>> **** DONE: 1/48 HARVARD MK.IV - Prototype / Weird Aircraft / Trainers

[fubar57]

Username: Fubar57
First name: George
Category: Advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Italeri

My entry to this build is an RCAF kite from the Goldilocks Aerobatic Team based out of RCAF Station Moose Jaw (Sask).
The team was formed in 1962 and were designed as a parody of the famous "Golden Hawks" team. In 1964, with the conversion of pilot training to new Tutor jet trainers, the "Goldilocks" were disbanded. My boy is #406...

 

[fubar57]

Box, innards and decals

 

[Wurger]

 

[T Bolt]

I knew it wouldn't be too long before I saw some form of AT-6

 

[fubar57]

Please Glenn....SNJ . Added the innards above. I built this kit before and don't remember any issue. The only problem was the green center of the Italian roundels had smeared and were unusable. Good for the spares box now

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice choice..

 

[Wurger]

I can see the rudder strips for a French kite. Judging by the colours you could have used them for repairing of these on the Corsair tail. Just cut off a proper rectangle with them.

 

[Robert Porter]

Found these, the black and white photos are from 1941 to 1942, the color photo is from 1954.

 

[Robert Porter]

This page has lots of good info and a walk around. North American T-6 Texan – Walk Around

 

[Crimea_River]

Good one Geo.

 

[Airframes]

Good one Geo.
Check your e-mails later, as I'll send you the Squadron Signal book, which has a selection of pics of the various Navy birds.

 

[chuter]

Wow - that wreck in post 8 was a groundloop with high power (forward bent prop blade). That must have been exciting! Flaps down would indicate a short field takeoff attempt or a landing with judicious throttle added to try to recover an impending swing. Regardless, it cartwheeled.

 

[CATCH 22]

If anyone can find a photo of the kite I'd appreciate it. I search the web and my books and all I could find is a modern warbird in this colour scheme. I'll put a model I've found here in the meantime.

Fubar, tail code JH stays for Utility squadron VU-10. IMHO this SNJ is not a trainer.
Quote:1946 = Target tugs had wings, fin and stabilizer painted chrome yellow with ailerons, rudder, elevator and cowling, as well as as a three-foot wide band on each wing, in bright red.
The colours are of a target tug, drone director or some other kind of utility plane. GTMO (pronounced GITMO) stays for Guantanamo Bay Naval Base/Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
BuNo12508 is probably wrong for this type - BuNos 12492-12991 were given to SNV-1 Valiant.
Below are photos of several restored Texans/SNJs in the same utility scheme, but with different tail codes and some showing VC-10/VU-10 on the fuselage:

I'm almost getting the feeling that all SNJs/Texans were sent to Guantanamo Bay!
One must be careful with restored a/cs, their markings, new designations etc. Sometimes models and decals are loosely based on restored planes never used in action or on restored a/cs that never served with the unit they are depicting. It is possible that the above shown SNJs and Texans in SNJ "skin" are nice restorations only (whifs) but in fact they were never used in this specific role .
Below a photo of original Utility Squadron Ten planes:

For more information about VU-10 see this page.
More a/c types at GTMO here.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys and thanks for the info CATCH 22. I've got several other options to chose from

 

[at6]

You beat me to it Fubar. Instead of the Italeri kit I was going to use the Monogram SNJ with the same decals. Don't forget to consider shimming the rudder and stabilizer as the mold is roughly 40 thousandths short.

 

[at6]

I knew it wouldn't be too long before I saw some form of AT-6

The most beautiful plane ever designed.

 

[mikewint]

Going to be a colorful bird Geo....looking forward to your build

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys. Technically, as CATCH 22 pointed out it's a target tug and a quick check with Joe Baugher's site confirms this is a fictitious s/n, at least for this aircraft

 

[Robert Porter]

Would these be of interest for your project? Amazon product ASIN B071YWTBBRView: https://www.amazon.com/CARCD48099-Caracal-Models-Decals-WATERSLIDE/dp/B071YWTBBR/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1494556920&sr=8-5&keywords=1%3A48+SNJ

 

[fubar57]

Perhaps Robert....perhaps