Hobby Master 1/72 Harvard Mk 2 Trainer RNZAF NZ1050 Circa 1970's (HA1513)

Hobby Master 1/72 Harvard Mk 2 Trainer RNZAF NZ1050 Circa 1970's (HA1513) | Antics Online

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Hobby Master 1/72 Harvard Mk 2 Trainer RNZAF NZ1050 Circa 1970's (HA1513)
Harvard IIA Trainer NZ1050, RNZAF, circa 1970s

This aircraft is known by many names depending on what country used them and/or the variant of the same airframe. They were AT-6, Harvards, Yale, Texan, SNJ, Wirraway and a few others. These planes were fully aerobatic and could present the student pilot with some situations where he learned to do things correctly or else. These planes were the stepping stones to the more advanced Spitfires and Mustangs of this era. From the 1930s to the 1960s the Harvard was not limited to just the training role. It was also used as a combat aircraft and became part of almost every major power inventory. Like the Huey helicopter the Harvard had its own distinctive sound caused by the propeller tips going supersonic. NZ1050 was shipped to New Zealand in July 1943 and was assembled at RNZAF Station Hobsonville. It served with No.2 (Fighter) Operational Training Unit, at RNZAF Ohakea and became the 25th Mk IIA to be converted to Mk 2A* standards. Next it spent time at RNZAF Base Wigram as a trainer and eventually was stored in 1972. On the 20th of February 1973 the aircraft was converted to become instructional airframe INST207. The Air Force veterans raised funds and rescued the aircraft; painted it overall yellow training colors and mounted it as gate guard at former RNZAF Base Wigram that is now the RNZAF Museum. It received another yellow paint scheme with black 21 on it and a blue band. So instead of a new coat of wartime yellow paint, the Harvard was repainted in the familiar postwar Dove Grey and International Orange scheme that had graced Wigram's skies since the 1960's. NZ1050 would receive one last paint job. Instead of a new coat of wartime yellow it was repainted in the familiar postwar Dove Grey and International Orange scheme that had been so familiar over Wigram's since the 1960's. The aircraft made one more move, from the left side of the entrance to the museum to the right side and this made it more prominent.

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