General History

Sometimes called the “Pilot Maker”, the AT-6 was one of the most widely used advanced training aircraft of Word War II.  It was manufactured by North American Aviation. The first production of the AT-6 began in 1939 and continued until 1944. The two-man crew consisted of a pilot instructor and a student.  Most USAAF and Navy pilots found the “Texan” was an excellent challenge to a pilot changing from a basic trainer to a front line fighter plane.  The AT-6 was a modern cantilever monoplane that incorporated the complexities of the fighter with controllable-pitch propeller, flaps, retractable landing gear, as well as difficulties handling its stall and spin characteristics.

As World War II progressed so did the demand for the AT-6 and the Navy SNJ.  It became the “Harvard” in the RAF.  The basic AT-6 design went through many variations as it acquired several new training missions, such as gunnery, navigation and reconnaissance.  The Korean War saw a new life for the AT-6, during which the planes flew 40,354 “Mosquito Missions” to spot and mark enemy targets.  In the middle 1950’s many AT-6’s were assigned to National Guard units. Today many still fly for civilian owners and are favorites at Air Shows all over the country.

Chanute AFB received AT-6’s in June 1941.  They were used here for flight instruction, instrument training, maintenance, and technical training.   The last At-6 left Chanute AFB in 1956. 

    AT6-B  (SN 41-17372) History

    May Manufactured by North American Aviation, Dallas TX

1.    May Delivered to AAF Single-Engine Training School (Air Training Command), Luke AAF, AZ

2.    April Transferred to AAF Base Unit (Single-Engine Advanced Pilot School, ATC) Mercer AAF, CA

3.    June Transferred to 3008th AAF Base Unit (Technical School, ATC), Mercer AAF, CA

4.    October Sent to Ontario, CA and disposed as surplus

5.    December offered to the USAF as a static display.

6.    April Delivered to Chanute AFB and prepared for static display in the Airpark

Paint Scheme

AT-6B as displayed is painted in the colors of the 35th Pursuit Squadron stationed at Langely Field in 1939-1940.  The tail number is not the correct number for this plane.

AT-6 B Specifications

Wing span: 42 ft.

Length: 29 ft.

Height:  11ft. 8 in.

Wing area:  253.7 sqft.

Weight empty: 4,158 lb

Loaded weight:  5,617 lb
  
Max. speed:  208 mph at 5000ft.

Normal cruise:  145 mph.

Service ceiling: 24,200 ft.
 
Range: 730 miles

Powerplant: 1x Pratt & Whitney R-1340

Wasp radial engine  600 hp

Fuel:  110 U.S. gal.

Weapons:  Could be modified to carry one or two 0.30 cal. Machine guns

Crew:  two, one instructor pilot and one student.

The AT-6B-NT on exhibit, S/N 41-17372, is marked with tail number "42805" from its days in Thunderbird Airpark here on base. It is on loan to Octave Chanute Aerospace Museum from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.