Tora Tora Tora aircraft list

[Scott Rose]

Does anybody have a list of the aircraft used in Tora Tora Tora?

[BennoT6]

This might be a start, at least for the Harvards/Texans :

Type C/N (model + seq.nr.) Previous identities
Texan, North American SNJ-5 121 -41736 44-81014, Bu 90950, N3239G, N1689C
Texan, North American T-6G-NT 168 - 113 49- 3009, N2819G
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 271 51-14584, 72-0151(JapAF), N6522
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 307 51-14620, 72-0159(JapAF), N6524
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 362 51-14675, 72-0164(JapAF), N6526
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 366 51-14679, 72-0165(JapAF), N6529
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 393 51-14706, 72-0168(JapAF), N6520
Texan, North American SNJ-4 88 -13171 Bu 27675, N7062C
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -14446 Bu 51698, N7986C
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -15757 41-34527, Bu 43766, N3242G
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -16686 42-84905, Bu 84875, N3725G
Texan, North American SNJ-5C 88 -17652 42-85871, Bu 90654, N6438D, N621BC, N6438D
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -17780 42-85999, Bu 90712, N7130C
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 16 20225(RCAF), N15796
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 20 20229(RCAF), CF-UVN, N1264
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 23 20232(RCAF), N2048
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 83 20292(RCAF), N2047
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 104 20313(RCAF), N15795
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 117 20326(RCAF), N15799
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 153 20362(RCAF), N15798, ZK-ZRO, VH-ZRO, N700JR
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 158 20367(RCAF), CF-URH, N9097
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 171 20380(RCAF), CF-WWS, N7757
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 199 20408(RCAF), N15797
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 215 20424(RCAF), CF-WPN, N7754
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 241 20450(RCAF), N4447
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 264 20473(RCAF), N296W, N60DJ

[aerovin]

A complete list is available in Simon Beck’s The Aircraft-Spotter’s Film and Television Companion.

[Matt Gunsch]

A complete list is available in Simon Beck’s The Aircraft-Spotter’s Film and Television Companion.

it has a great photo of a TBM on the cover, but that is because I took it..... It is a very good book, and not just because of the cover shot.

[bomberfan]

Scott, I saw a list in a magazine a while ago while I was browsing at a book book store. I took photos of the pages, so I have the list. Give me a day or so to pull it up on the computer and I'll try my best to either type it out or post the photos of the pages.

[Scott Rose]

This might be a start, at least for the Harvards/Texans :

Type C/N (model + seq.nr.) Previous identities
Texan, North American SNJ-5 121 -41736 44-81014, Bu 90950, N3239G, N1689C
Texan, North American T-6G-NT 168 - 113 49- 3009, N2819G
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 271 51-14584, 72-0151(JapAF), N6522
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 307 51-14620, 72-0159(JapAF), N6524
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 362 51-14675, 72-0164(JapAF), N6526
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 366 51-14679, 72-0165(JapAF), N6529
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 393 51-14706, 72-0168(JapAF), N6520
Texan, North American SNJ-4 88 -13171 Bu 27675, N7062C
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -14446 Bu 51698, N7986C
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -15757 41-34527, Bu 43766, N3242G
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -16686 42-84905, Bu 84875, N3725G
Texan, North American SNJ-5C 88 -17652 42-85871, Bu 90654, N6438D, N621BC, N6438D
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -17780 42-85999, Bu 90712, N7130C
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 16 20225(RCAF), N15796
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 20 20229(RCAF), CF-UVN, N1264
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 23 20232(RCAF), N2048
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 83 20292(RCAF), N2047
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 104 20313(RCAF), N15795
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 117 20326(RCAF), N15799
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 153 20362(RCAF), N15798, ZK-ZRO, VH-ZRO, N700JR
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 158 20367(RCAF), CF-URH, N9097
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 171 20380(RCAF), CF-WWS, N7757
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 199 20408(RCAF), N15797
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 215 20424(RCAF), CF-WPN, N7754
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 241 20450(RCAF), N4447
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 264 20473(RCAF), N296W, N60DJ

Thanks Benno!

