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The North American / CCF Harvard Mk IV is a single-engined; two seat; low wing, advanced training aircraft
with tandem cockpits and sliding enclosures and with a retractable undercarriage. Design and development of
the North American T-6 series began with a 1934 US contract for a primary trainer to meet an US Army Air Corps
requirement. The prototype of this primary trainer, the North American NA-16, a two-seat training aircraft with
fixed undercarriage, first flew on 1 April 1935. The NA-16 was followed by a single preproduction aircraft, the
NA-18, and finally by the NA-19 that first flew in April 1936 and entered sevice with the United States Army Air
Corps as the BT-9 (basic trainer, type 9). The North American NA-26 was submitted as an entry for a USAAC
"Basic Combat" aircraft competition in March 1937. The NA-26 design was derived from the North American BT-9,
and had a retractable undercarriage, the more powerfull Pratt and Whitney R-1340 9 cylinder Wasp radial up
front and some other refinements to the BT-9 airframe. The North American NA-26 prototype NX18990 was flying
first on 11 February 1938. The North American NA-26 Basic Combat demonstrator NX18990 won the competition, and,
in due course, with only minor modifications like the 600hp R-1340-47 engine, the NA-26 model entered production
as Model NA-36 and 177 aircraft were supplied to the USAAC as the BC-1 (basic combat, type 1). The BC-1 was
followed by the BC-1A (NA-55) with some airframe revisions (92 built); and a single BC-1B with a modified wing
center-section. Thirty of the BC-1's were modified as BC-1I instrument trainers; and with the beginning of World
War II 400 aircraft were ordered by the RAF as the Harvard I, an aircraft similar to BC-1 but without rear gun and
with a 600hp R-1340-S3H1 engine. The US Navy received 16 modified aircraft, designated the SNJ-1, and a further 61
as the SNJ-2 with a different engine. The BC-1 was 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. When the Basic Combat
classification was abandoned, the BC-1A was redesignated AT-6. Originally designed by North American Aviation, as
a Basic Combat aircraft, the T-6 is known by a variety of designations depending on the model and operating air force.
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) and USAAF designated it as the AT-6, the United States Navy the SNJ, and
British Commonwealth air forces the Harvard, the name by which it is best known outside of the US. In all, more
than 20,000 airframes with varoiuos various modifications were built by North American Aviation and under license
from North American Aviation in California, Texas, Montreal (by Noorduyn Aviation), Fort William, Ontario (by
Canadian Car & Foundry) and as the Wirraway in Australia (by Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation).
Starting in 1948, the new United States Air Force (USAF) designated it the T-6, with the USN following in 1962.
It remains a popular warbird aircraft used for airshow demonstrations and static displays. It has also been used
many times to simulate variousWorld War II aircraft. |
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The North American / CCF Harvard Mk IV N59TS, painted in 'RCAF 20318' "Double Trouble" colors was seen at the Oostwold Airshow 2017.
On 4 June 2017, this Harvard MK IV came in from Aachen - Merzbruck Airfield in Germany in company of T-6J Harvard D-FUKK. In 1952,
the North American / CCF Harvard MK IV c/n CCF4-109 was built by Canadian Car and Foundry at Fort William, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada,
as part of an order for 270 Harvards in the Mk. IV version for use by the RCAF. On 10 June 1952, the aircraft entered service with the
Royal Canadian Air Force as 20318. In service with the RCAF, Harvard Mk.IV 20318 was operated among others with 4 FTS Penhold. On 20
October 1964, the 20318 was Struck off Strength from the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the next day transferred to CADC - Crown Assets
Disposal Corporation for sale of this surplus aircraft. In 1966, the Harvard was sold to Skyway Air Services, Langley, BC,
and registered CF-RQC. In 1968, the CF-RQC was transferred to V.W. Garside, Wellington, BC, and in 1969 to H. Conrad, Wellington, BC.
In 1970, E. Goertz, Calgary,AB, was the next owner of the CF-RQC and in 1972, the aircraft was registered with R.C. Wilkinson,
Calgary, AB. When in 1974, the International Registration Prefix 'CF-xxx' for aircraft registered in Canada was changed to 'C-xxxx', the
CF-RQC was re-registered C-FRQC. In 1975, the Harvard was registered with R. J. Douglas and in 1981 with Je. Bachynski, both from Edmonton,
AB. On 9 February 1987, registration C-FRQC was cancelled as exported to the USA and on 25 February 1987, Certificate of Airworthiness
for the Harvard MK IV was issued in the USA for both registration N59TS and NX59TS. None of these registrations was taken up and on 12 March 1987,
the Harvard was registered N161FE in the US with Fighter Enterprises, Fort Lauderdale, FL. On 1 April 1992, the N161FE was registered with
Mark IV Aviation Inc., Miami, FL. In August 1994, the Harvard Mk IV was registered as N59TS with Aero Toystore Inc, Fort Lauderdale, FL.
In March 1995, the N59TS was registered with S. R. Levitz, Grand Prairie, TX, and on 30 March 1999 with J. Gamradt, McKinney, TX. On 13
June 1999, the aircraft crashed when during a touch and go landing on runway 35 at McKinney Municipal Airport (TKI) the pilot
lost control of the airplane: the right wing raised up and the nose pitched up, so the damage was substantial. The aircraft was repaired
at Breckenridge, TX, and as part of the repair work, RCAF 20318 markings were added. In 2001, the N59TS was flown firts after restoration.
On 28 February 2007, the Harvard N59TS was registered with M. Shell, Frisco, TX, and on 13 September 2010, the Havard was registered with
Southern Aircraft Consultancy Inc. in the UK. On 23 August 2014, the aircraft was sold to a privat owner in Wuerselen, Germany, and on 13
September 2014, the N59TS was registered with International Air Services Inc., Carson City, NV. Since, the Harvard Mk IV N59TS 'RCAF
20318' "Double Trouble" is based at Aachen - Merzbruck Airfield in Germany. |
Luchtvaart déjà vu
