North American T-6 Texan / SNJ / Harvard
9 models built 1942–1954 · 457 on the US register today
The North American T-6 Texan, the advanced trainer that taught almost every Allied fighter pilot of the Second World War to handle a high-powered retractable-gear aeroplane: 600 hp, a constant-speed propeller and a tailwheel in an airframe deliberately made demanding. The AT-6 and AT-6D are Army Air Forces designations, SNJ-4/5/5B/5C the Navy's, the T-6G the postwar rebuild standard, and the Harvard Mk IV the Canadian Car & Foundry-built equivalent of the T-6G.
The variants
| MODEL | YEARS | ACTIVE | TAILFAX SCORE | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SNJ-4 | 1942–1943 | 50 | Partial 5.3/30 | Navy version of the NA-88 |
| AT-6 | 1943–1944 | 28 | Partial 10.6/30 | Army Air Forces designation |
| AT-6D | 1943–1944 | 87 | 17.3/50 | 24-volt electrical system |
| SNJ-5 | 1943–1945 | 121 | 15.7/50 | Navy equivalent of the AT-6D |
| SNJ-5B | 1943–1945 | 4 | — | SNJ-5 variant |
| SNJ-5C | 1943–1945 | 11 | — | Carrier-capable SNJ-5 with tailhook |
| T-6 | 1949–1953 | 1 | — | Registry spelling of the postwar T-6 |
| T-6G | 1949–1953 | 103 | 13/50 | Postwar rebuild standard, more fuel |
| Harvard Mk IV | 1951–1954 | 52 | Partial 12.9/30 | Canadian Car & Foundry-built, T-6G equivalent |
Family fleet, active
457
FAA registry
NTSB events / 1,000, 10 yrs
65.6
30 events over 457 active aircraft, pooled across the family
Successor
Data as of: FAA registry Sep 28 · NTSB Oct 2 · scores Sep 30