[Jerry O'Neill]

This might be a start, at least for the Harvards/Texans :

Type C/N (model + seq.nr.) Previous identities
Texan, North American SNJ-5 121 -41736 44-81014, Bu 90950, N3239G, N1689C
Texan, North American T-6G-NT 168 - 113 49- 3009, N2819G
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 271 51-14584, 72-0151(JapAF), N6522
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 307 51-14620, 72-0159(JapAF), N6524
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 362 51-14675, 72-0164(JapAF), N6526
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 366 51-14679, 72-0165(JapAF), N6529
Texan, North American T-6G-1-NH 182 - 393 51-14706, 72-0168(JapAF), N6520
Texan, North American SNJ-4 88 -13171 Bu 27675, N7062C
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -14446 Bu 51698, N7986C
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -15757 41-34527, Bu 43766, N3242G
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -16686 42-84905, Bu 84875, N3725G
Texan, North American SNJ-5C 88 -17652 42-85871, Bu 90654, N6438D, N621BC, N6438D
Texan, North American SNJ-5 88 -17780 42-85999, Bu 90712, N7130C
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 16 20225(RCAF), N15796
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 20 20229(RCAF), CF-UVN, N1264
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 23 20232(RCAF), N2048
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 83 20292(RCAF), N2047
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 104 20313(RCAF), N15795
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 117 20326(RCAF), N15799
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 153 20362(RCAF), N15798, ZK-ZRO, VH-ZRO, N700JR
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 158 20367(RCAF), CF-URH, N9097
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 171 20380(RCAF), CF-WWS, N7757
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 199 20408(RCAF), N15797
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 215 20424(RCAF), CF-WPN, N7754
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 241 20450(RCAF), N4447
Harvard 4, Canadian Car & Foundry CCF4- 264 20473(RCAF), N296W, N60DJ

FYI Scott,
There are more T-6/SNJ's & Harvards used in the film than just these.
30 Tora birds, including the BT-13 Vals, were built in the U.S. alone (some numbers point to 32 total with some unexplained corroboration from watching the film. 12 Zeroes, 9 Kates and 9 Vals were built in the U.S.)
In Japan there were upwards of 25-27 reported used, five of which were modified to the Tora Kate standards, and only one Tora Zero fully modified that was never a flyer. The rest were straight T-6's, painted as Zeros or Kates with no movie mods except their wings were cut to make them "fold". The Kates in Japan were flyers, though only three are seen airborne in the film. The fourth was used in the studio for process shots and the fifth, on the Akagi carrier scenes.
Then there were the three P-40's, 5 B-17's, an SBD, five PBY's and a sixth PBY that was a flyer. One B-25 modified with a single tail, one OS2U Kingfisher replica and 27 Replica P-40's built to blow up.
I have been putting together a more detailed list of the Tora birds, trying to really narrow down the different reported numbers, but I've slowed a bit due to the Holiday!
Jerry

[Chris Brame]

Then there were the three P-40's

Three? I know there were two flyers, was there a third that didn't end up getting used for some reason and was replaced?

[Paul Stroud]

Then there were the three P-40's

Three? I know there were two flyers, was there a third that didn't end up getting used for some reason and was replaced?

Apparently N94466 was loaned by John Paul but brought back by him when he found out it was being cannibalised for spares! Just found more info here (if it works)

https://www.key.aero/article/stars-big- ... -tora-tora

[Lon Moer]

Then there were the three P-40's

Three? I know there were two flyers, was there a third that didn't end up getting used for some reason and was replaced?

Apparently N94466 was loaned by John Paul but brought back by him when he found out it was being cannibalised for spares! Just found more info here (if it works)

https://www.key.aero/article/stars-big- ... -tora-tora

The link works, but you can't read the page if you're not a member....

[Paul Stroud]

Sorry about that, I am a member but didn't think it was behind a wall. There is a list of participating aircraft in the article but don't want to cut'n'paste in case of copyright; but when I get time I will type out the relevant parts of the list.

[Jerry O'Neill]

A complete list is available in Simon Beck’s The Aircraft-Spotter’s Film and Television Companion.

it has a great photo of a TBM on the cover, but that is because I took it..... It is a very good book, and not just because of the cover shot.

Matt,
Great book, BTW!
That same Avenger spent some time with the Simsbury Flying Service, a bug spraying outfit in Simsbury, CT. By the 70's, the fleet of about 8 TBM's was sold off, including the B-18 they were using. One TBM hulk remained until the early 80's when Len Tanner bought it. It ended up being used to replace Corky Meyers TBM that was burned in a hangar fire, so it's a flyer now, but under Meyers first TBM's paperwork.
Jerry