North American AT-6 Harvard/Texan

 

 

North AMerican AT-6 Harvard H-19

 

 

North American AT-6 Harvard/Texan

Single engine two seat advanced training and fire assistance aircraft.

 

 

 

   The total number of Harvard's of different types and sources used by the Belgian Air Force amounted at 148 machines. One could add to these some 14 aircraft which were used as spare parts resources and ten Harvard’s leased from the Dutch Air Force  (Nederlandse Luchtstrijdkrachten or LSK later KLu) to help out with a temporarily shortage on aircraft in 1948/1949.   As of 1947 a first large order of 46 former-“lend lease” Harvard IIA and Mk.III were ordered together with ten aircraft purely used to proved spare parts, from RAF stocks. Although many of these aircraft already had served with three air forces, most of them had only little flying time. They only were active with the South-African Air Force in the framework of the “Commonwealth Training Program” during WWII and were only assigned to the USAAC and the RAF on paper. Originating from different sources, 32 AT-6’s of subtypes MK.IIB and MK.III were later acquired. These Harvard’s had served with the Dutch LSK, others with the RAF or came from civil companies such as Intair and Rollason. The Americans delivered 46 more AT-6D’s and Harvard 4, while 24 former RAF Harvard’s IIA from the training base of Bulawayo in Rhodesia were shipped to the Belgian Air Force base at Kamina (Belgian Congo).  This mixture of models was standardised and were needed upgraded by the Belgians to what was called Harvard 4K, which was very similar to the Harvard 4. In 1959 sixteen Harvard’s based initially at Kamina received an armament which consisted of two 7.62 calibre machineguns, two Alcan 261 bomb racks and two rocket launchers Matra 13. These aircraft which were designated 4KA (“A” for armée/armed) and were grouped in new units called (Vuursteunflights/Flights Appui Feu or Fire Assistance Flights) These FAF’s  were successfully used during the Congolese rebellion in July 1960. The last pilot training on Harvard took place in mid-1960 after which advanced training was done on the new Fouga Magister. Between 1960 and 1962 only a handful of armed Harvard’s 4KA remained in used in Rwanda and Burundi

Picture  Serial c/n Type Date In Date Out History
H-7 88-15690 Harvard III AT-6D-NT Feb 1947 Aug 1958 41-34059, EZ186 (RAF), 7563, SAAF), EZ186 (RAF), H-7, scrapped at Kamina airbase.
H-10 88-10531 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Feb 1947 Jan 1956 41-33411, EX438 (RAF), 7027 (SAAF), EX438 (RAF), H-10, Crashed on landing at Koksijde on 25 Jan 1956
H-15 88-16235 Harvard III AT-6D-NT > Harvard 4K Mar 1947 Jan 1961 42-84458, EZ310 (RAF), 7625 (SAAF), EZ310 (RAF), H-15, Armed 4KA, 7729 (SAAF, ntu), ZS-WLT, ZS-WLR "Hotstuff" active in SA.
H-19 88-15774 Harvard III AT-6D > Harvard 4K Apr 1947 Jan 1961 41-34083, EZ210 (RAF), 7605 (SAAF), EZ210 (RAF), H-19, Special c/s, Armed 4KA, 7731 (SAAF), gate guardian Voortrekkershoogte AFB, storage Swartfontein (SA)
H-22 88-9670 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT > Harvard 4KA Mar 1947 Aug 1962 41-33237, EX264 (RAF), 7107 (SAAF), EX264 (RAF), H-22, Armed 4KA, H-22 (Congo/FAC), 9T-P31 (Congo/FAC)
H-23 88-16076 Harvard III AT-6D-NT > Harvard 4KA Mar 1947 Aug 1962 42-84295, EZ292 (RAF), 7622 (SAAF), EZ292 (RAF), H-23, Armed 4KA, H-23 (Congo AF), 9T-P?? (Congo/FAC).
H-27 88--10532 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Mar 1947 Oct 1956 41-33412, EX439 (RAF), 7282 (SAAF), EX439 (RAF), H-27, converted for target towing, project abandoned and a/c scrapped
- H-29 88-12127 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Apr 1947 May 1958 41-33606, EX633 (RAF), 7349 (SAAF), EX633 (RAF), H-29, F-BJBI, F-WJBI, F-AZBE, used for film purposes even disguised as Hellcat, F-AZHE, F-AZBE/"43-12127"- "TA-127"
- H-31 88-12327 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Mar 1947 Aug 1958 41-33634, EX661 (RAF), 7315 (SAAF), EX661 (RAF), H-31, OO-GER, KA-?? (Katanga AF)
H-36 88.9689 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Mar 1947 Aug 1958 41-33246, EX273 (RAF), 7184 (SAAF), EX273 (RAF), H-36, OO-GES, KA-?? (Katanga AF)
H-42 88-12067 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Mar 1947 Aug 1958 41-33596, EX623 (RAF), 7344 (SAAF), EX623 (RAF), H-42, OO-GDL, KA-?? (Katanga AF)
H-45 88-12546 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT May 1947 May 1958 41-33653, EX680 (RAF), 7329 (SAAF), EX680 (RAF), H-45, OO-GEP, WE2 (?) (Congo)
H-64 14-1579 Harvard IIb AT-16-ND Feb 1951 Nov 1956 543-34693 (USAAF), FX276 (RAF), H-64/3R-I, H-64, Scrapped
H-108 88-17156 AT-6D > Harvard 4K Dec 1950 1961 42-85365 (USAAF);, H-108, "Nossin" team, withdrawn from use at Kamina airbase.
H-117 CCF4-327 Harvard 4 > Harvard 4K Sep 1953 Dec 1959 51-17145, H-117, Withdrawn from use at Kamina Airbase, noted stored in bad state at  Simba brewery at Kamina Ville.
H-141 CCF4-399 Harvard 4 > Harvard 4K Nov 1953 1961 51-17217, H-141, withdrawn from use at Kamina airbase.
H-205 88-12321 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Nov 1953 Jan 1958 41-33628, EX655/"H:96" (RAF), H-205, withdrawn from use at Kamina airbase.
H-217 88-10621 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT Dec 1953 Jul 1956 41-33501, EX528/"25", "D:C", H:41" (RAF), H217, withdrawn from use at Kamina airbase.
H-221 88-13603 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT > Harvard 4KA Dec 1953 Aug 1962 51-33757, EX784/"H-62" (RAF), H-221, Armed 4KA, H-221 (Congo/FAC), 9T-P37 (Congo/FAC)
H-223 88-10529 Harvard IIa AT-6C-1-NT > Harvard 4K Dec 1953 Jan 1961 41-3363, EX657/"H:80" (RAF), H-223, Nossin Team, Armed 4KA, 7730 (SAAF)
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last updated 25/03/12 10:36   Daniel Brackx

brackda@gmail.com