Military

North American FJ Fury

27/02/202513/09/2025TerryLeave a comment

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.

North American FJ Article

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Gallery

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)

North American F-86 Sabre / F-95 Dog Sabre

26/02/202508/08/2025TerryLeave a comment

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.

North American F-86 Sabre Article

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation Sabre Article

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.

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.

Gallery

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 AJ Savage / A-2 Savage / NA-146 / NA-163 / A2J

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The first heavy attack type to see service from aircraft-carriers of the US Navy, the North American AJ Savage was developed (as the North American NA-146) using two Pratt & Whitney radial engines, augmented by a tail-mounted Allison J33 turbojet. In practice the type saw only limited use in the strategic bombing role for which it had been designed, being replaced from the mid 1950s onwards by the Douglas A3D Skywarrior, but several were subsequently modified to serve as inflight-refuelling tankers with a hose-and-reel unit in place of the turbojet.

North American XA2J-1 Article

In order to meet the specification’s demands a large aircraft was required, this in turn dictating the need far an unusual composite powerplants configuration – a pair of Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radials as the primary engines augmented by an auxiliary Allison J33 turbojet in the lower rear fuselage.

This third engine was intended to provide a high speed ‘dash’ capability during the attack phase of the aircraft’s operation and for extra boost on takeoff when required. Other features included shoulder mounted folding wings, tricycle undercarriage, wing tip fuel tanks and (on the first models) dihedral tail planes.

An initial contract for three prototype XAJ-l (NA-146) aircraft was awarded to North American in late June 1946, and construction of these got under way almost immediately although more than two years were to elapse before the Savage took to the air for the first time on 3 July 1948. In its original guise the Savage was manned by a crew of three and was intended to carry a 4536-kg (10,000-lb) weapon load in an internal bomb bay in the aircraft’s belly. The three prototypes (121460 to 121462), were fitted with a flat horizontal tail.

These were followed by 55 initial production AJ-1s (NA-156, -160, and -169, 122590 to 122601, 124157 to 124186, and 124850 to 124864), the first one flying on 10 May 1949. The horizontal tail with dihedral. Production-configured aircraft began to enter service with Composite Squadron VC-5 in mid-September 1949, but it was not until the end of August 1950 that this unit was considered operationally ready, this marking the climax of several months of sea-borne trials aboard the USS Coral Sea. The AJ-1 was re-designated A-2A in 1962. The first carrier landings were performed aboard USS Constellation in August 1950. The first variant to see service with the US Navy was the AJ-l, of which 40 were built, and these were followed by 55 examples of the AJ-2 (NA-163and NA-184, 130405 to 130421, and 134035 to 134072) which featured slightly more powerful radial engines as well as increased fuel capacity, a slightly longer fuselage and a taller fin and rudder to improve handling qualities. The AJ-2 first flew on 19 February 1953 and was re-designated A-2B in 1962.

North American AJ-2 Civil borate bomber N101Z

This photo is AJ-2 130418, probably taken in 1971, possibly at Bridgeport CT. It is wearing markings applied by Avco Lycoming while used an engine test-bed, registered N68667. Following its naval use, it was used as a fire bomber in Oregon, registered N101Z, before going to new owners. In 1984 it was flown to the Naval Air Museum at Pensacola and is now on display in USN markings.

Preceding the AJ-2 bomber was the photo-reconnaissance AJ-2P (NA-175 and NA -183, first flight 30 March 1952) equipped with 18 cameras for day and night photography at high and low altitudes, photo-flash bombs in the weapons bay, automatic control of most of the cameras, the associated electronics equipment in a modified nose and additional fuel capacity. Four US Navy combat squadrons were still operating the AJ-2 in 1958 and these received AJ-2Ps.

A total of 30 AJ-2Ps was built, 128043 to 128051, 129185 to 129195, 130422 to 130425, and 134073 to 134075, this being the last model to see squadron service, not being retired from the active inventory until the beginning of 1960. The AJ-2P has distinctive radar “thimble” nose and zero-dihedral stabilizer.

A number of AJ-1s and AJ-2s were converted to flight refuelling tankers with a hose-and-reel unit installed in the weapons bay. The few Savages still in service in September 1962 when all USAF and USN aircraft designations were combined into the existing Air Force system were redesignated A-2A (AJ-1) and A-2B (AJ-2).

AJ Air Tankers of Van Nuys CA converted two as fire fighters after removing the J-33 in the tail, showing one in action with no big prop spinners and a firefighting scheme with a big #88 about 1988.

