament: six 0.5-in (12.7-mm) machine guns Crew: 1
FJ-2 Fury Engine: GE J47
FJ-3 Fury Engine: 1 x Wright J-65-W-16A, 3470kW Max speed at sea level, 681 mph (1 096 km/h) Max speed at 35,000 ft (10 670 m) 623 mph (1 002 km/h) Initial climb, 8.450 ft/min (42,93 m/see) Range (clean), 990 mls (1 593 km) Empty weight, 12,205 lb (5536 kg) Loaded weight (clean), 17,189 1b(7 797kg) Span, 37 ft 1 ½ in(11,31 m) Length, 37ft7in(11.45m) Height, l3ft 8 in(4,16 m) Wing area, 302.3 sq ft (28,08 sq.m)
FJ-4 Engine: 1 x Wright J-65-W-16A, 3470kW Max take-off weight: 9131 kg / 20131 lb Empty weight: 5 992 kg Wingspan: 11.91 m / 39 ft 1 in Length: 11.07 m / 36 ft 4 in Height: 4.24 m / 13 ft 11 in Wing area: 31.46 sq.m / 338.63 sq ft Max. speed: 1094 km/h Range: 2390 km / 1485 miles Armament: 4 x 20mm cannon Crew: 1
FJ-4 Engine: 1 x Wright J-65-W-16A, 7700 lb Wingspan: 11.91 m / 39 ft 1 in Length: 37 ft 6 in Height: 12 ft 8 in Wing area: 31.46 sq.m / 338.63 sq ft Max take-off weight: 9131 kg / 20131 lb Empty weight: 5 992 kg Fuel capacity external: 583 Imp.Gal. Max. speed: 687 mph at SL Max ROC: 7500 fpm Range: 2390 km / 1485 miles Max range: 2700 mi Armament: 4 x 20mm cannon Crew: 1 Wheel track: 11 ft 7 in Wheelbase: 16 ft 9.5 in Underwing hard points: 6
FJ-4B/AF 1E Fury Powerplant: one 3493-kg (7,700-lb) thrust Wright J65-W-16A turbojet Maximum speed 1094 km/h (680 mph) at sea level Service ceiling 14265 m (46800 ft) Range 4458 km (2,770 miles) with maximum external fuel. Empty weight 6250 kg (13,778 lb) Maximum take-off weight 12701 kg (28,000 lb) Wing span 11.91 m(39 ft 1 in) Length 11.07 m(36 ft 4 in) Height 4.24 m (13ft 11 in) Wing area 3l.46 sq.m (338.66 sq ft) Armament: four 20-mm cannon External ordnance 2722 kg (6,000 lb)
A derivative of the Super Sabre and originally designated the YF-100B, the North American F-107, or company NA-212, was an all-weather fighter-bomber version of the F-100 powered by a 10660kg thrust Pratt & Whitney YJ75-P-9 turbojet.
North American YF-107A 55-5120
A large dorsal arrangement with bifurcated VAID (Variable Area Inlet Duct) inlets inlet was above and behind the cockpit, so positioned to create space in the nose for radar. The F-107 was equipped with a sidestick flight control system.
North American YF-107A 55-5119
Design work began in June 1953 and a year later the USAF ordered nine aircraft (55-5118 to 55-5126), although only three were actually completed (55-5118 to 55-5120). In 1955, the F-107 lost out to the Republic F-105 in a paper competition even though it had not yet flown and its competitor did not, then, have all-weather capability. Thus, the future of the F-107 was already clouded on 10 September 1956 when Robert Baker made the first flight at Edwards AFB, California, in the first of three service-test YF-107As.
The YF-107A was relatively trouble free but despite good performance, the three YF-107As were soon relegated to permanent test status. Features of the aircraft warranting further evaluation included a flush centre-line fuel tank mounted in the indented fuselage bottom, spoilers on the wing surface instead of ailerons, and a one-piece all-moving rudder, later adopted on the A-5 Vigilante attack bomber.
The first YF-107A eventually found itself in a scrap heap, the second is now on display at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio, and the third was lost in a crash landing while on loan to NACA. F-107 (Tail number 55-5118) was on display at Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson.
YF-107A Engine: 1 x Pratt & Whitney J-75-P-9, 24,500-lb (11,115-kg) Max take-off weight: 22204 kg / 48952 lb Empty weight: 16852 kg / 37152 lb Wingspan: 11.2 m / 36 ft 9 in Length: 18.5 m / 60 ft 8 in Height: 6.0 m / 19 ft 8 in Wing area: 39.7 sq.m / 427.33 sq ft Max speed: 2200 km/h / 1367 mph Cruise speed: 700 mph Range: 1900 km / 1181 miles Ceiling: 50,000 ft Armament: 4 x 20mm cannons, 4540kg of weapons Seats: 1
The North American F-86C developed into the YF-93A and eventually became the third design in the penetration fighter competition with the McDonnell XF-88 and Lockheed XF-90. The YF-93A was a bigger, and bulkier than the Sabre. The nose inlet of the F-86 design was replaced with side-mounted inlets and the fuselage was widened to house a 12835kg thrust Pratt & Whitney turbojet. The result was a larger, heavier machine with longer range and greater load-carrying capacity than the Sabre.
On 9 June 1948, the USAF ordered 118 F-93s, but the order was cancelled a year later. The YF-93A lost its second chance to attain production status when it emerged a poor third in the penetration fighter contest which, as it turned out, did not result in any production contract anyway.
The first of the two YF-93As, also known as the company NA-157, was first flown on 24 January 1950. The two machines underwent various modifications during evaluation, including changes in the shape of their lateral air inlets.
After the USAF was no longer a potential buyer, the two airframes were turned over to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), where they were employed in various tests until eventually being retired and scrapped.
YF-93A Engine: 12835kg thrust Pratt & Whitney turbojet Max take-off weight: 12025 kg / 26511 lb Empty weight: 16360 kg / 36068 lb Wingspan: 11.81 m / 38 ft 9 in Length: 13.44 m / 44 ft 1 in Height: 4.78 m / 15 ft 8 in Wing area: 28.43 sq.m / 306.02 sq ft Max. speed: 1140 km/h / 708 mph Ceiling: 14265 m / 46800 ft
To meet a US Army Air Force requirement for a day fighter that could be used also as an escort fighter or dive-bomber, North American submitted a design known as the NA-140.
Two XP-86 prototypes of the NA-140 design were contracted in late 1944, but when German research data on the characteristics of swept wings became available soon after the end of the war, North American sought USAAF agreement to redesign the XP-86 to incorporate swept wings and tail surfaces. This cost a year’s delay, and it was not until 1 October 1947 that the first prototype was flown with flying surfaces swept at 35 degrees, then powered by a Chevrolet-built General Electric TG-180 (or J35-C-3) turbojet of 1701kg thrust; on 25 April 1948, by then re-engined with a General Electric J47 turbojet as the YP-86A, this aircraft exceeded a speed of Mach 1 in a shallow dive.
