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The North American T-6F Texan was a variant of the T-6 Texan, a single-engine advanced trainer used extensively by the United States and its allies from the 1930s through the 1950s. Initially developed by North American Aviation, the T-6 was designed to train pilots in advanced flight techniques before transitioning to frontline fighters like the P-51 Mustang or F4U Corsair.
The T-6 series began with the NA-16 prototype in 1935, and successive refinements led to numerous variants, including the AT-6, the US Navy SNJ, and the British Commonwealth’s Harvard. The T-6F, introduced late in World War II, was one of the final wartime variants. It featured improved equipment and a more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 radial engine delivering 600 horsepower. .
The T-6F maintained the same basic airframe and flight characteristics as earlier versions: a low-wing monoplane with tandem seating and a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It was praised for its handling and was considered challenging enough to prepare pilots for combat aircraft. The T-6 could also be armed with light machine guns or small bombs, allowing limited combat or counterinsurgency use in postwar conflicts. .
Though production of the T-6 ceased by the early 1950s, the aircraft remained in military service for decades, with the T-6F and similar models used by over 60 countries. In addition to training, they saw use in Korea, Algeria, and even Vietnam in secondary roles. .
North American Aviation in Dallas, Texas, manufactured the Museum’s T-6F, which rolled off the assembly line on March 2, 1945. Over the years, it saw service with numerous Air Force units around the United States, including Washington. It was finally declared surplus in 1954. Rudy Hazuka bought it in 1963 and flew it until approximately 1986. Mr. John Dimmer purchased the aircraft from Mr. Hazuka and donated it to the Museum in 2013.
The North American T-6F Texan was a variant of the T-6 Texan, a single-engine advanced trainer used extensively by the United States and its allies from the 1930s through the 1950s. Initially developed by North American Aviation, the T-6 was designed to train pilots in advanced flight techniques before transitioning to frontline fighters like the P-51 Mustang or F4U Corsair.
The T-6 series began with the NA-16 prototype in 1935, and successive refinements led to numerous variants, including the AT-6, the US Navy SNJ, and the British Commonwealth’s Harvard. The T-6F, introduced late in World War II, was one of the final wartime variants. It featured improved equipment and a more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 radial engine delivering 600 horsepower. .
The T-6F maintained the same basic airframe and flight characteristics as earlier versions: a low-wing monoplane with tandem seating and a retractable tailwheel undercarriage. It was praised for its handling and was considered challenging enough to prepare pilots for combat aircraft. The T-6 could also be armed with light machine guns or small bombs, allowing limited combat or counterinsurgency use in postwar conflicts. .
Though production of the T-6 ceased by the early 1950s, the aircraft remained in military service for decades, with the T-6F and similar models used by over 60 countries. In addition to training, they saw use in Korea, Algeria, and even Vietnam in secondary roles. .
North American Aviation in Dallas, Texas, manufactured the Museum’s T-6F, which rolled off the assembly line on March 2, 1945. Over the years, it saw service with numerous Air Force units around the United States, including Washington. It was finally declared surplus in 1954. Rudy Hazuka bought it in 1963 and flew it until approximately 1986. Mr. John Dimmer purchased the aircraft from Mr. Hazuka and donated it to the Museum in 2013.
