G-TXAN was built in 1943 being one of approximately 5000 supplied to Britain and the Commonwealth Airforces during World War II. The Harvard was used by the Royal Air Force as a combat trainer for fighter pilots who would then go on to Spitfires and Hurricanes. Fitted with a Pratt and Whitney R-1340-AN1 Wasp, 9 cylinder radial engine producing 600 hp it is able to turn the propeller such that the tips reach supersonic speed thereby giving the distinctive Harvard rasp.

After delivery to the RAF, it went to the South African Air Force and thereafter, to the Portuguese Air Force. In South Africa it was converted for use as an advanced weapons trainer. The hard points for the weapons pylons and machine guns are still retained on the aircraft.

In 1978 the aircraft was sold to a private British collector who had the aircraft returned to an R.A.F training colour scheme and coded FX301. It is in this scheme that it appears today as a tribute to all the British and Commonwealth aircrews who trained on Harvard aircraft.

Mr Anthony Hodgson purchased the aircraft in 1989 and displayed it either individually or as a duo with the Beech C45H making for a unique sight and sound.

Broken Wing Aviation acquired the aircraft in January 2009.

G-TXAN was reluctantly sold in January 2011

Tech specs and history

Produced at the North American Aviation plant in Texas, NA-88 (NAA charge number) AT-6D NT (NAA designation), 41-33882/33897 (USAAF serial numbers) s/n 88-14716/14731(16 units) were delivered to RAF from July 22nd 1943 under the Lend-Lease scheme as Harvard III EX909/EX924 (RAF serial numbers)

This Harvard: 41-33888 (s/n 88-14722) went to RAF as Harvard III EX915

Then to the South African Air Force as 7439. (Click here for further details of SAAF service)

( A Harvard in SAAF colours)

In 1969 it was transferred to the Portuguese Air Force as 1502

(A Harvard in Portuguese Air Force colours)

To private ownership - Norfolk Aerial Spraying Ltd as G-JUDI Nov 17, 1978. It is not clear why, but it was painted as FX-301 (which was really a Canadian built AT-16 Noorduyn Harvard IIB – manufacturer’s serial number 14A-1604 / USAAF serial number 43-34718)

FX-301 wore FD-NQ for a period.

The aircraft still has some Portuguese instrument labels.

The registration was changed in 2009 from G-JUDI to G-TXAN.

Times as at December 2008:

Airframe – 1531.55 hours

Engine – 944.05 hours - Pratt & Whitney R.1340.AN1 (Wasp) s/n 326165

Propeller - 723.25 hours total (285.20 since o/h) - Hamilton Standard 12D40-305