RAF Harvards

That is a big question. However the addition of MOD to the request could suggest that you are looking for how many Harvards were retained after the type was replaced and retired from training duties.

Certainly by 1977 (and I suspect for a fair few years before that) there were just 3, all operated by the A&AEE at Boscombe Down: FT375, KF183 and KF314.

This was reduced to 2 with KF314 destroyed in a crash near Chilmark, Wilts, 22nd February 1982.

FT375 was auctioned off and became G-BWUL 7/96 to an Italian owner, became N16NA, G-BWUL again and now I-BWUL, all with the same owner.

KF183 was sold and became G-CORS November 2016.

Photo of all three in 1978:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Noorduyn_AT-16_Harvard_IIB,_UK_…
Matching yellow schemes, note the last digit of serial on the wheel hubs.
For photos, including the odd one pre-yellow, try searching AB Pics by RAF registration.

Hope I have interpreted the question correctly.

On a general not to the Site Manager, as a member of the forum for many years, and re-registered in the early days of the ‘new format’, I found it extremely difficult to sign on, despite being certain of my username and password. When they did not work, tried asking for a new password and went into a recurring circle. Out of desperation as a final resort, tried again to log in and got in! No wonder the active and informed ‘old guard’ have disappeared, as it would appear that only direct subscribers to Key Aero products can now join the forum (I subscribe via Pocketmags and have never been offered forum membership).

I note that ‘edit’ has disappeared again. The ‘about text formats’ offers many options – few of which I’m likely to need. Do find the ‘letterbox’ compose screen very restrictive once you have exceeded 5 lines of post!

From my good friend and Harvard aficionado Andy Goodall ( WACKY WABBIT) In total 4760 400 MkI 519 MkII 747 MkIIA 2557 MkIIB 537 MkIII Colour Schemes Yellow Silver Cammo Green Cammo Desert And possibly others TA Out

Ps, may I add DAYGLO

NA-16- Wirraways, Harvards T6 and SNJ’s

Wirraways NA-16s, T6/SNJ & Harvards are all part of the successful North American NA-16 family of trainers.

The North American Trainer model numbers and Contract numbers become quite confusing, the following is based on the WARBIRDTECH series NA-16/AT-6/SNJ

The Wirraway is a direct NA-16 derivative with the distinctive all steel tube/fabric covered fuselage and straight trailing edge wing (The NA-32 and NA-33 were “contract” numbers as well as “model” numbers), The Contract numbers primarily related to the customer order, CAC received contract numbers 32 (actually an NA-16-1A with fixed gear and 2 blade prop), and contract number 33 (actually an NA-16-2k with retract gear and 3 blade prop and geared 1340).

The Harvard 1 is also an NA-16 derivative (NA-49 actually an NA-16-1E) while the Yale, NJ-1, SNJ-2 and BC-1 are themselves all seperate branch off derivatives of the NA-16 developments with various combinations of tapered wing, straight wing trailing edges, monocoque and steel tube rear fuselages.

The NA-16 design evolved further from the BC-1 (NA-26) and BT-9 (NA-29) family of T6 Ancestors with differing engine sizes, The NA-16 model references cease at the Contract number NA-56 which is an AN-16-4 and the BC-1A (NA-55), Yale (NA-57) and BT-14 (NA-58) at last started to bring together the monocoque fuselage and tapered wing and adoption of the ungeared P&W 1340 Wasp engine.

AT6 as contract number NA-59 commences the new T6/Harvard/SNJ family derivatives and leads on to the SNJ-2 as contract NA-65, Harvard 11 as contract number NA-66.

Finally the definative AT6A/SNJ-3 emerge as contract NA-77, with a multitude of contract numbers applying to the following T6-C,D,F and G, SNJ-4,5,6 and Harvard 111 and 1V models but are all effectively the same basic airframe structure of monocoque fuselage and tapered wing, hidden inside them all is the steel tube front fuselage frame derived from the basic NA-16.

regarding the posts above regarding Harvard II and IIA differences, the Harvard II (NA-66) was built by North American and “was effectively a BC-1A fitted with british equipment and circular control column”(T6 in Action – signal publications), whereas the Mk IIA were lend lease T6-C’s (NA-88), explaining the US cockpit configurations.

The Harvard IIB were built in Canada by Noordyun and was similar to the NA built Harvard II above (but given no NA contract number).

Mark Pilkington

The RNHF had a Harvard III at RNAS Lee-on-Solent during the 1980s, but it was very reclusive. It was mothballed and sold at auction to raise funds in 1994, like their gorgeous Tiger Moth.