The first production version was the P-86A, powered initially by a 2200kg thrust General Electric J47-GE-1 turbojet and flown first on 20 May 1948. A month later USAF redesignation resulted in the P-86A becoming the F-86A and in 1949, by which time it had gained the name Sabre. The new fighter began to enter service with the USAF’s 1st, 4th and 81st Fighter Groups, the 94th Squadron of the 1st Fighter Group receiving the first in February 1949.
On 5 September 1948 at Cleveland, Ohio, an F-86 made an attempt on the world absolute speed record. As a result of faulty timing this flight, estimated to have averaged 669 mph, cannot be claimed as an official record.
F-86A 5 September 1948
F-86A production totalled 554, the majority having 2359kg thrust J47-GE-3, -7, -9, or -13 turbo-jets.
Just six months after it was assigned to duty, the F-86 set a world speed record of 670.9 mph. Later the Sabre beat its own record, upping the bar to 715 mph.
The F-86B (deeper fuselage and larger tyres) and F-86C (redesigned fuselage) did not enter production. The F-86C developed into the YF-93A.
The most extensively built was the F-86D (2,054), a redesigned all-weather/night fighter with a nose radome for all weather fighter duties and rocket armament instead of machine guns. The F-95 designation was assigned initially to the radar-equipped, all-weather interceptor version of the North American F-86 Sabre. The first two YF-95A airframes (50-577/ 578) were hastily assembled in 1949 with the nose configuration but not the radar of production aircraft. The two YF-95As also lacked the missile armament and afterburner of the production machine, being equipped instead with an extremely crude external reheat device at the exhaust for the 2460kg thrust General Electric J47-GE-17 turbojet engine. By the time the first of these machines had been completed and made its first flight on 22 December 1949 with company test pilot Joseph Lynch at the controls, it had been redesignated F-86D.
F-86D / YF-95 Dog Sabre
The F-86D, -K, and -L had a 35 degree sweepback wing with leading edge slats (slots I the F-86L) and trailing edge flaps. The F-86D and -L had a retractable pack of twenty-four 2.75in air-to-air rockets in the bottom of their forward fuselage, the -K having four 20mm cannon.
Subsequent production included the 1950 F-86E (NA-170, -172) with an all-moving tailplane and power-boost controls, and the F-86F (1,539) with a new wing and J47-GE-27 engine. 336 F-86E were built, plus 60 built by Canadair as Sabre Mk.III/IV.
The F-86F was the last day fighter version to be produced by North American and served with many, including Argentina, Nationalist China, Ethiopia, South Korea, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Thailand, and Venezuela. Mitsubishi assembled 300 F-86F in Japan for the Japanese Air Self-Defence Force.
The F-86F had the 35 degrees sweptback wings, with tailplane and elevators linked for co-ordinated movements. Fuel tanks are in the fuselage and two or four underwing jettison able tanks were available.
F-86E 51-2721
The sole 1951 F-86G was a provisional designation for an engine test-bed with a modified J47. Production of 406 were completed as F-86D.
The F-86F, QF-86F, RF-86F, and TF-86F (NA-172, -176, -191, -193, -202, -204, -206, -210, -227, -231, -238, -256) of 1952 had new leading edge and boundary layer fences, and six nose guns. First flying on 19 March 1952 (p: George Smith). 2,540 were built, of which one was converted as RF-86F photo-recon and two as two-seat TF-86F (NA-204, -216) trainer (first flying on 5 January 1954). Many were later used as QF-86F targets and drones. The NA-231, 238, and -256 were 300 exports to Japan.
RF-86F 52-4808
TF-86F 52-5016
Destined to be the final production version of the Sabre (477) for the USAF, the F-86H featured a deeper fuselage to accommodate the larger air intake required by an 8,920 lb st (4 046 kgp) General Electric J73-GE-3 engine and permitting a substantial increase in internal fuel capacity. The first F-86H was flown on 30 April 1953 piloted by Joe Lynch, this retaining the slatted wing of the F-86E. Two prototypes were built, 52-1975 and 52-1976. Subsequent aircraft omitted the slats and adopted the extended wing leading edge introduced during F-86F production the final 10 aircraft having both slats and extended wing. Intended for the fighter-bomber role, the F-86H had four underwing stores stations, and could carry a pair of 1,000-lb (463,6-kg) GP bombs or 750-lb (340-kg) napalm bombs in addition to drop tanks, or a 1,200-lb (544-kg) 100-kT nuclear store under the port wing.
F-86H 53-1298
First flying on 4 September 1953, deliveries of the F-86H (NA-187, -203) to the USAF commenced in January 1954, the first 113 having an armament of six 05-in (12,7-mm) machine guns which gave place to four 20-mm cannon in subsequent aircraft, and a total of 473 (plus two pre-series) F-86H Sabres was built with the last being accepted on 11 April 1956.
The F-86K (120) was a simplified version of the F-86D. Evolved from the F-86D specifically for supply to NATO forces under the MDAP, the F-86K differed from its predecessor primarily in having a simpler fire control system and cannon armament which could be supplemented by a pair of AIM-9B Sidewinder AAMs, and was 8’; longer. Development began on 14 May 1953, two F-86D-40s being modified as YF-86K(NA-205) prototypes (52-3630, -3804) and the first of these flying on 15 July 1954. These were subsequently sent to Italy to serve as pattern aircraft for similar aircraft assembled under licence by Fiat. The parent company built 120 F-86Ks, deliveries commencing in May 1955, these being powered by a 147-GE-17B engine rated at 5,425 lb st (2460 kgp) and boosted to 7,500 lb st (3402 kgp) with afterburning, built in armament comprising four 20-mm cannon.
North American F-86K 54-1231
Of the NAA-built F-86Ks (NA-213, -221, -232, -242), 60 were supplied to Norway and 59 to the Netherlands. The first Fiat-assembled F-86K was flown on 23 May 1955, a total of 221 (from North American-built kits of components) being delivered of which 63 were supplied to the Italian air arm, 60 to France, 88 to Germany, six to the Netherlands and four to Norway. The last 45 Fiat-assembled aircraft had the extended wing of the F-86F-40, others being retroactively modified. The Dutch F-86Ks were passed on to Turkey in 1963-64, and, in 1967-68, 47 ex-German aircraft were passed to Venezuela, four of the latter being sold to Honduras in 1969.
In total, 341 were built, plus those license-built by Fiat in Italy, with four 20mm nose cannon.
Production from North American-built kits of components began in Japan, with Mitsubishi leading a group of Japanese companies which first assembled, then increasingly constructed, a total of 300 similar to the F-86F and RF-86F.
The designation F-86L was applied in 1956 to rebuilds (981) from F-86Ds, which introduced a 2’ increased span wing, leading edge slats and electronic equipment integrating them into the American SAGE air defence system.
North American F-86L 52-10143
In 1952 North American installed a 6000lb Avro-Canada Orenda in one F-86A-5 pulled from their own production line as an experimental prototype F-86J (NA-167).
Canadair built a single Sabre Mk.I, based on the original F-86A was followed by 60 F-86Es for the USAF refitted with GE J47, followed by 290 generally similar Sabre Mk 2 fighters, comprising 230 for the RCAF and 60 for the Mutual Defense Assistance Program. These were similar to the F-86E and were fitted with imported J-47-GE-13 engines, rated at 5200 lb.
