Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA1517 Swedish Air Force Sk.16 Harvard

Die-cast metal. Superb detailing in 1/72 scale. Pre-painted with pad applied markings. Fully assembled. Display stand included. Option to display model with wheels up or down. Minimum use of plastic. Very collectable

North American Aviation won a competition to build a basic trainer that would prepare pilots in over 50 countries for over 50 years. The design known as the T-6 has a variety of designations depending on the country that owned them and the model variant. The USAAC referred to them as AT-6 (Advanced Trainer) while the USN designated them SNJ. The British Commonwealth countries referred to them as Harvards. In all their variants there were 15,495 aircraft built.

In 1947 a pattern aircraft of the North American NA-16 was delivered to ASJA, the aircraft department of AB Svenska Jarnvagsverkstaderna or Swedish Railway Workshops Limited. The Swedish designation for the new aircraft became SK-14 to be used as an advanced trainer for the Swedish AF. For the next 10 years these aircraft were the primary training aircraft but the need for a more advanced trainer became evident. They needed an aircraft with retractable landing gear, variable-pitch prop and a larger engine. The solution came when the Swedish AF purchased 257 Harvard IIB also known as the Noorduyn AT-16ND. The new aircraft were given the Swedish designation SK 16 numbered 16001-16145 with the majority of them going to the Air Force Flight Academy (F 5) at Ljungbyhed. The aircraft were in service until 1972.

T-6G TEXAN (HARVARD)

Powerplant: 1 x 550 hp P&W R-1340-AN-1 piston engine Speed: 341kph, 212mph Range: 1,400km, 870miles Seats: 2 Length: 9.00m, 29ft 6in Span: 12.90m, 42.32ft Empty Weight: 1,886kg, 4,158lb Max T/O Weight: 2,550kg, 5,617lb Period of Service with SAAF: 1942 - 1995