NA T-6G Texan,G-BKRA

[Paul J]

Another build of an aircraft I have flown in. This time Texan G-BKRA based at Shoreham. I had  two hours in this one!!!  What happened was I had gone to the Shoreham air show in September 1993. I was wandering along the crowd line and noticed a sign offering a flight in 'KRA to Duxford and back during the afternoons airshow at Shoreham. Price.... negotiable!!  I asked the man how much did the query mark equate to English pounds. Didn't give me a direct price but asked me how much I would pay. Knowing it would be a lot I said I don't have any money that would pay for it. He said come back later and we;ll see if we can come up with a price. I went back later and he still didn't have any takers and said to me the best they could do was £180.00 for the round trip!!! I said nice but still could not afford it. The answer came back with "...we take credit cards!..."..  Well ... to cut it short mine made its way to his machine flying out my wallet!  I thought "Oh S***! What Have I done?!"  A departure time was arranged, I was ushered through  a gap in the barrier and before I knew it was being briefed and strapped in the back seat . We made our departure just before the fliyng display was due to start and headed east towards Kent and then over the Thames, Essex where cleared Stansted zone, did a few aeros and made our way to Duxford for a run and break then landed. I spent the afternoon going round the collection before meeting back at the tower and prepared for the return flight. To cut the story  short a bit I had a air bit of stick time in both directions and a splendid afternoon. Did I enjoy it??? What do you think!?  Was it worth it? You bet!!!  Definitely a chance in a lifetime for me at the time.... but little did I know that in 2000  I went up in another over Florida... but thats a another story for my GB on Radials.

 

And so, back to my model. I thought it about time I built a kit of KRA and I used the Academy kit as it seems to be the only decent choice available in 1/72nd. The kit has been in my stash for a few years and now its done.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the blue I used Humbrol No.14 French Blue,( Very close and accurate enough for my model!) Humbrol 24 Gloss yellow.  Decals are all basically Microscale for the star and bars and a recently purchased set for the tiny serials on the fin... each digit applied separately... and the 'NAVY' titles from the RAN section of Xtradecal Sea Fury set. The number 10 on nose and fin top are Modeldecal. Not quite US style or accurate but its all I could find at the right size!!  I need to add antenna behind the cockpit but not sure of the configuration at the time of my flight as I have seen pics on line and in my old copy of Flypast with a feature on the subject showing the 'football shaped DF loop at one point in time and another without but with a swept forward whip aerial.  I do have some of my own pics taken at the time I went up but need to find them as they are in a box with hundreds of my print photos!!

 

 

 

 

 

[kapam]

Looks great!

I rather like the plain-and-practical look of the Texan/Harvard aircraft.

Looking at your build, I am reminded of the "Tora, Tora, Tora!" film - I think Texans stood in for "Kate" torpedo bombers in that movie.

[glatisant]

Top class build.Great colour scheme.

[RidgeRunner]

On ‎13‎/‎08‎/‎2017 at 9:57 PM, Paul J said:

£180.00 for the round trip!!!

 

a bargain! I've been lucky enough to have two flights in Harvards with friends/owners - G-CTKL with Gavin Keegan and G-BDAM with Norman Lees. Both were great experiences

 

Martin

Edited August 24, 2017 by RidgeRunner
typos

[Meatbox8]

A terrific looking Harvard/Texan.  A nice idea to make models of aircraft you have actually flown although, for me, with the exception of half an hour in a Tiger Moth it would mainly consist of Blahniks, Slingsby T.21s and the odd Rallye.  Can you tell me whether this kit can be used to build a post-War Royal Navy or RAF example without too much fuss?

[cngaero]

What a great little story and a great model.

It's a real eye catcher.

[Paul J]

19 hours ago, Meatbox8 said:

A terrific looking Harvard/Texan.  A nice idea to make models of aircraft you have actually flown although, for me, with the exception of half an hour in a Tiger Moth it would mainly consist of Blahniks, Slingsby T.21s and the odd Rallye.  Can you tell me whether this kit can be used to build a post-War Royal Navy or RAF example without too much fuss?

I think it might be possible if you pick a scheme that suits the short American style canopy. But the kit  canopy lacks the frames in the side panels and not sure if any Royal navy ones were so configured. But the could be easily depicted with fine decal stripes as I use y

[Alpha Delta 210]

Hi Paul. For some reason, I can't see the pictures.

[Paul J]

17 minutes ago, Alpha Delta 210 said:

Hi Paul. For some reason, I can't see the pictures.

I couldn't see them either But can now. Those Gremlins at it again.

[Alpha Delta 210]

Very nice Harvard. I took a Texan flight in Kissimmee some years ago, and planned to make a model of the aircraft, but never got around to it....

[Paul J]

1 hour ago, Alpha Delta 210 said:

Very nice Harvard. I took a Texan flight in Kissimmee some years ago, and planned to make a model of the aircraft, but never got around to it....

Like wise. My trip was in 2000. The subject being my other radial entry in the Radial GB.

[Bristow95]

Lovely. What a great finish. Always liked the old Texan.