Canadian production continued with 438 Sabre Mk 4 for the RAF with General Electric engines. Many Mk.2s were brought up to Mk.4 standard.
With the selection in 1948 by the RCAF of the F-86A Sabre as its next-generation fighter it was envisaged from the outset that the indigenous Orenda engine would replace the J47. In the event, this intention was to be frustrated by delays in power plant availability, and it was not until 30 July 1953 that a pre-¬series aircraft was flown with the Canadian engine as the CL-13A Sabre 5.
Almost three years prior to this event, North American had re-engined an F-86A-5 with an Orenda 3 as the F-86A/O, this having flown in October 1950, and the 100th F-86E licence-built airframe completed by Canadair had been similarly powered as the CL- 13 Sabre 3 (alias F-86J) and flown on 4 June 1952.
The Canadair SabreMk.3 was a North American-built F-86E converted for the Avro Orenda engine.
This gave considerably improved performance so the RCAF ordered 470 Sabre Mk.5s based on the F-86F and powered by a 6355 lb Orenda 10.
Twenty-four Canadair Sabre 5 were ordered by Israel and some were completed before the order was cancelled.
Israeli Sabre 5
Powered by a 6,355 lb st (2 883 kgp) Avro Orenda 10 turbojet, the Sabre 5 retained the armament of six 05-in (12,7-mm) machine guns and had the slatless extended wing leading edge introduced by the F-86F. A total of 370 Sabre 5s was built, of which 75 were presented to the Federal German Luftwaffe, before production deliveries commenced of what was to prove the definitive Canadair-built model, the CL-13B Sabre 6 first flown on 2 November 1954. This differed essentially from the Sabre 5 in having the two-stage Orenda 14 of 7,275 lb st (3 300 kgp) and initial aircraft had a similar wing to that of the Sabre 5, but later Sabre 6s reinstated wing slats. Of the 655 Sabre 6s built, six were supplied to Colombia, 34 to South Africa and 225 to Federal Germany.
The CL-13C was a Sabre 5 with an area ruled fuselage and the CL-13E was a Sabre 6 fitted with an afterburner.
JA+111 Canadair CL-13B Sabre Mk.6 1625
The Sabre 6 served the RCAF from 1950-68. The Sabre 6 with its extra power and slatted wings served in many air forces around the world into the 1970’s, though it stood down in Canada in 1968.
Canadair CL-13 Sabre 6
The Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation in Australia also became involved in Sabre production, modifying the F-86F airframe for two 30mm Adens and the 3402kg thrust Rolls-Royce Avon 26 engine. The more powerful engine involved extensive redesign of the fuselage, including a larger intake.
The prototype, first flying on 3 August 1953, and the first 22 production Avon-Sabres had imported Avon RA.7 turbojets and retained the Sabre’s leading-edge slats. These were designated Mk.30, first flying on 13 July 1954.
CA-27 Avon-Sabre
They were followed by 20 Sabre Mk 31s with Commonwealth-built Avon 20 and with the slats replaced by extended wing leading-edges.
Subsequently 69 Sabre Mk32 fighters with Australian-built engines were produced.
The wings had a 35 degree sweepback and the tailplane had 10 degrees dihedral. Slotted trailing-edge flaps and tricycle undercarriage were fitted. The main wheels retract inward into the fuselage and the nosewheel retracts rearward. Airbrakes are on each side of the rear fuselage. Fuel tanks are in the fuselage.
Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Sabre Mk.32
The RAAF received its aircraft 1956, based at Williamstown, NSW.
More than 9,000 Sabres were built; 1,815 of them in Canada.
The German Luftwaffe purchased 225 Sabres from Canadair and in addition received 75 under MDAP arrangements.
This fighter was the prime contender against the North Korean MiG-15, typically flown by Russian and Chinese pilots. The tally at the end of the war was telling, both about American technology and pilot skills. By the end of hostilities, it had shot down 729 MiGs, loosing only 76 Sabres—a victory ration of 10:1. During the Korean War, approximately 22 Canadian pilots were attached to the USAF (United States Air Force) and flew Sabres in combat.
The Royal Thai Air Force received 45 F-86F-30/40 Sabres. Designated ‘Fighter Type 17’, they served from 1961 to 1973.
A radical development of the F-86 Sabre was the FJ Fury naval fighter.
Bob Hoover tested an F-86D that had the horizontal tail located at the bottom of the fuselage. This was a testbed for the future F-100, which would feature a similar configuration. One of the design characteristics of the test bed was that the dive brakes were located on the top of the fuselage instead of the lower section. When the brakes were extended, the plane pitched down and not up as would be the case with the conventional F-86s.
F-86A Sabre Engine: 1 x General Electric J47-GE-3, -7, -9, or -13 Span: 37ft 1in Length: 37ft 6in Height: 14ft 9in Empty Weight: 10,854lbs Max Take-off Weight: 15,800lbs Max Speed: 679mph at sea level Cruising Speed: 533mph Service Ceiling: 48,000ft Range: 660miles Time to 40,000ft: 10.4 mins Fuel Capacity is 436 gallons internal – external two 100 gallon drop tanks
F-86A/O An F-86A-5 re-engined to serve as the prototype of the Canadair CL-13 Sabre
F-86D Engine: General Electric J47-GE-33, 7650 lb with re-heat Wingspan: 11.30 m / 37 ft 1 in Length: 12.29 m / 40 ft 4 in Height: 4.57 m / 15 ft 0 in Wing area: 287.9 sq ft Max take-off weight: 20,550 lb Empty weight: 11,905 lb Max. speed: 1138 km/h / 707 mph Ceiling: 16640 m / 54600 ft Max ROC: 15,600 fpm Range: 1344 km / 835 miles Armament: 24 x 69.9mm missiles Crew: 1
F-86F Engine: 1 x General Electric J47-GE-27, 5970 lb / 26.3 kN Wing span: 39 ft 1 in (11.91 m) Wing area: 287.9 sq.ft Length: 37 ft 6 in (11.43 m) Height: 14 ft 8 in (4.47m) Empty weight: 10,950 lb Max TO wt: 20.195 lb Wheel track: 8 ft 3 in Max level speed: 655 mph at SL Cruise speed: 603 mph Service Ceiling: 49,600 ft / 15,100 m Range: 1270 mi Ceiling: 50,000 ft Armament: 6 x 0.5in mg Bombload: 2 x 1000 lb bombs
YF-86H Engine: GE YJ73, 9300 lb Wingspan: 39’1″ Length: 38’8″ Useful load: 8016 lb Max speed: 692 mph Range: 1040 mi Ceiling: 49,000 ft
F-86H Engine: G.E.C. J73, 8920 lb Max speed at sea level, 692 mph (1114 km/h) Max speed at 35,000 ft (10 670 m) 617 mph (993 km/h) Initial climb, 12,900 ft/min (65,53 m/sec) Range (two 200-US gal/757-lt drop tanks), 1,040 mls (1674 km) Empty weight, 13,836 lb (6 276 kg) Loaded weight (with two drop tanks), 21,852 lb (9912kg) Span, 39ft 1½ in(l1,92m) Length, 38ft l0in(11,84 m) Wing area, 313.37 sq ft (29,11 sq.m)