In 1948 North American began work on the NA-163 turboprop-powered derivative of the AJ-1 Savage, two prototypes being ordered in September of that year. The US Navy specified major changes, including deletion of the Allison J33 booster engine, and the first prototype North American XA2J-1, 124439, did not fly until 4 January 1952. Development was hampered by problems with the Allison XT40-A-6 engines, each of which comprised two T38 engines driving contra-rotating propellers through a gearbox, allowing either T38 in each unit to be shut down for long-range cruise. The three-man crew was provided with a pressurised cabin and defensive armament comprised two 20mm guns in a remotely-controlled barbette. Maximum offensive load was 4911kg of bombs. The completed second prototype, 124440, was never flown. One ended up being burned in a fire-fighting demo at Edwards AFB in 1962.

AJ-2 Savage
Engines: 2 x 2,500-hp (1864-kW) Pratt & Whitney R-2800-48 radial and 1 x 4,600-lb (2087-kg) thrust Allison J33-A-10 turbojet
Max speed: 628 km/h (390 mph)
Service ceiling: 12190 m(40,000 ft)
Range 3540 km (2,200 miles)
Empty wt: 12247 kg (27,000 lb)
Maximum take-off wt: 23396 kg (51,580 lb)
Wing span 21.77 m (71 ft 5 in)
Length 19.23 m (63 ft 1 in)
Height 6.22 m (20 ft 5 in)
Wing area 77.62 sq.m (835.5 sq ft)
Armament: up to 4536 kg (10,000 lb) of bombs carried internally.
Crew: 3

AJ-2
Engines: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-44W, 1790kW + Allison J33-A-19 auxiliary turboprop, 2087kg
Max take-off weight: 23973 kg / 52852 lb
Wingspan: 22.91 m / 75 ft 2 in
Length: 19.20 m / 62 ft 12 in
Max. speed: 758 km/h / 471 mph
Crew: 3

AJ-2P Savage
Carrier-based photo-reconnaissance and attack bomber
Engines: 2×2,400 h.p. Pratt & Whitney R2800-48W and 1 x 4,600 lb. thrust Allison J33-A-10
turbojet.
Wingspan: 71 ft. 5 in
Length: 65 ft.
Loaded weight: 55,000 lb.
Max. speed: 425 m.p.h.
Ceiling: 40,000 ft.
Typical range: More than 3,000 miles at 290 mph
Payload: 12,000 lbs internal
Operational equipment: 18 cameras
Armament: 2 x 20mm cannon
Crew: 3

XA2J-1
Engines: 2 x Allison XT40-A-6 turboprops
Armament: 2 x 20mm cannons, 4900kg of weapons
Crew: 3

North American A3J / A-5 Vigilante

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The Vigilante was designed as a Mach 2 carrier-based attack aircraft capable of carrying nuclear or conventional bombs. The airframe has high-set wings sweptback at 37.5 degrees, and sweptback tail surfaces, both horizontal and vertical surfaces consisting of one-piece all-moving surfaces. There are three section spoilers instead of ailerons. Three-section leading-edge flaps are on each wing. There is a flap blowing system for the trailing-edge flaps. The wingtips fold upward, fin-tip sideways and fuselage nose upward for stowage on board ship. The engines are mounted side-by-side in the rear fuselage, with wedge-shape air intakes on each side of the fuselage. A tricycle undercarriage has a single wheel on each unit, the nosewheel retracts inward and mains retract inward.

North American A3J / A-5 Vigilante Article

The first prototype flew on 31 August 1958.

Two YA3J-1 (NA-233, -247 / 145157/145158) were built, powered by 16150 lb GE YJ79-GE-2. First deliveries were made to the US Navy were made in June 1961 for service trials. They became YA5-A in 1962.

57 production A3J-1 (NA-247, -258, -263, -269, -272) attack aircraft were delivered to the US Navy during 1960, becoming operational on board USS Enterprise in February 1962 (146694/146702, 147850/147863, 148924/148933, 149276/149299). These became A-5A.

In 1962 six A3J-2 (NA-269) were built (149300/149305) with Additional fuel in a humped fuselage-top decking. First flying on 29 April 1962, they became A-5B.

First flying on 30 June 1962, 55 A3J-3P (149306/149317, 150823/150842, 151615/151634, 151726/151728, 156608/156643) were built as a long-range photo-recon version of the A3J-2, plus 59 converted A-5A and A-5B. These became A-5C/RA-5C in 1962.

The other major version of the Vigilante was the RA-5G, a reconnaissance type of which more than 90 were built as new; most of the A-5A were subsequently converted to this standard.

