North American SNJ-3 Texan – VN-3, US Navy, NAS Pensacola, FL, 1942 DISPLAYED

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA1511: North American SNJ-3 Texan of VN-3, US Navy, NAS Pensacola, FL, 1942

Length 5 inches Wingspan 7 inches

PLEASE NOTE: This is an imperfect ex display model. Comes with all parts. Paintwork has the odd imperfection which has been touched in but not in A1 condition. Photos of actual model.

In 1942 with the United States well into WWII the need for pilot training became a priority. Training Squadron Three (VN-3) was one of many units formed to fulfill this goal. It took up residence at Chevalier Field in Pensacola Florida. The detachment became VN3D8-a when in 1943 a second detachment of VN-3, VN3D8-b was formed at Saufley Field, 10 miles north of Pensacola. Both detachments eventually were transferred to one facility at Whiting Field in Milton Florida. VN-3 trained hundreds of pilots to replace those lost in battle and eventually to attain the numbers that would be needed for the big push to win the war. VN-3 was decommissioned in 1947 when the need for large numbers of new pilots diminished.

Designed as an entry for a 1937 USAAC “Basic Combat” aircraft competition, the T-6 was first flown on April 1, 1935. Several hundred T-6s were built before the advanced trainer designation, when it was modified for its role as a basic combat trainer. Nicknamed “the pilot maker,” the Texan had low cantilever wings and a long two seat cockpit, with the engine mounted at the extreme forward. It trained thousands of USAF pilots through the 1950s and remained in service with some nations well into the 1990s. More than 15,000 T-6s were manufactured, and the aircraft remains a familiar air show presence, with 350+ airworthy examples still in existence.