History:
This airplane is a T-6 “G” model rebuilt to new standards in 1951 by North American Aviation from WW-2 surplus T-6 parts. It was sold by NAA to the Italian Air Force where it served from 1951-1979. In 1982 it was refurbished by Dennis Buehn and flown in the southern California area by Robert Heckman. The plane was purchased by Chuck Bivenour in 1986 and moved to the Phoenix area where it was flown in a local T-6 formation flying squadron called the “Cactus Squadron” for many years. Chuck painted the airplane in its current scheme, which was his US Navy VU-7 squadron colors from the 1950’s. The “54” signifies the year Chuck received his Naval aviator’s wings from Pensacola. The plane was purchased in 2009 by Warbirds, LLC and remains at Deer Valley Airport in the Phoenix area. It is flown by Mike Pfleger in local formation flying clinics and airshows in the Southwest, and raced at Reno in 2011 as Race 54, “Midlife Madness.”
Registration Number | Date of Manufacture |
N1364J | 1951 |
Aircraft Role | Nickname |
Trainer | “Pilot Maker” |
Aircraft Type: | Wingspan: |
North American AT-6/SNJ/ Harvard | 42 feet .25 inches |
Overall length: | Empty weight: |
29 feet 6 inches | 4158 pounds |
Gross weight: | Fuel capacity: |
5300 pounds | 110 gallons/ 550 miles |
Oil capacity | Engine type: |
10 gallons | Single 600 hp Pratt & Whitney R1340 AN-1 radial piston engine |
Propeller type: | Max Speed |
Hamilton Standard 12D40 | 240 mph |
Rate of Climb | Cruise Speed |
155 mph | |
Service Ceiling | Number of Crew |
21,500 feet | Two |
Armament | Bomb Load |
None | None |
Number Built | Number Surviving |
13000 | 800+ |
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Restoration Images
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Printable QR Codes for: Mike Pfleger’s T-6, Reno Racer “Race 54″ “Midlife Madness”:
Please read before printing the Avery style labels
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