Gallery

A3J-1
Engines: 2x General Electric J79-GE-2, 10,500 lb (15,000 with reheat)
Wingspan: 53 ft
Length: 73 ft
Height: 20 ft

A3J-1 / A-5A
Engines: 2 x J-79, 17000 lb
Wingspan: 53’0″
Length: 76’6″
Max speed: 1385 mph
Cruise speed: 805 mph
Stall: 156 mph
Range: 985 mi
Ceiling: 43,800′

A3J-3P / A-5C / RA-5C
Engines: 2 x J79, 17860 lb
Length: 76’6″
Useful load: 42,090 lb
Max speed: 1290 mph
Cruise speed: 783 mph
Stall: 154 mph
Range internal fuel: 547 mi
Range max fuel: 944 mi
Ceiling: 48,400′
Combat radius: 1,500 mi

RA 5C Vigilante
Engines: 2 x GE J-79-8(N) turbo-jet, 75.6kN
Max take-off weight: 27300 kg / 60187 lb
Wingspan: 16.2 m / 53 ft 2 in
Length: 22.3 m / 73 ft 2 in
Height: 5.9 m / 19 ft 4 in
Wing area: 65.0 sq.m / 699.65 sq ft
Max. speed: M2+
Ceiling: 18300 m / 60050 ft
Range: 3700 km / 2299 miles
Crew: 2

North American B-45 Tornado

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In 1943, aware of Nazi Germany’s advances in the field of jet propulsion, the Army Air Forces (AAF) asked the General Electric Company to devise a more powerful engine than its prospective axial turboprop. This eventually brought about the production of the J35 and J47 turbojets. In 1944, 1 year after the jet engine requirements were established, the War Department requested the aircraft industry to submit proposals for various jet bombers, with gross weights ranging from 80,000 to more than 200,000 pounds, and only 4 contractors answered the call. The design was frozen in early 1945.

North American B-45 Tornado Article

Pressed for time, the AAF in 1946 decided to skip the usual contractor competition, review the designs, and choose among the proposed aircraft that could be obtained first. The multi-jet engine B-45, with the understanding that if a less readily available bomber was to prove superior enough to supplant it (which the Boeing XB-47 did), that aircraft would also be purchased.

The design was generally conventional, though the main gears had very large single wheels which retracted sideways into the wing roots. In normal bomber versions the bomb aimer/navigator occupied the capacious pressurized nose, the two pilots sitting in a tandem fighter like cockpit farther aft and above, with a large multi pane canopy. The crew door was on the left side of the forward fuselage. A gunner was housed in a pressurized tail compartment.

The first flight was on 17 March 1947 (piloted by George Krebs) and testing of the XB-45 prompted pre-production changes. North American Aviation redesigned the nose panel, increased the aircraft’s stabilizer area, and lengthened the tailplane by nearly 7 feet.

In August 1948, 22 of the 90 B-45s, ordered less than 2 years before, reached the newly independent Air Force. However, the B-45’s weight and takeoff distances had increased, and numerous structural and mechanical defects appeared.

In November 1948 the B 45A (NA-147) went into service with the 47th Bombardment Group of the USAF, later based in England. Ninety-six were built (47-001/097, the last one of which was a static test-frame.

In June 1951 an RB-45 became the first jet bomber to be refuelled in flight by a Boeing KB-29.

Boeing KB-29 and North American RB-45 Tornado

The DB-45A were conversion of B-45A as guided missile director. The JB-45A 47-096 and JB-45C of 1950 were engine test beds for Westinghouse and General Electric.

The fourteen TB-45A were target tugs modified from B-45A.

The B-45B was a project only, none were built.

Ten B-45C (NA-153 48-001/010) were built in 1950. The DB-45C were conversions of B-45A as guided missile director.

Thirty-three RB-45C and JRB-45C (NA-153 48-011/043) were built in 1949 for Photo-recon.

As the B-47’s future production had become certain, in mid-1948 the Air Staff questioned the B-45’s value as well as its potential use. As President Truman slashed Air Force expenditures, the programmed production of B-45s was reduced to a total of 142 aircraft at a unit cost of US$1,081,000.

Only 96 B 45As were built, plus 10 of the stronger and more powerful B 45C which was disting¬uished by large wingtip tanks. Many A models were modified to B 45C standard. The final 33 aircraft were RB-¬45C camera aircraft, some of which (unlike the bomber versions) operated over Korea. Some had water injection tanks hung under the twin engine nacelles, jettisoned after take off.

Although continuously plagued by engine problems, component malfunctions, lack of spare parts, and numerous minor flaws, the B-45 regained importance. The B-45 was designed to carry both conventional and atomic bombs. Under the code name of Backbreaker, several distinct atomic bomb types and large amounts of new electronics support equipment had to be fitted in place of the standard components. In addition, the 40 B-45s allocated to the Backbreaker program also had to be equipped with a new defensive system and extra fuel tanks. Despite the magnitude of the modification project, plus recurring engine problems, atomic-capable B-45s began reaching the United Kingdom in May 1952, and deployment of the 40 aircraft was completed in mid-June, barely 30 days behind the Air Staff deadline.

