I’m building the Kitty Hawk 1/32 version of the old WWII T-6 Texan. This kit is loaded with under-wing armament, rockets, missiles, you name it. As a trainer, I do not believe this aircraft ever carried any weapons. I’ve looked at a lot of photos, and not a weapon in sight. Can anyone confirm this?
If true, this is a major error by a kit manufacturer and a reminder to never take the kits as the gospel truth!
I have that kit, but haven’t really looked it over yet…could all the ordnance be for a T-6 in foreign service???
I didn’t look real hard for pics, but this one turned up…
During the Korean War a lot of T-6 were converted into AT-6. Maybe that’s what they were thinking
Here’s another one…nothing hangin, but the pylons are clearly visible.
I’ll be danged! I learned something, thanks for the replies, fellas.
I thind I’ve read that a number of African nations used them in their wars as ground attack aircraft.
They were pioneered by the USAF in Korea as AT-6 Forward Air Controllers (FAC’s) Mosquitos marking targets for the F-82’s, Mustangs, Corsairs, Skyraiders, and the fast movers.
There were uses of the T-6 that were armed, but not the US training aircraft. However, unlike the AT-37, the attack version of the T-37, I believe there was never an official attack version of the T-6. The nomenclature AT-6 was an earlier designation, denoting Advanced Trainer. During WW2 one started flight training in either a primary trainer, like a PT-17 or PT-22. Later, it was a Basic Trainer (BT-13) before moving to the ATs.
The one set of decals in that kit is for the South African air force “harvard”
I work for a display theam here in SA and they all have the wing hardpoints for the rocket pods as used for training by the SAAF as they are all ek SAAF planes.
Here they defenately used the hardpoints.
Note the pylons
Theuns
In foreign service, this aircraft has served in the air forces of every country in the alphabet. A lot were in combat in the 50’s and 60’s, in particular in the Middle East.
Thanks, everyone, for the pix and info. I have decided to build mine as a US trainer, with no ordnance and polished aluminum finish. There is one like that at our local airport.
The kit came with decals for nine different countries, but no USA. Fortunately, I have everything I need in my spare decal stash.