F-86K Engine: General Electric J47-GE-17B, 7450 lb with re-heat Span, 37 ft 1.5 in (11,31 m) Length. 40 ft 11 1/8 in (12,47 m) Height, 15 ft0 in (4.57 m) Wing area. 287.9 sq ft (26,7 5 sq.m) Empty weight. 13,367 lb (6063 kg) Loaded weight (clean), 18,379 lb (8337kg) Max speed at sea level, 692 mph (1114km/h) Max speed at 40,000 ft (12 190 m), 612 mph (985 km/h) Initial climb, 12.000 ft/min (60,96 m/sec) Range (with two 120-US gal/454-lt drop tanks), 744 mls (1197 km)
F-86L Engine: General Electric J47-GE-33, 7650 lb with re-heat Wingspan: 39’1″ Length: 40’3″
Canadair Sabre Mk.I
Canadair Sabre Mk.2 Engine: GE J47-GE-13, 5200 lb
Canadair Sabre Mk.3 Engine: Avro Orenda
Canadair Sabre Mk.4 Engine: GE J47-GE-27, 5800 lb
Canadair Sabre Mk.5 Engine: Orenda 10, 6500 lb
Canadair F-86 Sabre 6 Engine: Avro Canada Orenda 14 turbojet, 7275 lb Dimensions as for F-86A Wing Span: 37 ft 11.5 in Empty weight; 10,618 lb / 4816 kg Loaded weight (clean): 14,613 lb / 6628 kg MTOW: 17,560 lb / 7965 kg Engine: Orenenda 14, 7275 lb / 3300 kg Max speed at sea level, 710 mph (1143 km/h) Max speed at 36,000 ft (10 975 m) 620 mph (998 km/h) Range: 363 miles / 584 km Ferry range: 1486 miles / 2391 km Service ceiling: 54,700 ft / 16,460 m Initial climb, 11,800 ft/ min (59,94m/sec) Rate of Climb: 35,000 ft / 10,670m in 4 min 42 sec Armament: 6 x 0.50in (12.7mm) mg , 1602 rounds total (267 rounds per gun)
CA-27 Avon-Sabre Engine: Commonwealth Rolls-Royce Avon 26, 7500 lb.s.t Wingspan: 37 ft 1 in Wing area: 312 sq.ft Length: 37 ft 6 in Height: 14 ft 5 in Wheel track: 8 ft 4 in Empty weight: 12,000 lb MTOW: 17,300 lb Max speed: 700 mph at SL Max ROC: 12,000 fpm Service ceiling: 50,000 ft Max range: 1150 mi Armament: 2 x 30mm Aden cannon Bombload: 2 x 1000 lb
North American engineers designed two variants of the BC-1 to sell to overseas buyers as fighters and attack planes. One was a single-seat fighter and the other a two-seater; both had five .30-caliber ma¬chine guns in the wings and nose.
Conceived as a low-cost fighter for use by smaller nations demanding comparatively simple warplanes, yet embodying such modern features as an enclosed cockpit and a retractable undercarriage, the NA-50 was a single-seat derivative of the NA-16 tandem two-seat basic trainer. Of all-metal construction with semi-monocoque fuselage, the NA-50 was powered by an 870hp Wright R-1820-77 Cyclone radial.
First flying on 1 September 1940 piloted by Lewis Waite, one prototype was built for the USAAF (NX25607).
North American P-64 NX25607
The first order, from the Siamese air force, was for 10, including both versions. Brazil, Peru and Chile ordered 49 single-seat fighters.
In January 1938, a contract was placed on behalf of the Cuerpo de Aeronautica del Peru for seven NA-50s, delivery being completed in May 1939. In Peruvian service, the NA-50s were equipped with racks for up to 249kg of bombs, and the type saw active service in 1941 during a conflict with Ecuador. The last Peruvian NA-50 was withdrawn in 1961.
North American NA-50
The company Model NA-50A P-64 ordered by Siam on 30 December 1939, was little more than a single-seat pursuit ship patterned after the Harvard trainer and developed from the NA-50 used by Peru. Tension was increasing at the time between Siam and French Indochina, and the State Department prohibited the transfer. The six examples of this strictly export craft were built at Inglewood and painted in Siamese markings, and were en route to Siam when the US Army confiscated them. The aircraft were diverted to the Philippines, where they were taken over by the U.S. Army Air Corps (41-18890/18899). They removed the armament, and assigned them to training duties at Luke Field, Arizona, designated the P-64.
North American P-64 8300
A widely-published report that the Siam-bound aircraft were caught at Pearl Harbour during the 7 December 1941 Japanese attack is inaccurate: the NA-50As were apparently embargoed in October 1940 and a camouflaged example in USAAF markings was noted at Luke as early as 16 September 1941.
Never really a fighter in USAAF service, the six P-64s were essentially base ‘hacks’ and possibly never received American serial numbers. A privately-owned survivor in civil registry as N840 was airworthy in the US as recently as 1975.
North American NA-68
One survives in the EAA collection (41-19085, NX37498, XBKUU, N686220).
Courtesy Don Stits
In early 1964, a North American P64 was ferried from San Diego to Flabob Airport in Riverside Ca. Once we realized it’s rarity, Ray contacted Paul Poberezny and a deal was made to acquire the P64 for the EAA Museum. I spent over two months working on the P64 to get it airworthy so Paul could ferry it to Wisconsin. Attached pictures are the P64 as it sat on Flabob Airport and after Paul finished the restoration (Paul in uniform with his pride and joy). Don Stits
NA-50 Max take-off weight: 2585 kg / 5699 lb Empty weight: 2028 kg / 4471 lb Wingspan: 11.35 m / 37 ft 3 in Length: 8.21 m / 26 ft 11 in Height: 2.67 m / 8 ft 9 in Wing area: 21.93 sq.m / 236.05 sq ft Max. speed: 475 km/h / 295 mph Range: 1038 km / 645 miles
NA-50A Engine: Wright R1820-77 Cyclone 9, 870 hp Wing span: 37 ft 3 in Wing area: 236 sq.ft Length: 26 ft 11 in Empty weight: 4470 lb MAUW: 6800 lb / 3084 kg Max speed: 270 mph at 9500 ft Cruise: 255 mph at 16,500 ft Range: 645 mi Armament: 2 x .30 mg & 2 x 20mm cannon + 4 bombs underwing.
P-64 Engine: Wright R-1820, 875hp Max take-off weight: 2717 kg / 5990 lb Empty weight: 2113 kg / 4658 lb Wingspan: 11.35 m / 37 ft 3 in Length: 8.23 m / 27 ft 0 in Height: 2.74 m / 8 ft 12 in Wing area: 21.18 sq.m / 227.98 sq ft Max. speed: 434 km/h / 270 mph Cruise speed: 235 mph Stall: 71 mph Ceiling: 4260 m / 14000 ft Range: 1380 km / 858 miles Seats: 1
Derived from the 1935 NA-16 prototype, the North American NA-26 design was first flown in 1938. This aircraft was designated the Basic Combat Trainer, BC-1. The BC-1 (basic combat, type 1) had the same basic airframe design as the BT-9 but with a retractable main landing gear and more power. It was equipped with one nose-mounted .30-caliber machine gun that fired through the propeller and a second .30-caliber gun on a flexible mount in the rear cockpit.