The British and American military intelligence services collaborated under utmost secrecy. Thus in 1952 four American RB-45C reconnaissance aircraft, wearing British colours but without registration marks, operated from RAF Sculthorpe on photo-missions over East Germany and other Eastern-bloc countries. Very up-to-date for the time, the RB-45C was equipped with 12 cameras. The aircraft were based at Sculthorpe in January 1952 as a detachment of the 91^st Strategic Reconnaissance Wing of SAC.

The last B 45s were withdrawn from combat duty in mid-1958. The entire contingent, Backbreaker and reconnaissance models included, was phased out by 1959. Yet, the B-45 was the Air Force’s first jet bomber and as the first atomic carrier of the tactical forces.

Gallery

XB-45 / NA-130
Engines: 4 x GE TG180, 4000 lb
Speed: 536 mph

B-45A Tornado
Engines: 4 x GE J47, 5200 lb
Wingspan: 89’1″
Length: 75’4″
Max speed: 575 mph
Cruise speed: 455 mp
Crew: 3-4

B 45C Tornado / NA-153
Engines: four 2359 kg (5,200 lb) thrust General Electric J47 GE 13/15 turbojets (some with water injection 2722 kg/6,000 lb)
Wing span over tip tanks: 29.26 m (96 ft 0 in)
Length: 22.96 m (75 ft 4 in)
Height 7.68 m (25 ft 2 in)
Wing area: 109.2 sq.m (1,175.0 sq ft)
Empty weight 22182 kg (48,903 lb)
MTOW: 51235 kg (112,952 lb)
Max speed 932 km/h (579 mph) at low level
Service ceiling: 13165 m (43,200 ft)
Range 3074 km (1,910 miles)
Armament: two 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns in tail turret
Internal bombload of up to 9979 kg (22000 lb).
Crew: 3

North American T-2 Buckeye / Rockwell T-2

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With a requirement in 1956 for a multi-role jet trainer, the US Navy awarded North American a contract to build its North American NA-241 design, which combined proven components and equipment from earlier aircraft manufactured by the company. Ordered as the T2J-1 (later T-2A), this trainer combined a wing derived from the FJ-1 Fury and the control system of the T-28C Trojan with a single 1542kg thrust Westinghouse J34-WE-36 turbojet, and accommodated the instructor and pupil in tandem, seated (eventually) on zero-zero ejection seats.

North American T-2 Buckeye Article

The first of six initial production T-2As was flown on 31 January 1958 and deliveries to the US Navy began in July 1959, by which time the name Buckeye had been allocated to this trainer. Equipping US Navy Training Squadrons VT-4, -7, -9 and -19, a total of 217 T-2As was built.

Two T-2A were modified to serve as YT-2B prototypes, in which the single J34 turbojet was replaced by two 1361kg thrust Pratt & Whitney J60-P-6 turbojets. The first was flown on 30 August 1962, being followed by 97 similar T-2B aircraft , 152382-152391, 152440-152475, 153538-153555, and 155206-155238 (NA-280, -288, -291, -294, -310) from 1962.

Final production version was the 1958 T-2C (NA-307, -318, -332, -340) which introduced General Electric J85 turbojets, preceded by a single YT-2C prototype conversion from a T-2B.

A total of 273 was built under US Navy contracts before production ceased, comprising 231 T-2Cs for navy use (155239-155241, 156686-156733, 157030-157065, 158310-158333, 158575-158610, 158876-158911, 159150-159173, 159704-159727) plus 12 T-2D and 30 T-2E aircraft in 1969, procured for Venezuela and Greece respectively.

The DT-2C was a drone director conversion.

It was to be re¬tired in favour of the more advanced T 45 Goshawk which has cockpit instrumentation similar to the F/A-18 Hornet.

Gallery

T 2A
Engine: 1 x 3,400 lbs.t. (1542 kpg) Westinghouse J34 WE 36
Max speed, 492 mph (792 kph) at 25,000 ft (7620 m)
Cruise, 422 mph (679 kph)
Initial climb, 5,000 fpm (25.4 m/sec)
Service ceiling, 42,500 ft (12 950 m)
Range, 550 mls (885 km)
Empty weight, 6,893 lb (3 127 kg)
Loaded weight, 9,916 lb (4498 kg)
Span, 36 ft (10.97 m)
Length, 38 ft 8 in (11.78 m)
Wing area, 255 sq.ft (23.7 sq.m)

T 2B
Engines: 2 x 3,000 lbs.t. (1316 kgp) J60.
MTOW: 12,300 lb
Top speed: 545 mph

YT-2B / T 2B
Engines: 2 x J60-P, 3,000 lbs.t. (1316 kgp)
Useful load: 3842 lb
Speed: 540 mph
Ceiling: 44,000 ft

