The AT-6 Texan, redesignated the T-6 in 1962, is one of the most used and collected warbirds that exist today. The T-6 was designed as an advanced trainer aircraft during WWII and was used at some point by almost every serviceman that went through the US Air Corp. After completing basic training on the biplane Boeing Stearman, pilots would go on to advance training where they would learn to fly mono wing planes such as the Vultee BT-13 Variant and AT-6 Texan. Afterward, depending on the proven skill set and placement they would go onto either single-engine training school or multi-engine training, basically separating the class into fighter pilots or bomber pilots. The AT-6 played a pivotal role in training pilots being one of the first training aircraft they flew with metal surfaces, hydraulic flaps, retractable landing gear, and .30mm machine guns mounted in the wings for aerial and ground gunnery practice.

The T-6 was such a popular aircraft that 34 countries signed contracts with North American for planes of their own. 15,495 T-6’s were built to supply purchase orders from other countries as well as the United States. Throughout its service the aircraft has been known under several designations: the USAAC and later the USAAF designated it the AT-6 until 1962, US Navy designated it the SNJ and the British Commonwealth Air Force designated it the Harvard, which is its best-known name outside the United States.

Due to the T-6’s ease of maintenance, low cost, and large production, it has become one of the most popular warbirds collected today. Unlike fighters or bombers which had a relatively short-lived life expectancy overseas, the T-6 lasted long past WWII and was used during Korea as a trainer for the US. It never saw front-line service as a fighter for the USAAF but it was used by other countries up through the 1970s as a fighter plane. With its Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 Wasp radial engine, 600 hp (450 kW), the plane was capable of speeds up to 208 mph. This later changed as the performance of the plane was enhanced for racing. The T6 gave pilots the ability to do rolls, Immelmanns, loops, spins, snaps, and vertical rolls which were partly why it made for such a good trainer. This later allowed the plane to be very versatile in aerobatic roles at Airshows.

Amongst the most famous groups of Airshow performers is the famed CAF Tora! Tora! Tora! The group uses several replica Zero and Nakajima “Kate” Torpedo bombers which are all modified T-6 Texans.

One of the great historical aspects of the T-6 is all the different paint jobs that the plane has had from being used in so many different squadrons in so many different countries.