The first one flew on February 11, 1938. The Edward G. Budd Manufacturing Co. was subcontracted to experiment with stainless steel in the wing panels to determine its structural feasibility in the aircraft. It had seven inches more wing span, larger tanks and a higher gross weight (by approx 155 pounds) when compared to the later T-6.
In 1939, the U.S. Army Air Corps ordered an additional 200 of the advanced BC-1A type, and the U.S. Navy a number of the same type but designated as SNJ-1.
The Navy had been searching for a trainer for pilots destined to fly its scout aircraft, such as the Douglas SBD dive bomber, and it chose the BC-1. The BC-1 was ordered in 1937 to the extent of 41 aircraft with the R-1340-45 radial. Blunt wing tips and a straight-edged rudder characterised the BC-lA, of which 92 were ordered and the last six delivered as AT-6s after a change in designation policy during 1940. AT-6 orders covered an extra 85 aircraft, and production then switched to 1,429 AT-6As with the R-1340-49 engine and modified fuel tankage. The full production flood now saw 400 AT-6B gunnery trainers with the R-1340-AN-1, 2,970 AT-6Cs with a high proportion of non-strategic materials, 3,713 AT-6Ds with the original structure and 24-volt electrics, and 25 AT-6Fs with a strengthened airframe. US Navy variants equivalent to the BC-1, AT-6, AT-6A, AT-6C, AT-6D and AT-6F were the SNJ-1 to -6 respectively, of which 4,765 were delivered.
SNJ-1
The 1937 SNJ-1 was as the Army BC-1A with retractable gear and metal-covered fuselage. Sixteen very operated a 1552-1567.
A total of 2,068 wartime aircraft were remanufactured as T 6G.
North American engineers designed two variants of the BC-1 to sell to overseas buyers as fighters and attack planes. One was a single-seat fighter and the other a two-seater; both had five .30-caliber ma¬chine guns in the wings and nose. The attack version (NA-44, -69, -72) also had a flexible machine gun in the rear cockpit. The first order, from the Siamese air force, was for 10 A-27 (NA-69), including both versions.
North American A-27
Brazil, Peru and Chile ordered 49 single-seat fighters. Brazil received 30 NA-72 with P&W R-1340 in 1940 and one armed prototype NA-44 went to the RCAF in 1940.
Siam never received any of the aircraft, however. Tension was increasing at the time between Siam and French Indochina, and the State Department prohibited the transfer. The aircraft were diverted to the Philippines, where they were taken over by the U.S. Army Air Corps, re-designated A-27 (41-18890/18899), where they were destroyed in Japanese bombings during Dec 1941. Several A-27s saw action in the Philippines on December 8, 1941, against invading Japanese forces. The single-seat version was stripped of armament, returned to the States for fighter-pilot training and designated the P-64.
The Navy later requested several modifications to the SNJ-1, including a more powerful engine. That changed the designation to SNJ-2.
Sixty-one 1940 SNJ-2 were operated as 2008-2043 and 2548-2572.
North American SNJ-2 2040
The 1940 AT-6 (NA-59) first flew on 6 February 1930 and 85 were built, plus 9 from BC-1B (40-717/725, -2080/2164).
A total of 1549 of the 1941 AT-6A (NA-77) were built: 41-148/785, -15824/16228, 16259/16403, -16439/16457, 41-16474/16578, -16616/16653, -16693/16778, -16821/16878, -16924/16939, -16994/17033.
North American AT-6A 41-16087 from Mather Field at Moffett Field CA.
The Air Corps asked for other modifications, and the AT¬6A/SNJ-3 emerged as the standard advanced single-engine trainer for both services. (It was used for basic pilot training and even for primary training toward the end of World War II, when Nationalist Chinese students were sent to the States for pilot instruction.)
North American SNJ-3
270 SNJ-3 were produced in 1941 (6755-7024) plus 296 AT-6 obtained from the USAAF (01771-01976, and 05435-05526). Fifty-five SNJ-3 were converted to SNJ-3C deck-landing trainers.
The SNJ-4 (NA-88) of 1942 were the same as USAAF AT-6C, 2,400 produced (05527-05674, 09817-10316, 26427-27851, and 51350-51676). 85 were converted in 1942 to SNJ-4C deck-landing trainers.
North American SNJ-4
The SNJ-5 (NA-88) of 1943 were 1,573 USAAF AT-6D transferred to the USN (43638-44037, 51677-52049, 84819-85093, and 90582-91101). Some were converted to SNJ-5C deck-landing trainers.
North American SNJ-5 84968
The 411 SNJ-6 of 1944 were from USAAF production of AT-6F (111949-112359).
In 1952 earlier models were modernised to T-6G standards as SNJ-7s. The SNJ-7B was an armed version.
AT-6A SE-CHP
To accommodate orders that amounted to more than 600 aircraft when war began, North American opened a new plant in Dallas in 1942 to supplement the aircraft being turned out in the Los Angeles area.
The Dallas plant became the main point of manufacture – hence the name ‘Texan.” New model suffixes were assigned as minor changes were made. To save alu¬minum, some of the AT-6/SNJs were turned out with plywood fuselages and internal stringers made from spruce. The Navy added tail hooks for carrier train¬ing. Bomb racks and belly fuel tanks were also added.
A number of Texans were either built or modified for experimental purposes. The Army Air Forces ordered one XAT-6E in 1944 with an in-line, air-cooled engine installed. On test flights it reached a top speed of 244 mph and climbed to 30,000 feet – 50 mph faster and 6,000 feet higher than the Texans flying with radial en¬gines. Unfortunately, the in-line engine proved to be a maintenance headache, and only one XAT-6E was built. Another experimental Texan was des¬ignated the ET-6F in 1950, when a swivel landing gear was installed to assist in making crosswind landings. The Northrop Co. experimented with automatic pilots in the T-6. Cameras were installed aft of the rear seat in a few aircraft for aerial photography; flares were added to make photography possible at night as well.
When the British realized they could not build enough trainers in the United Kingdom at the beginning of World War II, they ordered the BC-1, which they designated the Harvard Mark I. A single British machine gun for the right wing was specified, as well as British instru¬ments and a circular control stick called a “spade.” The Canadians also ordered the Mark I, and one variant was labeled the AT-16. Since British engine mixture controls were reversed as far as Americans and Canadians were concerned, a warn-ing plaque was installed that read: “This airplane has British carburetor mixture control. Lean—forward. Rich—back.”
The Harvard II was the equivalent to the USAAC’s AT-6A. The Harvard IIA was the equivalent to the USAAC’s AT-6C. Some were overhauled to a Mk.II* standard. This differed from the Mk.II in having a plywood and low alloy steel rear fuselage instead of the previous light alloy monocoque construction. This was said to save over 1200 lb of aluminium. The Mk.IIB was a version of the Mk.II built in Canada by the Noorduyn Aircraft Company, and known in the USA as the AT-16. The Harvard Mk.III reverted to all metal construction and had a 24volt electrical system. Two hundred and thirty five AT-6s were operated by Sweden and designated Sk-16.
