Need header image for Texan/SNJ AND Harvard

[Scott Rose]

I'm working on a side project for the site and I need three images for the headers of three sections. The images needed are of a Texan, an SNJ, and a Harvard.
The image should be similar to this one for the main site.


You can attach them here or send them to


Thanks!

[ErrolC]

Here's an ex-RNZAF Harvard, registered as a Texan in Australia, marked as an SNJ?

Just kidding, some candidate Harvards emailed

Sort of Navy by Errol Cavit, on Flickr

[mazdaP5]

[Warbirdnutta]

[Aeronut]

I still shudder at the memory of seeing this happen. Yes it did survive and it still flies.

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[Stoney]

[Hooligan2]

Aeronut, I was thinking of that image of the T-6 and the parachute when looking at this thread earlier - I think Mike Brooke tells the story of what happened for he was flying it?

[bdk]

Check your email!

[Aeronut]

Yes he was. I certainly learnt more about trials flight planning that day.
This is what it looked like after Mike switched the engine off.

[Noha307]

I still shudder at the memory of seeing this happen. Yes it did survive and it still flies.

For the unfamiliar, could someone explain the circumstances of this picture? It sounds like an interesting story.

[Hooligan2]

KF183 was operated by the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at Boscombe Down (until 2016!) and was being used a camera ship during some drop tests (out of the back of a Herc?) - some form of miscommunication occurred and while the Harvard was right behind the drop aircraft they were suddenly confronted with the chute and its load. Think the pic shows the aircraft breaking right, but it may be from underneath. Mike Brooke landed the aircraft safely back at Boscombe Down, don't think there was much damage, perhaps a laundry bill though! I imagine the load, whatever it was, suffered catastrophic damage! This was 1980s or 90s I think.

Edit: just noticed Aeronut's second post, he'll be able to give a far more accurate account!

[yak18pilot]

Here's two photos taken by my friend Lee Hinckley of a T-6G on a sunset flight that might help...

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IMG_2384[1].jpeg (17.72 KiB) Viewed 1701 times

IMG_2465[1].jpeg (21.87 KiB) Viewed 1701 times

[Aeronut]

The Harvard incident was one of the first Service trials of a system I had conducted development trials for. Therefore I was just an interested observer at the range control.
The drop was originally briefed as two stores with a stick of following paratroops but due to the wind being out of limits for the parachutists the plan was changed whilst the aircraft were in the circuit to just the two stores but with a change of direction to the run in to the reciprocal of that originally briefed. This was where the confusion began with Mike Brookes getting it into his head that it was now just going to be a single load.
As the drop took place Mike had eyes only for the first load out and therefore hadn't seen the second one leave the Herc when he commenced the turn to orbit the first load. The Photographer in the rear seat (Pete James) realised there was to be a second load but having dropped his Oxygen mask to be able to control his video camera he was unable to contact Mike to warn him before the Harvard hit the developing canopies of the second load.
For me on the ground I stood looking on in horror as the Harvard burst through the parachutes of the first load out, I then heard the Army officer (whose trial it was and who had agreed the change of plan) who had been watching the second load out and now observed that the first load's parachutes were somewhat damaged, "Oh one of the parachutes has burst". My reply was "the expletive Harvard flew through it".
I watched the Harvard as it turned towards Boscombe Down, fully expecting it to not make it, but as it appeared it would make it I drove back to Boscombe at speeds well in excess of the limits, getting back to the apron just as the Harvard's engine was switched off.
In the photo of the engine the only real damage to the airframe can be seen. There is a small square repair patch on the cowling and one corner had been peeled back stripping the rivet. Molten nylon also adhered to the cowling and wing leading edges which was easily cleaned off and parachute rigging lines were wrapped around the propellor and patches of fabric were clinging to the wings (I still have one). As a precaution the aircraft was given a Major servicing to see if there was any hidden damage.
By the way, the store survived undamaged, it was a Supacat ATMP rigged on a redundant ULLA (LAPES) pallet, suspended on three SC15 parachutes and weighed 6000lb. The Harvard took the apex out of one parachute which didn't develop, damaged a second which did develop to some extent and left the third undamaged.
I still say that the Harvard hitting those parachutes was the loudest bang I've ever heard that didn't use explosives.

[Neal Nurmi]

This is one of our more interesting and entertaining thread drifts in a while...

Nice airplane in that picture, Stoney!

This perhaps my all time favourite T-6 paint scheme.

Neal

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[Matt Gunsch]

The Blue T-6 is the REAL N2757G, please remove the photo that is wrong

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