G-TSIX
G-TSIX
Built in Dallas as an AT-6C-NT Texan for the USAAF in November 1942, under contract AC19192, it was allocated to the RAF as a Harvard IIA, but was then delivered to the South African Air Force, one of 436 shipped overseas. It stayed with them until 5thAugust 1969 when it was sold to the Portuguese Air Force as part of Operation Oasis, being used as a gunnery trainer at Sao Jacinto, until 1978 when it was struck off charge. In March 1979 it was placed onto the British Register and given the apt registration – G-TSIX. The Harvard is painted in spurious US Navy SNJ markings as 111836/JZ-6.
Notes:
Records state that the airframe is 41-33262 (cn 88-9725), according to G-INFO, which was EX289 with the RAF and then 7183 with the SAAF.ย Problem with this is that sent to the UK in October 1946 on the SS Ocean Viceroy and was subsequently scrapped in August 1950.ย But it survivedโฆ..
(cn 88-9275) was 41-33169 which was EX196 built in 1942 and which after service with the South Africans as 7052 was sold to Portugal on the 5th Augustย 1969, became FAP1535.ย It saw service at Aveiro (Sao Jacinto) as a gunnery trainer with BA7.ย As to the colour scheme, this is totally false โ colours and markings.ย Whatever โ111836โ is, it has no link to the Harvard.ย Navy Bu111836 was a Piasecki HRP-2 helicopter and USAF 51-11836 was a Beech C-45.
G-INFO gets it wrong againโฆ..built in 1948.ย Havenโt a clue where they got that from.
HISTORY – By Martin Pengelly