T-2C / DT-2C
Engines: 2 x General Electric J85-GE-4 turbo-jet, 13.1kN / 2950 lb
Max take-off weight: 5978 kg / 13179 lb
Empty weight: 3681 kg / 8115 lb
Wingspan: 11.63 m / 38 ft 2 in
Length: 11.79 m / 38 ft 8 in
Height: 4.51 m / 14 ft 10 in
Wing area: 23.70 sq.m / 255.10 sq ft
Useful load: 5065 lb
Max speed: 521 mph
Cruise speed: 465 mph
Ceiling: 13535 m / 44400 ft
Range: 1465 km / 910 miles
Crew: 2

T-2J
Engines: 2 x Westinghouse J34, 3400 lb
Wingspan: 36’0″
Length: 38’4″
Max speed: 494 mph
Cruise speed: 417 mph
Stall: 67 mph
Range: 967 mi

North American B-25 Mitchell / PBJ

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Built as a private venture, the NA-40-1 prototype flew in January 1939. The design was extensively modified as NA-62 after Wright Field testing and 1700hp R-2600s installed.

North American B-25 Article

Ordered into production in 19 August 1939 it took just fifty-three weeks after receiving the initial contract before the first prototype took to the air. The initial order for 24 as B-25: 40-2165 to 40-2188. The prototype of the B-25 was flown for the first time on August 1940. The first of these 184 B-25 Mitchell entered service in 1941.

North American B-25 Straight-wing, narrow tails 40-2165

Flying the B-25 Mitchell

It and the first few B-25s off the production line had wings with a constant dihedral from the fuselage to the tips. Only after the 10th one were the wings redesigned with the characteristic gull configuration. Its armament included four .30-caliber machine guns, one in the nose and three amidships, and a single .50-caliber gun in the tail. The usual bomb load was 2,000 pounds with a maximum overload of 3,600 pounds. Large scale production began immediately and early models were in service by the time America entered the war in December 1941.

The B-25A was fitted with self-sealing fuel tanks and armor for the pilot. The B replaced the midship and tailguns with electrically operated turrets. Each turret had two .50-caliber machine guns. The lower turret was remote-controlled. 120 of the 1941 B-25B (NA-62B) were built; 40-2229 to 40-2242, and 40-2244 to 40-2348, of which 23 to went to the RAF/RAAF.

The C and D were provided with automatic flight control equipment.

The B-25C was the first version of the Mitchell to be mass-produced. Following the completion of the initial B-25, B-25A, and B-25B contracts, a number of contracts were awarded to North American for 1625 B-25Cs to be built at its Inglewood factory. At the same time, an additional contract was issued for 2290 essentially identical B-25Ds, to be built at a new North American plant in Kansas City, Kansas.

The first B-25C contract was approved on September 24, 1940 for 863 aircraft under the company designation NA-82. On June 24, 1941, the Netherlands government ordered an additional 162 aircraft under the designation NA-90 which were later built as the B-25C-5. Lend-Lease funds financed contracts signed on January 23, 1942 for 150 NA-94 (B-25C-10) for Britain and 150 NA-93 (B-25C-15) for China. However, these allotments were not followed in the delivery of actual aircraft.

The B-25C was outwardly almost identical to the B-25B. It introduced the R-2600-13 Double Cyclone engine with Holley 1685HA carburetors in place of the earlier Bendix Stromberg PD-13E-2 units. The Bendix carburetors were favored because of their easier maintenance, but they required more careful anti-icing procedures. De-icer and anti-icing systems were added, and a Stewart-Warner cabin heater was added in the left wing. A 24-volt electrical system was also added.

The armament of the B-25C was the same as that of the B-25B, namely a single 0.30-inch machine gun in the nose, two 0.50-inch machine guns in the dorsal turret, and two 0.50-inch machine guns in a retractable ventral turret. The ventral turret was often removed in the field.

The B-25C introduced a new type of tail skid underneath the extreme rear fuselage, a solid unit which replaced the spring-loaded tail skid of earlier versions. This type of tail skid was retained throughout the Mitchell production run.

On the earlier B-25s, the exhaust pipe coming out of the back of the engines extended all the way to a position underneath the forward leading edge of the wing. On the B-25C, the exhaust pipes were considerably shortened, and terminated immediately behind the engines.

The fuel was carried in four tanks in the inner wing panels, with a total capacity of 670 US gallons. In addition, a 515-gallon tank could be installed in the bomb bay for ferrying purposes, bringing total fuel capacity to 1255 US gallons.

Beginning with B-25C serial number 41-12817, a small transparent scanning blister was installed above the navigator’s station. At this time, the turrets were changed to Bendix Amplidyne type, and a carbureter air filter was added. Changes were made so that an additional 304 US gallons of fuel could be carried in auxiliary cells in the outer wing panels, for a total of 974 US gallons.