The Harvard II (AT-6C), North American NA-16-1A, or North American NA-16-3 has a low-wing cantilever monoplane, the wing section varies from N.A.C.A. 2215 to 2209, in five sections, consisting of centre-section, two outer-sections and two wing-tips. The centre-section has parallel chord and thickness, outer-sections have back-swept leading-edge and straight trailing-edge and taper in thickness. Single-spar structure with spaced ribs and covered with a stressed aluminum alloy skin. Dynamically balanced ailerons, with aluminum-alloy frames and fabric covering. Split trailing-edge flaps inside ailerons and under fuselage. The fuselage is a welded chrome-molybdenum steel-tube framework with fittings integrally welded. The fuselage is constructed in four sections, engine-mounting, control-section, tail-section and monocoque bottom aft of wing. All sections bolted together. Side covering in form of fabric-covered aluminum-alloy frames bolted to fuselage. Cowling all metal and quickly removable.
Fitted with a cantilever tailplane and fin of metal, with sheet covering, the rudder and elevators have light-alloy frames, with fabric covering. Right and left sides of tail-plane and elevators are interchangeable. Metal surfaces are removable by externally-accessible bolts for internal inspection. Non-reversible trimming tabs on elevators. Fixed tab, adjustable of ground only, on rudder.
The undercarriage consists of two cantilever oleo struts, with the upper ends built into the ends of the centre-section by sleeves held by four bolts. The right and left units are interchangeable. Each unit enclosed in duralumin fairing, which does not enclose the streamline wheel, so that it is accessible for brake adjustment or removal. Hydraulically-operated wheel-brakes. Oleo-sprung steerable tail-wheel.
Power is from a Pratt & Whitney 600 hp radial, 9 cylinder or one Pratt & Whitney Wasp S3H1 nine-cylinder radial air-cooled engine, developing 550 hp at 5,000 ft (1,525 m) on welded chrome-molybdenum steel-tube mounting. NACA cowling. Fuel tanks (two), of welded aluminum alloy, in centre-section, one on each side of fuselage. Normal fuel capacity 104 U.S. gallons. Oil tank (9.5 U.S. gallons) in engine compartment and detachable with it. Alternative engines are the Pratt & Whitney Wasp R-1340-S1H1, Pratt & Whitney Wasp-Junior R-985 or the Wright Whirlwind R-975-E3.
Accommodation: Tandem cockpits, with sliding enclosures. Dual controls, with rear control quickly removable. Equipment may be installed to suit machine for training, fighting or light bombing. Provision made for installation of two fixed guns firing forward through airscrew and one gun on a movable mounting in back cockpit, bomb-rack below fuselage.
When it took over Noorduyn Aviation in 1946, CCF also acquired the production rights to the North American AT 16 Harvard trainer. Between 1941 and 1945 Noorduyn produced Harvard IIBs as advanced trainers, used to allow those who had become proficient on elementary trainers to graduate to single engined operational aircraft. At the peak of production 83 Harvards per month were leaving the Noorduyn works and by the end of the war 2,800 had been completed, most being used by the RAF and RCAF, but some going as far afield as India, Australia and New Zealand.
North American Harvard 3*
In 1951, after a gap of six years, the Harvard was again put into production when Can Car’s Fort William plant began to turn out the Harvard 4 to be used in training the pilots who might be needed in the Korean War or its aftermath. In total, 555 were built between 1951 and 1955, initially for the RCAF, but later for the USAF where they were designated T 6J. Some of the T 6Js were subsequently released for service with the West German Air Force.
Harvard 4 / T.6J
The North American Aviation Co. granted rights to the Australians to man¬ufacture the two-seat BC-1, which they called the “Wirraway,” a native word meaning “challenge.” It had twin ma¬chine guns in the nose, a flexible gun in the rear cockpit and could carry up to 500 pounds of bombs on underwing racks. The first Wirraways were rolled out in 1939. They saw heavy service during the first days of World War II as interceptors, fighter-bombers and long-range patrol aircraft, as well as observation craft.
After World War II, the U.S. Air Force changed many of its plane designations, and the “A” was dropped from the Texan’s identification. The T-6s were extremely active during the Korean War as spotter planes. Their pilots were officially known as forward air controllers, but their planes were popularly called “Mosqui¬toes,” since they harassed the Communist forces and specialized in locating enemy targets and guiding fighter-bombers in for airstrikes. They were also flown for air rescues and leaflet-dropping missions. Several were used as interceptors against the North Koreans, who were flying Soviet-made Polikarpov PO-2 night raiders. Numbers of T-6G’s were being converted to LT-6G liaison aircraft by Ternco Corp in 1955. When remanufactured T-6s ar¬rived with improved radios, underwing bomb and smoke-rocket racks and two pod-mounted machine guns, they were designated LT-6Gs. By the end of hostil¬ities, the LT-6Gs had flown more than 40,000 sorties and logged about 117,500 combat hours.
The first Harvard Mk II used by the RCAF was delivered to Camp Borden in the summer of 1940. It was an anglicized version of the AT-6A, the differences being a lengthened exhaust stack, a fixed rear canopy section, an altered instrument panel and a British style control column. The Mk II was also fitted with the capability to hold a .303 calibre air operated machine gun on the starboard wing and a cine-camera in the port wing, with a gun-sight for the front cockpit. The plane was equipped with hardpoints under the wings in order to carry 8 practice bombs. The N.A. Harvard Mk.II was one of the most important single engine training aircraft of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. It was known as “the pilot maker” because of its important role in preparing pilots for combat.
After World War 2 the Mk.II Harvard was relegated to armament training and reserve squadron use, as the more modern Mk.IV came along. At the end of WW2, Harvard Mk.II’s were used for Naval training in Nova Scotia. The approval for a Canadian Fleet Air Arm was not given by the government of the day until 1946. In January of 1947 Harvard Mk.II’s began arriving in Dartmouth Nova Scotia for their stint as training aircraft for the newly formed Canadian Naval Air Arm. Much of the training was on gunnery exercises to prepare pilots for the deflection shots necessary with the gyro gun-sight of the Supermarine Seafire. Harvard Mk.II’s were the planes chosen again for the training task. The course was similar to the one used to train RCAF pilots, with the exception of gunnery and formation training which was done on Seafires.
In December 1939, the RNZAF was allocated 105 Harvards, but the first aircraft didn’t arrive until March 1941. The Harvard served in a wide variety of roles with the RNZAF, including flight training schools (2 FTS at Woodbourne being the biggest user), fighter squadrons, fighter operational training units, army co operation squadrons, the Central Flying School and the Fighter Gunnery School. The RNZAF operated Harvard II, IIA, IIB and III as NZ901 to NZ1102 until 1977.
After World War II, T-6s and SNJs were supplied to NATO nations such as France, West Germany, Italy and Bel¬gium. Latin American pilots ferried many of the trainers home after they completed their training in the United States. For use in brush-fire wars, Texans were remanufactured with rocket and bomb racks and designated FT-6Gs. They were sent to such nations as Spain, Por¬tugal, France and Brazil for counterin¬surgency missions.
