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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 |
| Picture | Serial | c/n | Type | Date In | Date Out | History |
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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. |
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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 |
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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. |
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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) |
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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) |
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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). |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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 |
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H-108 | 88-17156 | AT-6D > Harvard 4K | Dec 1950 | 1961 | 42-85365 (USAAF);, H-108, "Nossin" team, withdrawn from use at Kamina airbase. |
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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. |
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H-141 | CCF4-399 | Harvard 4 > Harvard 4K | Nov 1953 | 1961 | 51-17217, H-141, withdrawn from use at Kamina airbase. |
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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. |
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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. |
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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) |
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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