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Aircraft Details
- Price: Call for Price
- Year: 1951
- Make/Model: North American AT-6 Texan
- Registration Number: F-AZAU
- Power: Piston
- Engines: 1 Engine
- Class: WWII
- Listing ID: 3069266
- Partner ID: 55646
- Posted On: Jun 5, 2023
- Updated On: Mar 17, 2024
Description
This warbird is the very last and most advance T6 model of the T6 family, the T-6G, and is one of the few T-6 aircraft not worn out by the Algerian conflict. Not dismantled and reassembled from un-matching parts like most T6 were when sent to the front, she has kept hers original wings which provide her with perfect symmetry and in turn, great flight performance (Unlike most T6 she will not stall under load during aerobatic man uvres).
She was manufactured in the United States during World War II and rolled out of the North American factory in Dallas, TX, under the AT-6C-NT standard with the serial number 42-004151 (s/n 88-12371). After the conflict, she was registered under the U.S. civilian registry. In 1951, she returned to the manufacturer to be upgraded to the T-6G standard (s/n 182-800; serial number 51-15 113) in preparation for hers sale to the U.S. Air Force and subsequent deployment to Korea in 1952. In 1956, she was purchased by France as part of a batch and sent to Algeria. However, she was spared from the conflict by the General in charge of allocating these aircraft, who wanted to keep one for his own travels. As a result, she is one of the few T-6 aircraft not worn out by the Algerian conflict, and especially, that was not dismantled for storage and then reassembled from multiple airframes. After hers military career, she was registered in the French civilian registry (F-BNAU) and used by Air France for pilot training. Some years later, she changed hers registration to become a collector's aircraft (F-AZAU).
The camouflage is inspired by that of the 3rd Fighter Squadron of the AVG (Flying Tigers), whose emblem she also bears. The roundels are more or less those of the post-war USAF. This livery was applied for the needs of the filming of the movie "Apr s la Guerre," in which she briefly appears alongside hers brother in arms, the F-AZAS. Repainted in 1988, and flown regularly all around France, she has know only one owner since then.
Airplane time state:
Serial Number: 182-800
Registration: F-AZAU
Condition: Used
FlightRules: VFR
Based at: LFOI
Total Time: 4,710
Airframe: 4,710 Hours (+2,913:20 as AT-6C before retrofit in 1951)
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 7,930 TTSN 1,260 Hours SMOH
Propeller: Hamilton Standard 12D40-225 4,710 TTSN
Avionics
ADS-B Equipped: No
Avionics/Radios: Becker AR3201
Exterior
Painted in USAF paint scheme for a movie (1988)
Additional Features
Certificate of Airworthiness renewed on 19/06/2023 (with no remarks except resizing the registration stickers), valid until 18/06/2024
She still has a couple of years of flying but she will soon need an engine overhaul