VINTAGE FLYING MACHINES
FLYING MUSEUM
SNJ & AT-6 Texan
The North American AT-6/SNJ was the primary advanced trainer utilized by the United States during World War Two. USAAF operated aircraft were designated the AT-6 and Navy aircraft were designated SNJ. They With over 15,000 built it is one of the most prolific trainers ever built and was used by numerous nations postwar with the South
African Air Force finally retiring them in 1995.
Vintage Flying Machines has two Texans a AT-6D and an SNJ-5. One aircraft was provided to the Spanish Air Force following World War Two and was used for ground attack in the Sahara during the 1970s. Returned to the United States in 1982 it went through number of civilian owners before being obtained by VFM. VFM is always
looking for a unique way sto tell the story of our airplanes. A chance discovery on social media captured the collection’s interest. In 2024 it was painted to represent an AT-6D assigned to the 362 nd Fighter Group, 378 th Fighter Squadron based at Allied airfield R-10, near Illesheim, Germany. In many cases fighter units in the European
Theater were assigned squadron ‘hacks’ such as Texans to assist with logistics. On May 4, 1945 1 st Lt. Colonel James Rippin of the 377 th Fighter Squadron of the 362 nd FG was flying with Major Griffiths over the German countryside near Dietfurt when they encountered a German Fiesler Storch. Griffiths had a .45 with him and forced it to land on swamp ground. Rippin then circled the a nearby town to direct Allied troops to capture the three occupants. The pair received a kill credit for the encounter.
Our second Texan is a former South African Air Force aircraft. Because of embargos on military aircraft the SAAF used T-6s until 1995 for training. They also performed combat operations against insurgents in neighboring countries. The SAAF extensively
modified the aircraft’s cockpits and avionics suites during the last few years of their use. This VFM Texan is painted in 1950’s Air National Guard colors.