Texan in Florida — checker tailed North American T-6 at Kissimmee’s Gateway Airport
Texan in Florida — checker tailed North American T-6 at Kissimmee’s Gateway Airport
Reflecting on the North American T-6 Texan — photo by Joseph May
Dropping by an airfield or small airport can often be rewarding — often enough, to make things worth the while, where an unusual aircraft or one being restored cabn often be found. One I dropped into recently is the Kissimmee Gateway Airport when I was looking up Stallion 51 (paste the name into the search window and select ENTER to see a gorgeous flying P-51 Mustang) where my eye was caught by an attractive reflection. What was in the mirrored windows of a building was this North American T-6 (or AT-6) Texan which I spent a few moments photographing on a Chamber of Commerce day.
Note the round rear view mirror on the pilot’s right side canopy frame — photo by Joseph May
The Texan’s profile during a day in Florida — photo by Joseph May
Note the round rear view mirror for the pilot to view the passenger, a step each for pilot and passenger as well as the hula girl on the passenger’s dash — photo by Joseph May
Tow bar attached and relaxed on the flight line — photo by Joseph May
A HULA girl!…now there’s a pilot who loves life! …and probably has great rapport with those first-timers that he takes for rides!….Plane looks in beautiful condition! Had a ride in a Canadian Yale once..always thought they looked better with “pants”!!
…._great_ memories..thanks, Joe….
Yes, I thought the hula girl was fun, too
Thanks for pointing out the Yale — I was unaware, but looked it up and see it is an immediate ancestor of the Texan by North American. The spats are trés chic 