The B-25C-1 production block introduced under-wing bomb racks which could accommodate six to eight 100- to 325-pound bombs. In addition, provisions were made for a rack underneath the fuselage capable of carrying a short 22.4-inch torpedo weighing 2000 pounds. If the torpedo was carried, no bombs could be, although a bomb bay fuel tank could be used. The Mitchell was employed only in limited numbers as a torpedo plane against Japanese shipping. However, extensive use was made of the external wing racks, which could carry six to eight bombs of 100-325 pounds in weight.

Beginning with the B-25C-5 production block, the 0.30-inch nose gun was removed and replaced by a flexible 0.50-inch machine gun in the extreme nose and a fixed 0.50-inch machine mounted on the starboard side of the nose and firing through a hole cut into the side of the Plexiglas glazing. At the same time, better winterization provision were made.

The B-25C-5 production block also introduced a new type of engine exhaust. The B-25B and earlier C versions had a problem with bright spurts of flame being emitted from the exhaust, a dead giveaway during night operations. This problem was so bad that the Mitchell had to be restricted from night operations where enemy aircraft could be expected. In these earlier versions, the exhaust from each cylinder head was gathered by a collector ring, which directed the exhaust to the outside via a single pipe on the side of the nacelle away from the fuselage. Several different exhaust modifications were tried out in an attempt to alleviate this problem. The most effective arrangement was found to be a the replacement of the single exhaust pipe by a set of “finger”-type flame dampening exhaust collectors which ported the exhaust through groups of small rectangular outlets that stuck out underneath the trailing edge of the cowl flaps. These “finger”-type flame dampeners were installed on the production line beginning with the B-25C-5 production block. These were fairly effective flame quenchers, but they suffered considerable cracking and few B-25Cs reached combat zones without the replacement of these finger exhausts by full collector rings or by the later Clayton S-shaped stacks that were introduced on the -15 production block.

The B-25C-10 production block introduced an AM remote reading compass, provisions for additional cabin heating, and an improved scanning lens for the sig.

Beginning with the B-25C-15 production block, the exhaust collector ring was replaced with Clayton “S”-shaped flame dampening stacks attached to each individual cylinder. Cutouts and fairings were added to the cowling panels where each of the stacks protruded, creating a rather cluttered cowling shape. These protrusions introduced a slight speed penalty, but this was considered an acceptable tradeoff in view of the better flame dampening that was achieved. This feature was provided on all subsequent Mitchells. However, the new exhaust system was not all that popular with Mitchell crews, since it resulted in an increase in cockpit noise as compared to the old arrangement in which collector rings ported the exhaust to the outboard side of the nacelles.

At the same time, emergency hydraulic landing gear lowering devices were provided. The fuel capacity consisted of four tanks in the inner wing panels, with a total capacity of 670 US gallons. In addition, a 515-gallon tank could be installed in the bomb bay for ferrying purposes, bringing total fuel capacity to 1255 US gallons. Later versions had additional auxiliary fuel tanks in the outer wing panels. Later versions could also have 125-gallon tanks fitted in side waist positions, a 215-gallon self-sealing fuel tank installed in the bomb bay, and provisions could be made for a droppable 335-gallon metal bomb-bay fuel tank. Armament: Two 0.50-inch machine guns in dorsal turret. Two 0.50-inch machine guns in retractable ventral turret. One 0.30-inch machine gun in flexible mount in the nose. Starting with B-25C-5 the 0.30-inch nose gun was removed and replaced by a flexible 0.50-inch machine gun in the extreme nose and a fixed 0.50-inch machine mounted on the starboard side of the nose and firing through a hole cut into the side of the Plexiglas glazing. Normal bomb load was 3000 pounds but could be increased on the B-25C-1-NA with external underwing racks to a maximum of 5200 pounds.

Deliveries on a new contract (NA-96) began in February 1943 with the similar B-25C-20.

Beginning with production block B-25C-25, a “clear-vision” windshield was installed. Provisions were made for the fitting of additional fuel tanks for ferrying purposes. 125 gallons of fuel could be carried in side-mounted tanks in the waist position. A 215-gallon self-sealing fuel tank could be installed in the bomb bay, and provisions for a droppable 335-gallon metal bomb-bay fuel tank were made on every second airplane.
B-25C serial number 43-32732 was fitted with a special bomb bay rack to carry an airborne flame thrower. The results of tests with this unusual feature are unknown.

The first B-25C was accepted in December of 1941, with the 1619th and last one being delivered in May of 1943. The B-25C; 42-32233 to 42-32280, 42-32282 to 42-32383, 42-32389 to 42-32532, 42-53332 to 42-53493, and 42-64502 to 42-64901, were built as NA-82, NA-90, NA-93, and NA-94. The NA-93 and -94 were exports to China and RAF, respectively.

B-25 Mitchell in the USSR

The 1942 XB-25E and -25F were fitted with experimental deicing equipment. One each were conversions from -25C with new s/n; 43-32281 and 43-32282.

