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North American

T-6
Texan / Mosquito

U.S. MILITARY

Photo: Robert Deering 6/15/2013
Denton Municipal Airport (DTO)
Denton, Texas

The North American T-6 Texan was known as "the pilot maker" because of its important role in preparing pilots for combat. Derived from the 1935 North American NA-16 prototype, a cantilever low-wing monoplane, the Texan filled the need for a basic combat trainer during WW II and beyond. The original order of 94 AT-6 Texans differed little from subsequent versions such as the AT-6A (1,847) which revised the fuel tanks or the AT-6D (4,388) and AT-6F (956) that strengthened as well as lightened the frame with the use of light alloys. In all, more than 17,000 airframes were designed to the Texan standards.

North American's rapid production of the T-6 Texan coincided with the wartime expansion of the United States air war commitment. As of 1940, the required flight hours for combat pilots earning their wings had been cut to just 200 during a shortened training period of seven months. Of those hours, 75 were logged in the AT-6.

U.S. Navy pilots flew the airplane extensively, under the SNJ designation, the most common of these being the SNJ-4, SNJ-5 and SNJ-6.

During the Korean War, airborne forward air controllers (FACs) chose the T-6 as the best available aircraft because it could operate from small, rough airstrips and was easy to maintain. More importantly, the T-6 was faster and more rugged than the light liaison aircraft they initially flew. Even though this World War II trainer was not designed to fly in combat, it performed well in its role as an airborne FAC (or "Mosquito"). The T-6, originally known as the Texan, was the sole single-engine advanced trainer for the USAAF during WWII, and 15,495 were built between 1938 and 1945. The T-6 continued to train pilots in the newly formed USAF.

SOURCE: National Museum of the USAF

Photo: Robert Deering 1991
Midland International Airport (MAF)
Midland, Texas

Photo: Robert Deering 6/15/2013
Denton Municipal Airport (DTO)
Denton, Texas

Photo: Robert Deering 1970
Greater Southwest Airport (GSW)
Fort Worth, Texas

The two aircraft pictured below are the same airplane. I took both pictures, one in Korea in 1969 and the other at the National Museum of the USAF in 2012, forty-three years and 6,800 miles apart! The tail numbers match. I didn't figure this out until 2024. What a surprise discovery!

Please read the following description from the USAF Museum web site:

"The T-6D on display at the museum (S/N 42-84216) flew as an early Mosquito with the 6147th Tactical Air Control Group during the first two years of the Korean War. Ironically, it was converted to a mosquito spraying aircraft in 1952. Two years later, the USAF transferred it to the fledgling Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF). After retiring this aircraft, the ROKAF placed it on display outside for several years. The National Museum of the United States Air Force acquired it in 1995, and after restoration it went on display in 2001."

I sent a JPG image of the 1969 photo to the USAF Museum and they concluded that it is indeed the same aircraft as the one they have on display in Dayton, Ohio. They were interested in receiving it due to its research value, and asked for a higher resolution original image. I donated the original 35mm negative, which was in very good condition, and they will scan it into their system. So, I have a small piece of history on file somewhere in amongst the millions of other artifacts in the museum. Perhaps someday the photo will be displayed with the aircraft in the museum. That would be fun to see.

Tail Number 4284216
Photo: Robert Deering 1969
Taegu Air Base (K-2)
Taegu, Korea

Tail Number 4284216
Photo: Robert Deering 10/18/2012
National Museum of the USAF
Wright-Patterson AFB (FFO)
Dayton, Ohio

SPECIFICATIONS: PERFORMANCE:

Span: 42 ft.
Length: 29 ft. 6 in.
Height: 10 ft. 10 in.
Empty Weight: 4,158 lbs.
Gross Weight: 5,617 lbs. loaded
Crew: Maximum speed: 206 mph
Cruising speed:
Range: 750 miles; 1,000 miles with a 55-gallon drop tank
Service ceiling:

Engines:

Armament:

SOURCE: National Museum of Naval Aviation & Warbird Alley

Photo: Robert Deering 6/15/2013
Denton Municipal Airport (DTO)
Denton, Texas

VARIANTS:

SNJ
Texan