The Texan was phased out of U.S. Air Force and Navy inventories in 1958, but a number of T-6s were flown by the Civil Air Patrol into the 1960s. Although the American inventory during the Vietnam War showed no T-6s, armed Texans were flown briefly by Laotian and Cambodian pilots against Viet Cong targets along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
A total of 17,096 of all models were built by North American in California, Texas, Montreal (by Noorduyn), Fort Frances, Ontario (by Canadian Car and Foundry), and in Australia as the Wirraway.
The aircraft is stressed for aerobatics and is capable of most maneuvers with the exception of sustained inverted flight, snap rolls, outside loops, and inverted spins.
The T-6/SNJ/Harvard aircraft have been produced in a number of model designations. Most of the changes are small. Fuel Capacity – The T-6 has 110 gallons on all models except the T-6G and Harvard MK IV, which have 140 gallons. With a cruise fuel burn of 30 GPH, 110 gallons is adequate for most operators. Tail wheel steering/locking systems- The Navy type is lockable only. The pilot is able to lock the tailwheel to a straight-ahead position for take-off and landing. Steering is accomplished by differential braking. The steerable type system (also called P-51 type) uses an inter-connect from the rudder pedals to the tailwheel steering system. This system allows the pilot to steer the aircraft by use of the rudder pedals. Full forward stick movement unlocks this system. When unlocked the tailwheel becomes full swivel and steering is again by differential braking. Either of these systems is adequate for most civilian operators. Hydraulic system – The original system incorporated a pilot controlled bypass. In order to use the gear or flaps, a small button must first be pushed before activation of the system. This button pressurizes the system and a time delay circuit depressurizes the system after approximately 45 seconds. Later aircraft (T6-G/Harvard MK-4) had a modified linkage that engaged the system automatically. For practical purposes, either system is satisfactory. There are several variations in other areas such as instrument panel layout and cockpit glass. Many aircraft have been modified to incorporate various combinations of the above systems.
Harvard II / AT-6C / NA-16-1A / NA-16-3 Span 42 ft (12.8 m) Length 27 ft. 5 3/16 in (8.38 m) Height 8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) Wing area 248 sq. ft (23 sq. m) Weight empty 3,340 lb (1,515 kg) Fuel and oil: 695 lb (315 kg) Armament 141 lb (64 kg) Weight loaded 4,556 lbs (2,065 kg) Wing loading 185 lbs./sq. ft. (90 kg./sq. m) Power loading 8.3 lbs./h.p. (3.71 kg./hp) Speed at sea level 200 m.p.h. (324 kph) Cruising speed at 12,000 ft. (3,660 m.) 185 mph. (298 kph) Landing speed 61 mph (98 kph) Maximum rate of climb 1,800 fpm (590 m/min.) Service ceiling 26,000 ft. (7,930 m.) Cruising range 680 miles (1,102 km)
T 6 / AT-6 Texan / Harvard Engine: Pratt & Whitney Wasp R-1340 AN1, 542 hp Length: 29.003 ft / 8.84 m Height: 11.483 ft / 3.5 m Wingspan: 41.995 ft / 12.8 m Wing area: 252.954 sq.ft / 23.5 sq.m Max take off weight: 5578.7 lb / 2530.0 kg Weight empty: 4101.3 lb / 1860.0 kg Max. weight carried: 1477.4 lb / 670.0 kg Redline speed: 230 mph / 205 kt Max. speed: 181 kt / 335 km/h Initial climb rate: 1358.27 ft/min / 6.9 m/s Service ceiling : 21654 ft / 6600 m Ceiling: 24,200′ Wing load: 22.14 lb/sq.ft / 108.0 kg/sq.m Range: 405 nm / 750 km Endurance: 3 h Crew: 2 Armament: 2 MG Loading: +5.67 / – 2.33G
T-6G Engine: Pratt and Whitney R 1340 AN 1, 550 hp Max speed, 212 mph (341 kph) at 5,000 ft (1524 m) Cruise, 146 mph (235 kph) Initial climb, 1,643 fpm. (8.3 m/sec) Ceiling, 24,750ft (7 544 m) Range, 870 mls (1400 km) Empty weight, 4,271 lb (1937 kg) Loaded weight, 5617 lb (2548 kg) Span, 42 ft 0.25 in (12.8 m) Length 29 ft 6 in (9 m) Wing area 253.7 sq.ft (23.56 sq.m)
Harvard II Engine: P&W R-1340-AN 1 Wasp, 550 hp Span: 42ft (12.8m) Length: 29ft(8.8m) Max wt: 5617 lb (2547kg) Speed: 212mph (341 kph) Range: 870 sm(1400 km).
Harvard IIA Engine: P&W R-1340-AN 1 Wasp, 550 hp.
Noorduyn Harvard Mk IIB Engine: 600 hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp R-1340-AN-1 Maximum speed: 212 mph (341 km/h) Service ceiling: 21,500 ft (6553 m) Empty weight: 4,158 lb (1,886 kg) Loaded weight: 5,617 lb (2,548 kg) Span: 42 ft (12.8 m) Length: 29 ft (8.8 m) Height: 11 ft 8 in (3.5 m) Wing area: 253.7 sq ft (23.6 sq m)
Harvard IIB Engine: P&W R-1340-AN 1 Wasp, 550 hp.
Harvard III Engine: P&W R-1340-AN 1 Wasp, 550 hp.
Harvard IV Engine : Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1, 600 hp Wing Span : 42 ft 4 in Length : 27 ft 11 in Speed : 180 Mph (289 km/h)
Canadian Car and Foundry Harvard IV Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340AN-1, 600 HP Propeller: Hamilton Standard Two Blade 12D40 Wing Span: 42′ 5″ Length: 29′ 6″ Height: 11′ 9″ Normal Gross Weight: 5300 lb G Loading: +5.67, -2.33 Controls: Dual Normal cruise: 155 MPH at 8000 ft Fuel flow at cruise: 30 USGPH
Harvard 4 / T.6J Basic trainer Engine: 550 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R1340-ANI Wingspan: 42 ft Length: 29 ft. Loaded weight: 5,617 lb. Max. speed: 212 m.p.h. Ceiling: 21,500 ft. Range: 870 miles at 146 m.p.h. Crew: 2.
SNJ-5 Texan Powerplant: l x Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp, 410kW (550 hp) Span: 12.81 m (42ft 0.25 in) Length: 8.99m (29ft 6in) Height: 3.58 m / 11 ft 9 in Wing area: 23.57 sq.m / 253.71 sq ft Armament: 2 or 3 x 7.62-mm (0.3-in) mg Empty weight: 1886 kg / 4158 lb Max T/O weight: 2404 kg (5,300 lb) Max speed: 330 km/h / 205 mph at 5,000 ft Ceiling: 6555 m / 21500 ft Max range: 1200 km / 746 miles Operational range: 750 miles Crew: 2
Developed by General Aviation (the precursor of North American Aviation) to meet a US Army specification for an observation aircraft, the GA-15 represented a radical change in design for such a role in that, unlike its predecessors, it was a low-wing monoplane with an enclosed cockpit, seating a three-man crew.