The G was the first model to carry a 75mm Army M-4 cannon in the nose. One conversion from a B-25C with new s/n, 43-32384, was completed in 1942 as the XB-25G.

North American B-25G Cannon installation

The B-25G (NA-96) of 1942 was a four-crew production model with the M-4 cannon. 405 were built; 42-64902/65201, and -64802/65201.

The 1943 B-25H (NA-98) increased its armament to four .50-caliber guns in an armored nose and two pairs of .50-caliber guns on each side of the fuselage. It was the precision bomber version of the H; the crew increased to six to include a bombardier.

1,000 B-25H were built: 42-4105/5104.

The B-25J, built at the Kansas plant, was the most widely produced version, 4318 being produced 1943-45.

More than 700 B 25s were acquired by the U.S. Navy and Marines, as the PBJ. USN/USCG transfers of USAAF B-25 for use in mine-laying, harassing night raids, and bombing and torpedoing ships in the Southwest Pacific theatre.

The US Marine Corp operated B-25s as the PBJ-1C (1943 50 ex-B-25Cs; 34998-35047), PBJ-1D (1943 152 ex-B-25Ds; 35048-35096, 35098-35193, 35196-35202), PBJ-1G (1 ex-B-25G; 42-65031/35097), PBJ-1H (248 ex-B-25Hs; 35250-35297, 88872-89071), and PBJ-1J models (255 ex-B-25Js; 35194-35195, 35203/35249, 35798-35920, 38980-39012, 64943-64992).

The Royal Air Force received about 800, and the airplane was flown more than a dozen other countries. Top speed only reached about 270 mph but the Mitchell’s 1,350 mile range made it very useful.

The Americans did not use Mitchells operationally from the United Kingdom but based them with the 12th United States Army Air Force in the Mediterranean. However the British, Dutch and Russians received large numbers.

Training aircraft were the AT-25, later designated the TB-25.

All B-25 models were powered by Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14 engine. More than 12000 aircraft built.

In April 1942 sixteen Mitchells, operating from the American aircraft carrier USS Hornet, made one of the most daring bomber raids in the Second World War, on Tokyo.

In 1955 large numbers of these wartime medium bombers were still used by the R.C.A.F. for a variety of duties. The target towing version shown here is powered by two 1,700 h.p. Wright R2600-13 engines.

About 100 B-25Js, with glazed noses, are used for all weather crew training and guided weapon development. Other B-25Ds and Js were used by Reserve squadrons. TB-25s were in service with the U.S.A.F.

The Mitchell was used in all theatres and a total of 9816 were built, essentially unaltered in airframe and engines, but revised in armament, armour and fuel. There were 1619 B-25C built, and 1000 B-25J. A total of 9,816 were delivered to USAAF, and about 2,000 more exported to Allied air services. The USN version was the PBJ. The last, a TB-25, was finally retired from USAAF duty in Jan 1959.

Serials of North American B-25C Mitchell
B-25C
41-12434-13038 / c/n 82-5069/82-5673
B-25C-1
41-13039-13296 / c/n 82-5674/82-5931
B-25C-10
42-32233-32382 / c/n 94-12641/94-12790
B-25C-15
42-32383-32532 / c/n 93-12491/93-12640
B-25C-5
42-53332-53493 / c/n 90-11819/90-11980
B-25C-20
42-64502-64701 / c/n 96-16381/96-16580
B-25C-25
42-64702-64801 / c/n 96-16581/96-16680

Gallery

B-25
Initial model

B-25A / NA-62A
Max speed: 315 mph
Cruise speed: 262 mph
Stall: 90 mph
Range: 1350 mi
Ceiling: 27,000 ft

B-25B
Dorsal & ventral turrets

B-25C / PBJ-1C
Engines: Two Wright R-2600-13 Double Cyclone, 1700 hp takeoff, 1500 hp at 2400 rpm.
Wingspan: 67 ft 67.7 in
Length: 53 ft 0 in
Height: 15 ft 9 in
Wing area: 610 sq.ft
Empty weight: 20,300 lb
Maximum weight: 34,000 lb
Maximum speed: 284 mph at 15,000 ft.
Cruising speed: 233 mph at 15,000 ft.
Initial climb rate: 1100 fpm
Time to 15,000 ft: 16.5 min
Service ceiling: 24,000 ft
Range: 1500 miles with 3000 lb bombs.
Internal fuel capacity: 670 US gal
Ferry fuel capacity: 1255 US gal
Opt fuel later mods: 800 US gal
Armament B-25C: 4 x 0.50-inch machine guns, 1 x 0.30-inch machine gun
Armament B-25C-5: 6 x 0.50-inch machine guns
Normal bomb load: 3000 lb
Underwing bomb load B-25C-1-NA: 2200 lb
Max bomb load B-25C-1-NA: 5200 lb

B-25D Mitchell / PBJ-1D
Ventral bomb racks
Engines: two 1,700 h.p. Wright R2600-13
Span: 67 ft. 7 in
Max Weight: 33,500 lb
Max Speed: 303 m.p.h.

