Aeromodeling in Full Scale
Owning and operating a Texan
Why would anyone want to own and operate a full-scale North American AT-6 Texan? Part of the fun and challenge for us was to restore a 1944 AT-6D/G.
We started with a dismantled D model that had been used by the U.S. Army/Air Force and then the Paraguayan Air Force as a frontline fighter. It was returned to the States in pieces in the early 1980s. Little did we know how personal the experiences would become throughout the years of operating and owning this aircraft.
Our goal was to create a multiuse airplane. We wanted it to be able to compete in the Reno National Championship Air Races and remain military in all respects. We looked for an authentic paint scheme that would be attractive at both civilian air shows and military fly-ins. Then, for something extra, it needed to be rigged for basic air-show aerobatic capabilities.
After we worked diligently for nine months with three other experienced mechanics, our goals were accomplished in 1992. We raced “Miss Appropriation of Fund$” at Reno, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona, for seven years, and we flew it in hundreds of military fly-ins and air shows, including EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin; Sun ’n Fun in Lakeland, Florida; and the Joe Nall Fly-In in Woodruff, South Carolina.
In 1995, we participated in the Freedom Flight: a trip across the U.S. with more than 200 other World War II aircraft to celebrate the end of the war on D-Day. We flew down New York’s Hudson River, over the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier, and around the Statue of Liberty.
Some of the most fulfilling moments of ownership have been meeting the people who flew full-scale Texans during wartime. We have taken many veterans and even a couple of WASPs up in the airplane. Most had not been in one since they were on active duty 50 or 60 years before. Without exception, they absolutely loved reliving the experience.
The most moving experience occurred when an older gentleman walked up to the airplane on a ramp in Illinois during the Freedom Flight and stood a few feet away. He was frozen at attention, although it was a hot summer day. As we approached him, he turned and asked if Miss Appropriation was our airplane. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he said, “Do you know what you have here?” We answered that we did. He went on to relate a few experiences of his own, flying an AT-6 that he had not seen in decades. He thanked us several times for keeping the airplane flying, for his kids and grandkids to see and appreciate.
We live and fly with six T-6 pilots, who are neighbors. We are all formation-certified, and flying formation is one of the most challenging and rewarding of our endeavors. We are often requested to present military-style flyovers for programs on Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, Veterans Day, and Fourth of July celebrations in nearby towns and communities, which we proudly do. Even more important, we are often requested to salute our fallen military heroes at graveside services or memorials with the “Missing Man” formation. No words can convey our emotions as we fly over. We are humbled and grateful to be able to show our respect for all those who have served so that we have the opportunity to fly, maintain, and preserve this airplane and this part of the past for future generations.
The AT-6 Texan certainly has a special place in the history of aviation. In 2002 we had plans to attend the Nats for a week and then travel immediately to the EAA AirVenture fly-in with the T-6. Logic was simple: since Muncie, Indiana, was on the way, we would land at Reese Airport, which borders the AMA site, fly in the RC Scale Aerobatics competition, and then proceed on to Kenosha and Oshkosh, Wisconsin. As fate would have it, Mike McConville of Horizon Hobby/Hangar 9 was also at the Nats. He mentioned that his company was looking for a warbird to produce as an ARF that would be sporty, colorful, and appeal to a large number of modelers. When he saw my full-scale AT-6, he decided that it would be the perfect candidate.
After he and I went up for a demo flight, the Horizon design crew met us on the ground. They took all of the measurements and many photos. A few months later, Miss Appropriation of Fund$ became a beautifully detailed ARF, complete with retractable gear. It met all expectations and flies great.
—Fred Johnson and Baron Johnson [email protected]
Sources
- Hangar 9
- (800) 338-4639
- www.hangar-9.com
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