Powered by a 634kW Wright Cyclone engine, the prototype GA-15 / XO-47 36-145, built at Dundalk MD, flew in mid-1935 and to provide an acceptable field of view for the observer a glazed nose position was located under the fuselage. North American put the type into production to meet a USAAC contract for 109 North American O-47A aircraft ordered in February 1937, later increased to 164. They were powered by 727kW Cyclones, while 74 O-47B aircraft had 790kW engines and additional fuel capacity. During World War II they served as trainers and target tugs.
North American O-47A 37-260
The O-47A model was released for export in 1939 and is known as the NA-25. 164 of the 1937 O-47A (NA-25, NA-60) were built: 37-260 to 37-368 and 38-271 to 38-325.
Seventy-four 1939 O-47B (NA-51) were built: 39-139 to 39-141.
The Texan began life in 1935 as the NA-16, a prototype trainer designed by James H. “Dutch” Kindelberger, president of North American Aviation, Inc. It had two open cockpits and a fixed gear and was powered by a 400-hp engine.
In 1934, the U.S. Army Air Corps had issued specifications for an airplane “to provide a means of command liaison and command reconnaissance for Corps and Divisions, and to provide for the maintenance of the combat flying proficiency of pilots and observers.” Kindelberger and North American worked to secure the contract, and the NA-16 flew for the first time on April 1,1935. The NA-16 was chosen over the competitors’ designs, but before ordering any NA-16s, the Air Corps required North American to enclose the cockpits with a sliding canopy, install streamlined fairings over the wheel struts and add wheel pants.
When the modifications were complete, the Air Corps ordered 42 (36-028 to 36-069) under the company design number NA-19; the Air Corps called it the BT-9 (basic trainer, type 9). The first production model was flown on April 15, 1936.
North American BT-9
The Navy or¬dered 40 (0910-0949) of them after the existing engine was replaced with a 600hp P&W R-1340 version. That 1937 model was designated the NJ-1 (NA-28, N for trainer and J for North American). The last one was temporarily powered with a 1000hp Ranger XV-770 as NJ-2.
North American NJ-1 0947
The 40 BT-9As (NA-19A) armed version for Reserve units that followed introduced a fixed forward gun (with gun camera) and a trainable gun in the rear cockpit. Forty were built in 1936, 36-088 to 36-127.
North American BT-9A
Only small changes were made in the 117 BT-9Bs and 67 BT-9Ds. 117 BT-9B (NA-23) were built in 1937 (37-115 to 37-231) with one modified with new wings and tail as the BT-9D (NA-26) in 1938.
North American BT-9B
The 1937 BT-9C (NA-29) was an armed version of which sixty-seven were built (37-383 to 37-415). One was modified as the Y1BT-10.
North American BT-9C
One BT-9C, 37-383, was repowered with a 600hp P&W R-1340 in 1938 as the Y1BT-10 (NA-29).
North American Y1BT-10 37-383
The Australian Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation was formed in 1936 by several of the largest industrial concerns in Australia. To gain manufacturing experience, it had been decided to acquire a licence to produce an aircraft suitable for advanced training and as a replacement for RAAF Hawker Demons. An Australian Air Board Technical Commission visited the USA and evaluated the North American NA-16, ordered into production for the USAAC as the BT-9 (NA-19) basic trainer.
At the time of the Australian Commission’s visit, North American was working on a development of the BT-99 with a 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340, retractable undercarriage and armament provision as a basic combat trainer. Designated NA-26, this aircraft fulfilled the Australian requirements, although there was disagreement over the need for retractable undercarriage.
As a result, two versions of the A-26 were offered to the Australians, the NA-32 (NA-16-1A) with fixed undercarriage, and the NA-33 (NA-16-2K) with a retractable undercarriage, and in 1937, negotiations for manufacturing rights in both the NA-32 and NA-33 were completed, and an order placed for one of each.
NA-32 / NA-16-1A
The NA-32 was completed in July 1937, although it was not taken on charge by the RAAF until 8 November 1938, and by that time, the NA-33 / NA-16-2K, which had been completed in September 1937 and taken on charge by the RAAF on 2 February 1938, had already been selected for Australian production.
NA-33 / NA16-2K
The NA-16-2K was with a few subtle changes in design to suit it more closely to RAAF requirements and Australian operating conditions, these including a reinforced sub-structure consistent with the rigors of the bombing role and improved offensive/defensive capabilities by the inclusion of 2 x 7.7mm machine guns as opposed to the NA-16’s sole gun.
With the changes, the NA-33 was ordered into production for the RAAF as the A20, the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation applying the designation CA-1 to the type, and the name Wirraway being adopted. Production of the initial aircraft was handled out of the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) facility at Fisherman’s Bend in Melbourne, Victoria in 1938.
In 1938, Noorduyn acquired the manufacturing rights to the BT-9.
The basic type was then improved with the flying surfaces of the BC-lA and a metal-covered fuselage to produce the BT-14, of which 251 were built with the 336-kW (450-hp) Pratt & Whitney R-985-25 radial. Some 27 were later converted to BT-14A standard with the 298-kW (400-hp) R-985-11 engine.
Concurrently, the French ordered 230 of the BT-9/BT-14 models and called them Tomcats. When France was overrun by the Germans in 1940, Tomcats not yet delivered were given to the Royal Canadian Air Force and designated Yale Mark Is.
BT-9B Powerplant: l x Wright 8-975-7, 298kW (400 hp) Span: 12.8m (42 ft) Length: 8.41 m (27ft 7in) Armament: 2 x 7.62-mm (0.3-in) mg Max T/O weight: 2028 kg (4,471 lb) Max speed: 170 mph at sea level Operational range: 882 miles Seats: 2
Fred North’s motorcycle business suffered when the depression came so he began to build the Tui. He used Lincoln Standard Sportsplane plans from the USA adapting them for New Zealand regulations. The modifications classed the Tui as a different model to the parent.
He intended it to be the prototype for a New Zealand aircraft manufacturing business. “I thought that if a fellow could build something like that there might be a market for it.” Unfortunately the outbreak of war in 1939 halted the venture.
The fuselage sat in the window of Mr. North’s motorcycle garage and passersby watched the progress. When Mr North moved to Dannevirke he took the Tui with him. He later moved back to Auckland after spending little time on the Tui, but much time repairing aircraft which flew into Dannevirke, and learning about aircraft design.
Mr. North wanted to see the plane in flight so Alan McGruer performed the test flight on 4 January 1934 at Hobsonville. Its top speed was 100 mph, and it stalled at 45 mph. Later, the Tui was used by men wanting to get experience to gain commercial pilots’ licenses. The Tui was cheap to fly at 30 miles to the gallon (10.7 km to the litre).
In 1934 Charles Kingsford Smith flew it from the Auckland aerodrome and, impressed with the construction, declared “You’ll never break her in the air”.
Registered ZK-ADV, after a 1941 crash it was not repaired by the owner.
Manufacturer: Fred A.N. North Type: One-Seat Acrobatic Sportsplane Engine: 1 three cylinder radial Szekeley SR3 Weight: 450lb (empty), 750lb (fuelled) Top Speed: 100mph (160.93km) Wingspan: 6.09m (20 ft) Length: 4.87m (16 ft) Accommodation: Pilot in open cockpit
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