B-25G / PBJ-1G / NA-96
Length: 51’0″
Max speed: 281 mph
Cruise speed: 248 mph
Stall: 105 mph
Range: 1560 mi
Ceiling: 24,300 ft
Armament: 75 mm M-4 cannon
Crew: 4

B-25H / PBJ-1H / NA-98
Improved B-25G
Engines: Wright R-2600-13 Cyclone, 1700 hp / 1268 kW
Wingspan: 67 ft 7 in / 20.60 m
Length: 51 ft 0 in / 13.34 m
Height: 15 ft 9 in / 4.80 m
Wing area: 610,0 sq.ft / 56.67 sq.m
Empty weight: 19,975 lb / 9061 kg
MTOW: 36,047 lb / 16,351 kg
Max speed: 275 mph / 442 kph at 13,000 ft / 3960 m
Cruise speed: 230 mph
Stall: 105 mph
Climb to 15,000 ft / 4570 m: 19 min 0 sec
Service ceiling: 23,800 ft / 7255 m
Range: 2700 mi / 4344 km
Armament: 1 x 75mm T-13E1 cannon, 12 x .50 in mg
Bomb load: 3200 lb / 1452 kg or 1 x 2000 lb / 907 kg torpedo
Seats: 5

B-25J / PBJ-1J
Improved B-25H initially with B-25D glazed nose, later solid 8 gun nose
Engines: 2 x Wright R-2600-92 Cyclone, 1268kW / 1700 hp
Wingspan: 20.6 m / 67 ft 7 in
Length: 16.13 m / 52 ft 11 in
Height: 4.98 m / 16 ft 4 in
Wing area: 56.67 sq.m / 609.99 sq ft
Max take-off weight: 15876 kg / 35001 lb
Empty weight: 8836 kg / 19480 lb
Fuel capacity: 811 gal
Max. speed: 237 kts / 438 km/h / 272 mph at 13,000 ft
Cruising speed: 200 kts / 370 km/h
Ceiling: 7375 m / 24200 ft
Cruising altitude: 12992 ft / 3960 m
Wing load: 57.4 lb/sq.ft / 280.0 kg/sq.m
Range: 2173 km / 1350 miles with 3000 lb bombload
Armament: 12 x 12.7mm / .50 machine-guns, 1300-1800kg of bombs
Crew: 5

TB-25

North American NA-50 / NA-68 / P-64

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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).

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.

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.

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.

One survives in the EAA collection (41-19085, NX37498, XBKUU, N686220).

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

Gallery

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

North American NA-26 / BC-1 / T-6 / Harvard / SNJ

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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.

NA Harvard Article

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.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Variation:
Stroop AT-6
Bacon Super T-6

Gallery

Specifications:

BC-1A
Engine: R-1340-45
Wingspan: 47 ft
Length: 27 ft
Max speed: 209 mph @ 5000 ft

A-27
Engine: 775hp Wright R-1820F
Wingspan: 42’0″
Length: 29’0″
Useful load: 1486 lb
Max speed: 250 mph
Cruise speed: 220 mph
Stall: 70 mph
Ceiling: 28,000′
Armament: 2x .30 nose guns and one flexible .30 rear cockpit
Bombload: 4 x 100 lb bombs underwing

AT-6A (NA-77)
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-49 Wasp, 600 hp
Wingspan: 42’0″
Length: 29’0″
Useful load: 1255 lb
Max speed: 230 mph / 205 kt
Cruise: 120-145 kt
Range: 630 mi
Ceiling: 24,200′
Seats: 2

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

North American NA-25 / O-47 / General Aviation GA-15

26/02/2025TerryLeave a comment

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.

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.

GA-15 / XO-47
Engine: Wright R-1820 Cyclone, 850hp

O-47
Engine: Wright R-1820
Wingspan: 46’4″
Length: 33’7″
Useful load: 1656 lb
Max speed: 221 mph
Cruise speed: 200 mph
Range: 400 mi
Ceiling: 23,200′
Crew: 2

O-47A
NA-25, NA-60
Engine: 975hp R-1820

O-47B
NA-51
Engine: 1060hp R-1820

All Aero

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North American FJ Fury

North American F-86 Sabre / F-95 Dog Sabre

North American AJ Savage / A-2 Savage / NA-146 / NA-163 / A2J

North American A3J / A-5 Vigilante

North American B-45 Tornado

North American T-2 Buckeye / Rockwell T-2

North American B-25 Mitchell / PBJ

North American NA-50 / NA-68 / P-64

North American NA-26 / BC-1 / T-6 / Harvard / SNJ

North American NA-25 / O-47 / General Aviation GA-15