Ah. The joy of Photoshop. :rolleyes:

Flood.™

Harvard

It’s funny though, 1000’s of RAAF pilots learnt to fly in EATS Harvards but not one (NA-16 not counted) was ever operated by the RAAF.

And as I find sharing pics a simple pleasure as reward for years of searching here are some.

I think from my last search of G-INFO there were something like 25 of the T-6 series which were registered (or used to be but are still in) the UK I’d say that about 8-9 are Harvards…

A few pix dredged up from Google…

3FTS FX437, late 40s.

3FTS FT284, the bosses polished toy!

More from http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/sparkes/morepics.htm

There are loads of contemporay shots of Harvards on Google Image.
I’ll have a look and see what I’ve got in books and things.

Flood.™

You don’t want much, do you!;)
From Air Britains The Harvard File deliveries of British military registered Harvards:-

MkI
UK – 352
SA – 3
SR – 63
US – 1

MkII
UK – 14
Can – 305
SR – 103
ME – 47
Ind – 4
NZ – 38
Lost – 6
US – 1 (w/o before del)
No trace – 1

MkIIa
SR – 149
ME – 100
SA – 436
NZ – 53
WA – 3
Cey (FAA) – 3
SA (FAA) – 1
Ind (FAA) – 3

MkIIb
UK – 1284
Can – 639
Ind/Cey – 507
Lost in transit to Ind/Cey – 17
ME – 43
NZ – 2
US – 4 (w/o before del)
No trace – 2
UK (FAA) – 39
FE (FAA) – 2
SA (FAA) – 1
Aus (FAA) – 4
Ind/Cey (FAA) – 12
Unk (FAA) – 1

MkIII
SA – 197
ME – 81
SR – 70
NZ – 41
US – 2 (1 w/o)
UK (RAF) – 2
UK (FAA) – 133
US (FAA) – 5
Ind (FAA) – 3
Mal (FAA) – 1
Gib (FAA) – 1
No trace – 1

UK = United Kingdom
SA = South Africa
SR = Southern Rhodesia
US = United States
Can = Canada
ME = Middle East
FE = Far East
Ind = India
Cey = Ceylon
NZ = New Zealand
WA = West Africa
Aus = Australia
Mal = Malta
Gib = Gibraltar
Unk = Unknown

Hope this helps.

Flood.™

Harvard I N7000

The first Harvard I for the Allies.
From page 132 of “Lend-lease Aircraft in WW2”

Yes the FAA did use Harvards – but the Wirraway, although based on the NA series was a different aircraft almost entirely – as rebuilders will tell you – one even shot down a Zero! Think the number is more like 15,000 and that doesnt include the remanufacturer T-6G and Harvard IV variants completed in the 1950s – even though they were totally reworked…and were given fresh Bu Nos

The Harvard IIC and III were NAA AT-6D Texans built by North American, the IIB which was the most common RAF variant were all built by Norduuyn in Canada, Canadian Car and Foundary remanufactured the IV.

The main differences between a Harvard and Texan/SNJ are instrumentation, stick, armament, baggage compartment/swivel seat and turtle deck and the long vs short exhaust pipe, which had a coaxial tube running into the cockpit for heating. For more gen see…

http://aviation-hobby-site.com/t6frmprin.htm

The RAF version did indeed have Air Min, instruments and a spade grip, but if memory serves, did not usually have rear gun provision, the IIB frames do not have the mounting point for the swivel seat. There are many many books written on the T-6 series and differences between them – the best being the Late Jeff Ethells’ The Pilot Maker…for top shelf Harvard P*rn see T-6 Texan by William Jesse (Osprey) full colour hardcore Harvard images….I think i need a lie down now..:)

Coo, mum, this is the second time i knew summit on the forum this year!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

Don’t know how many were used by the RAF but over 10,000 units were built in the USA and Canada, many of these were based at RAF units in Rhodesia, Canada and South Africa. I think the Australian built Wirraway resembled the Harvard/Texan.

Many hundreds of Harvards were shipped over to the UK – full details of numbers, serials and models are contained in “Lend-lease Aircraft in WWII” by Arthur Pearcy, ISBN 1 85310 443 4, pages 131-133. As well as being manufactured by North American, some were built by Noorduyn.

I used to own ex-Kiwi AF Harvard 11a* [data plated AT-6C] EX-427 aka NZ-1006. It had a US type stick etc with a UK type mixture control [ie. backards .sic]