North American P-64
by Paul Quinn
Title
North American P-64
Artist
Paul Quinn
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
The North American P-64 is often thought of as an export fighter version of the AT-6 Texan. This is the only surviving example, now owned and flown by the Experimental Aircraft Association or better known as the EAA. Shown here in a mock bombing run during a reenactment of a typical bombing run during WWII.
The P-64 started life as the NA-68, and first flew in September of 1940. It was designed as a low-cost fighter that could be sold for export. Seven NA-50s had been built for the Peruvian Air Force, and six NA-68s were produced for the Royal Thai Air Force, but were never delivered. Those six airplanes were confiscated mid-shipment around the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December of 1941, and their invasion of Thailand the following day. The NA-68s were stripped of their armament, redesignated P-64 (P for “pursuit”) and assigned to a training squadron in Arizona.
At the end of the war, these airplanes were flown to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for disposal and as luck would have it, someone spotted this one, bought it and used it for flight training and aerobatics flying. As a result of this perfectly timed purchase this aircraft was saved and is today, the only surviving example of its kind in the world.
Copyright 2019 Paul R Quinn All rights reserved
Fighter aircraft, WWII, rare aircraft, North American aircraft, aircraft, Oshkosh Airventure, Strafe, Strafing run, bombing run, explosion, experimental aircraft association, EAA, Oshkosh Airventure
Uploaded
October 8th, 2019
Embed
Share
Similar Images
Comments (110)
Recently Viewed
