Warbird Information Exchange

See if I can get this right. The North American XAT-6E Texans, an experimental variant of the AT-6D Texan trainer, fitted with a Ranger V-770 air-cooled V-12 engine, ca. 1944

The first few photos are the XAT-6E's


XAT-6E 42-84241 Texan at NAS Patuxent River in May 1945. The XAT-6E, tail number 42-84241 was a standard AT-6D taken off the North American production line. The plane survived the war and was sold as surplus. The plane re-designated NX7410 was flown by its owner in several air races and then finally sold to someone in South America where it was converted back to the AT-6 configuration


North American XAT-6E Texan NX74108


1941-1945 Ranger V-770 (aircraft engine). Supercharged, air-cooled, inverted V-12, 4" (101.6mm) by 5.125" (130.2mm), 773cu.in. (12.6liter). 2 valves/cyl.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranger_V-770. During 1932 and 1933, Fairchild Aviation developed a 12-cylinder version of their six-cylinder design, known as the Ranger 6-390. This was an inverted, air cooled, engine with two rows of cylinders in a 60 degree V configuration. The new engine was designated the Ranger V-770. The initial horsepower was rated at 270 hp and evolved up to 575 hp. The major production use was the 520 hp version used in the Fairchild AT-21 twin engine trainer. During 1944, Fairchild proposed and the Air Force agreed to re-engine the AT-6 with the Ranger engine designated the XAT-6E. The concern was that there would be a shortage of the Pratt and Whitney engines and that most army fighters of the period were powered by inline engines (P-40, P-39, and P-51's). Even though the XAT-6E demonstrated increased performance, the war ended and there was now a surplus of AT-6's and the Air force was in the market for a new trainer design. Another reason given for not continuing the program was that the engine proved to be mechanically unreliable and a maintenance nightmare.

Below is the supposed Conversion AT-6A


Postwar AT-6A Ranger inline conversion N61269. Originally raced at Cleveland in 1947 as a single seater, it was later modified to carry a second seat in the back. Its a conversion and not an XAT-6E.

Here's a Replica which I believe was/is at Chino

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I found the last photo of the Ranger replica on the net while googling the XAT-6E. Photo was shot at Cable Airport in Upland, CA on Jan. 12, 2008 by John Shupek (Skytamer).

T J

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That is the Western Museum of Flight (formerly at Hawthorne Airport, now at Torrance) conversion that was done by Murdo Cameron (and others). The aircraft doesn't seem to be on their list of holdings now so maybe it was sold on to some entity at Cable.

As I recall, and i could be very wrong, this was one of the Swing Shift movie airframes recovered from Florida and converted into SBD lookalikes. At the time they were considered unsuitable for airworthy restorations due to corrosion.

http://www.starksravings.com/xat-6e/xat-6e.htm

https://www.airliners.net/photo/Untitle ... xan/612201