AT-6 Harvard in South African Service

A Pictorial History

by

Dave Becker and Winton Brent

African Aviation Series No. 1

In 1994 a seed was sown, to create an African Aviation Series, to cover the various facets of aviation in Africa. Book 1 – AT-6 Harvard in South African Service was the guinea-pig, and this series has now grown to 23 volumes, with many still to be published. This book (very much a pictorial) covers the history of the Harvard in South African Air Force service as well as in Southern Rhodesia Air Force service. It is A4, with 106 pages and includes 8 pages of colour. A detailed individual history of each Harvard listed is included. Sadly it was sold out many years ago, and only second-hand bookshops are likely to hold stock.

Colour schemes and special markings of the North American Harvard in service with the South African Air Force 1940 to 1995.

by Ivan Spring and Reg Rivers

A compact yet richly illustrated guide to the colour schemes carried by SAAF Harvards from the introduction into the SAAF in 1940 till their withdrawal from service in 1995. Colour and b/w photographs of Harvards both in service with the SAAF and in civil 'drab' make this book a definite 'must have' for any Harvard fan.

FACTA NOSTRA VIVENT “OUR DEEDS WILL LIVE”
MEMORIES FROM THE SOUTH AFRICAN AIR FORCE
CENTRAL FLYING SCHOOL 1922-1995
COMPILED BY
ANDREW EMBLETON

 ISBN 978-0-620-57807-3

This is a story about the South African Air Force Central Flying School in all its guises from its early days up to the end of the Harvard era in 1995. It covers a brief history of the school, the training methods and the aircraft. It looks at the first steps in a military aviation career, the “ab initio” period of selection and basic training. It does not cover the later advanced phases which are a vast field in their own right. It is about “pupes” and their instructors and is told by themselves in their own words. Commanding Officers have also added their memories. Finally, the author seeks, with the help of the SAAF Museum and Harvard Club, to trace the fate of the Harvard in retirement. The book contains over 300 photographs many of which are in glorious full colour.

“Here are precious memories, proud moments and hilarious histories. They are recalled mainly by some of South Africa’s magnificent men in their flying machines. All these, plus valuable illustrations, have been collected by writer-painter Andrew Embleton from graduates of SA’s famous air force flying school. His resulting portrait of that unique, internationally famous institution is a memorable and fitting one. More than that, his collage of real, soaring experiences should also lift the hearts of even the most pedestrian of general readers.” Harvey Tyson (author, columnist, former editor of The Star)

Published 2014

Click here to order from The Aviation Shop

FACTA NOSTRA VIVENT “OUR DEEDS WILL LIVE”
Volume 2
GOING AROUND AGAIN
MEMORIES FROM THE SAAF CENTRAL FLYING SCHOOL AND PUPILS COURSE ROLL CALL 1948-1995
COMPILED BY
ANDREW EMBLETON

ISBN 978-0-620-68094-3

Going Around Again is a sequel to the popular and well received first volume Facta Nostra Vivent and continues with personal stories from the South African Air Force Central Flying School from WWII through to the final retirement of that extraordinary training aircraft, the Harvard AT6.

The book includes memories from 24 Air School which was the first unit at Dunnottar where the Central Flying School was located for over 40 years.

For the historian and enthusiast alike the compiler has reconstructed the roll call of the pilots courses back to 1948, ending with the last Harvard course in 1994/5.

The book also contains 61 pages of colour which includes: course badges, paintings by well-known artists and interesting photographs of people and events. There are numerous other black and white photographs throughout the text covering some of the magnificent history of the SAAF “ab initio” flying school.

This is a book for men who trained at the flying school and for those who have a love of old aircraft and flying in general.

“Here is a thin slice of headline history, re-visited just in time, as data and personal information fade into oblivion. Volume Two is the author’s completed part of a meticulous record of ‘the chosen few’ who were carefully selected over a period of nearly 50 years and trained to fly.

Some were pilots who earned the nation’s highest honour. Many reached the top ranks in their chosen later life. All were ‘interesting characters’ with great stories to tell. Some of those stories are here, and make good reading. More significant, however, are the hundreds of names listed, the details hunted down for the record, and the added memories. The collection of pictures of the hardy Harvard aircraft and the lists of pupil pilots painstakingly collected here, are priceless. The recorded memories, with their laughter, are ‘the right stuff’ for a movie. A fitting encore for the “CFS Boys”.

A fine piece of history concerning the skills and valour of an elite school of defenders of freedom who doubled as rescuers from floods, shipwrecks and similar peacetime tragedies in South Africa.”

Harvey Tyson (author, columnist, former editor of The Star)

Published in 2016

T-6 Texan

The Immortal Pilot Trainer

William Jesse

T-6 Texan in Action

Aircraft Number 94

Squadron signal publications

Pilot's notes for Harvard 2B

North American NA-16/AT-6/SNJ

(WarbirdTech Series Volume 11)

Dan Hagedorn

T-6 a pictorial record of the Harvard, Texan and Wirraway

Peter C Smith

The AT-6 Harvard

Len Morgan

Famous Aircraft Series

The Harvard File

John F. Hamlin

An Air-Britain Publication

Back in the dark days of 1938, the British Government under Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain at last woke up to the inevitability of conflict with Germany and the need to build up very rapidly a Royal Air Force which would stand a chance of dealing with the situation. The British aircraft industry was, not surprisingly, quite unable to cope with the high volume output suddenly and belatedly demanded of it, and it was therefore decided that aircraft of certain categories should be procured in the United States of America.

To carry out this plan, the British Purchasing Commission was armed; it left for Washington in April 1938, complete with a budget of $25 million, which is not much in the aviation world now but was a great deal then. The first of the three aircraft types which the BPC selected that year was an advanced trainer, the North American NA-49.

By the time the BPC placed their order more than 400 aircraft had already rolled off the production line for the USAAC, as well as many for export. No major problems were expected, therefore, when the first aircraft, serialled N7000, arrived in England and was taken on charge at the Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath on 3 December 1938 so that a programme of testing could be carried out and Pilots' Notes prepared.

So began the long life-story of the Harvard in British military service, a story which has by no means ended yet. In 'The Harvard File' the Author has restricted himself to dealing with the histories of the 4760 Harvards which carried British military serial numbers.

Harvard! The North America Trainers in Canada

David C Fletcher and Doug MacPhail

Reprint of the official government pilots handbook for the AT-6C, SNJ-4 and British Harvard IIA models. Describes aircraft, cockpit control and aircraft systems, operating instructions and flight data and charts, emergency operations, and equipment.

Foreward by Leo Kohn on history and development of AT-6 along with photos. 67 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.
#0001415