Wheels & pilot by Cliff Presley. Model/air file by Denis & Daniel da Silva
Complete Gmax model with full moving parts. Now balanced for straight & level take-off, has excellent flight dynamics for aerobatic maneuvres. Comes with beautiful new and accurate HIGH-DETAIL photo-realistic textures, including engine.
HISTORY
North American built almost 16,000 Texan trainers during World War Two for the US Armed forces and their allies. The Navy and the Marines operated almost 5000 Texans, using every model from –1 to the –6 at one time or another. Texans have been used as trainers, forward air control, artillery spotters and even attack aircraft. The Texan has been in service with over 30 different countries. The SNJ-5 Texan differed from its predecessors by having a 24 volt electrical system. VMT-2 A development of the BT-9/BT-14, the AT-6 Texan was the most extensively used trainer of all time.The North American NA-26 was developed as a Basic Combat trainer and originally designated the BC-1. The prototype BC-1 first flew in 1937. A change of role to advanced trainer saw a new designation–the AT-6 in 1940.AT-6’s sold to the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Canada were named the Harvard. The U.S. Navy designated this trainer the SNJ. Australian AT-6s built under license by CAC were called the Wirraway. Beginning in 1949, the U.S. Air Force began a program to re-manufacture existing AT-6 airframes. These reconditioned and updated aircraft received new serial numbers and were designated the T-6.
NA-26: North American design number
BC-1: U.S. Army Basic Combat Trainer
AT-6: U.S. Army Advanced Trainer
SNJ: U.S. Navy Scout Trainer
T-6: U.S. Air Force Trainer
LT-6: U.S. Air Force Liaison/ Forward Air Controller (named Mosquito)
SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: North American
Base model: SNJ
Designation: SNJ
Version: -5
Nickname: Texan
Equivalent to: AT-6D AT6DAT-6D
Service: U.S. Navy / Marines
Basic role: Scout trainer
Designation Period: 1939-1948
Crew: Instructor & Pupil
Length: 29′ 5″ 8.9 m
Height: 11′ 8.5″ 3.5 m
Wingspan: 42′ 0″ 12.8 m
Wingarea: 254.0 sq ft 23.5 sq m
Empty Weight: 4,158 lb 1,885 kg
Gross Weight: 5,300 lb 2,403 kg
Propulsion
No. of Engines: 1
Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1
Horsepower (each): 600
Performance
Range: 750 miles 1,207 km
Cruise Speed: 170 mph 273 km/h 147 kt
Max Speed: 205 mph 330 km/h 178 kt
Climb: 1,200 ft/min 365 m/min
Ceiling: 21,500 ft 6,552 m
Known serial numbers:
43638 / 44037, 51677 / 52049, 84819 / 85093, 90582 / 91101, 91102 / 91106
ABOUT GLENVIEW
The United States Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Great Lakes, Illinois, was commissioned in 1923. The base operated a number of seaplanes from the shore facilities of nearby Lake Michigan. The Curtiss-Reynolds Airfield was built in 1929 by the Curtiss Flying Club, a subsidiary of the Curtiss Corporation established by aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss.
In 1940 Rear Admiral John Downes, USN, Commandant, Ninth Naval District recommended that the Naval Researve Aviation Base be moved to the Curtiss-Reynolds Airport. The Navy petitioned for condemnation of the 319-acre tract and the court ordered payment of $530,000 for the property.
With the outbreak of World War II, the field became a focal point for the Navy’s expanded flight training program and a Primary Training Command. A massive construction program ($12,500,000) was begun in 1942. Prior to expansion, the station consisted of barracks, 20 officers, 120 enlisted men and less than 100 cadets. In only 212 working days, 1,300,000 sq. yards of concrete were placed for landing mats and runways. Hangars, administration buildings and classroom buildings followed. An additional 569.55 acres were purchased adjacent to the field, west of Shermer Road and south of old Lake Avenue. These acquisitions included the remainder of the old Herman Rugen property and the 36-hole Pickwick Golf Course. In 1943 the station was designated a Naval Air Station and recognized as NAS Chicago. It had grown to 300 officers, 1,000 cadets, and 3,500 enlisted men.
COMMENT
This North American SNJ-5 is one of the better ‘Texan’ Trainers in the file community. Superb texture detail, correctly scaled (considering it’s a GMAX model), and true to model flight dynamics make this a model well worth the dowload. If you are a WWII buff such as myself, this aircraft file is a must have. The lack of ‘torque steer’ durring takeoff makes for nice and straight departures, however detracts from the overall, real world dynamics. My installation appeared to be missing the guages in the virtual cockpit, but the detail overall was uninspired. The instrument panel is highly detailed and as correct as you can get in FS9. The sound package that comes with the file is much better than any of the default sounds, but doesnt quite nail the whine of the Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 engine at high speed. Overall this model is excellent work and the only thing that could use a little TLC is the virtual cockpit. I give this file a firm 8.
My Rating 8/10
