AT-6 Texan ‘Little Warrior’ 1/72

The North American AT-6 Texan, known as the Harvard in the UK and the Commonwealth, is one of the most widely used training aircraft in the history of aviation. Developed in the 1930s, it served as the standard advanced trainer for the US Air Force and Navy throughout the Second World War and for many years afterwards. Thanks to their robust construction, acceptable flight characteristics and ease of maintenance, the Texans and Harvards spread practically all over the world — from Europe through the Middle East to Africa and Asia. In many countries, they outlasted the jet age and were even used, to a limited extent, in a direct combat role: as light attack and reconnaissance aircraft in local conflicts of the 1950s and 1960s.

The Special Hobby 1:72 scale kit is based on Academy moulds, supplemented by newly produced injection-moulded transparent cockpit parts covering various versions of the aircraft. The undercarriage is constructed using a combination of 3D-printed, resin and photo-etched parts, ensuring a faithful reproduction of details for various air forces. The decals offer five thematically varied options. Two US Air Force aircraft from the Korean War commemorate the deployment of the Texans in the role of gunnery trainers and reconnaissance aircraft during that conflict. The French aircraft from the Algerian War features a distinctive painted beast’s mouth on the fuselage — a typical example of combat livery that gave the aircraft a distinctive appearance. The Spanish Texan is armed with wing-mounted machine guns, demonstrating the aircraft’s adaptation for direct combat missions. The Syrian aircraft holds a special place: its rear gunner shot down an Israeli Avia S-199 (a Czechoslovakian derivative of the Messerschmitt Bf 109) — an episode from the First Arab–Israeli War of 1948, which ranks among the lesser-known but historically interesting engagements. The set is rounded off by an Israeli Harvard, which serves as a reminder of the role this type played in the early days of the Israeli Air Force.

For modellers, the kit offers a combination of attractive colour schemes and historically interesting stories. The 3D-printed underwing armament parts allow for a faithful representation of the armed variants, whilst the included photo-etched and resin parts further enhance the model’s overall level of detail. The kit does not include the paints or adhesives required for assembly.