HOBBY MASTER 1/72 USAF United States Air Force North American T-6G Texan 51-14337 (HA1527)

The T-6 trainer was one of the most important aircraft of all time. It was used by 34 countries with a total of 17,096 built. An estimated 100,000 U.S. military pilots flew these aircraft.It was in late 1930’s North American Aviation began to deliver the T-6 Texan for the USAAF and the SNJ version for the USN. The Texan got its name because of production in the Dallas, Texas plant of North America. It was known as the “Harvard” for those built in Canada and operated by Commonwealth Air Forces. Though basically built as a trainer aircraft, the T-6 was used in multiple roles include interceptor, fighter bomber and counter-insurgency (COIN) aircraft during the conflicts of WWII, the Korea War and the Vietnam War. It was also extensively used by the civilians for different purposes. Despite this, T-6 was still best known as a universal trainer – the Pilot Maker.

On January 12, 1951 the 75th FIS was re- activated at Presque Isle Maine. Part of the 75th FIS was a basic training facility with one of the aircraft being T-6G 51-14337 MSN 182-24 delivered to the 75th FIS on December 11, 1951. Damaged when it ground looped on April 25, 1952 it was put in storage in Arizona. In January 1956 the aircraft was delivered to France where it was modified for counter insurgency operations for the French Air Force in North Africa. In 1965 the aircraft was SOC.