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Thread: T-6 v. SNJ Tails

  1. #1

    T-6 v. SNJ Tails

    I've just finished reading Mac's latest article in Sport Aviation about T-6's. In that article he writes about the spin characteristics of the T-6/SNJ and mentions that there are several differences between the rudders and tail cones of the several variants.

    Can someone "in the know" post some photos that illustrate these differences?

    Much appreciated!

    -P

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    Take what you read in that article with a grain of salt or a large drop of Jet A.
    He also writes that wheel landings are the standard or norm. When these airplanes were the standard advanced trainer of our Army Air Corp or Navy as well as the RAF , the standard landing that was taught was a 3 point landing. It seems that a T-6 is one plane that will do either.
    I am not sure about the training in the RCAF, but I'd guess they taught 3 point landings also.
    I once was discussing types of landings, wheel or 3 point, with Jerry Billings, ex RAF Spitfire vet, Malta etc. and he said that in training if you could not make a 3 point landing in Spits, they sent you to fly and fight in P-40s which shortened your life expectancy somewhat.
    That would motivate me!

  3. #3
    There is a different rudder on SNJ 1,2 and I can't remember if the 3 had the same rudder. It was a carryover from the BC series the predicessoer to the T-6/SNJ. After that the T6/SNJ series airframes where the same with different equipment. One thing was the SNJ airspeed was in kts and the T-6 mph. I owned and flew a SNJ-6 for several years. It really wheel lands nice but it is more satisfying but takes more work and skill to do a good three point. I always landed it three point in a strong x wind. Too bad Mac didn't do any high AOA departure stalls or accelerated stalls. It would change his mind real quick about benign stall characteristics.
    Bill used to see you around at airshows in the 80s. I was usually in the SNJ or N3N and John Lane was in the SNJ or TBM. You flew the N3N with me at Salt Lake. Don

  4. #4

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    Don, thanks for the memories. I do recall getting a ride at Salt Lake #2 back when they had the show then. I sort of thought it was in the CAF Stearman, but may have been the Navy biplane. Thanks whichever it was.
    One of my most vivid memories from the SLC shows was when the Pitts hit the ground out of the bottom of a loop at over a 100 mph, bounced and cartwheeled and the pilot walked away. Were you there then and can you recall his name?

  5. #5
    That was Craig Hoskings and if you remember he had landing gear on the top wing and would land and take off inverted. They had a bunch of water contamination in the fuel the first day that year. I drained over a gallon out of the SNJ after fueling when I got there on Friday. Sure showed how stout a Pitts was built. Don

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jul 2011
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    Don , yes that was Craig. I never heard anything about water in the fuel, I just think he got too low.

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