Harvard Mk.Iib Cymru Am Byth, 1340 Flight, Royal Air Force, Kenya, 1955 (1:72)

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.

From 1952 to 1960 there was an uprising in Kenya trying to obtain independence from British colonialism. This group was referred to as Mau Mau and one term for the conflict is the Mau Mau Uprising. 1340 Flight was considered an anti Mau Mau flight responsible for bombing and machine-gunning Mau Mau and their hideouts in the densely wooded and difficult country. 1340 Flight was equipped with 12 Harvard II of which 4 were normally kept in reserve and 2 were usually being worked on. This left 6 aircraft that were flown by 8 pilots. During one September the 1340 Flight carried out 504 sorties dropping 3,974 bombs and 187,240 rounds of ammunition fired and all this was completed in 532 operational hours. While the Harvards were used they flew some 3,900 sorties. The uprising itself wasn't a military success for the Mau Mau but it did play a large part in Kenya achieving independence in 1963.

1340 Flight is an Independent Flight. An Independent Flight is an administrative structure used to command flying units that have a small number of aircraft and not large enough to be a squadron.

The armament of these Harvards was comparatively light, eight 19 lb fragmentation bombs that were deadly at close range and 450 rounds of 0.303 ammunition for a singlegun in the starboard wing.

SPECIFICATIONS (HARVARD MK II)

PERFORMANCE
Powerplant- Supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-1340-S3H1 radial piston engine, 600 hp @ 2250 rpm
Maximum Speed - 156 knots
Initial Climb Rate ' 1,359 ft/minute
Range - 740 miles
Endurance - 8 hours
Service Ceiling ' 22,000 ft
Fuel Consumption - 30 gallons/ hr @ 10,000 ft

WEIGHT
Empty - 3,995 lbs
Maximum take-off ' 5,750 lbs

DIMENSIONS
Length ' 8ft 11in
Wing Span - 42ft
Height - 9ft 9in