1952 North American NA-50
Total time since restoration: 55 hours
All New Glass - Smoked
Engine Specs:
Engine since Overhaul (tulsa a/c) 55 hours prop:
3 Bladed Prop since a.D. 0 Hours
Modifications/conversions:
Ground up restoration including: sandblasted fuselage tubing, primed, and painted with epoxy. Stripped tail cone and painted. Hydraulic system overhauled and new hydraulic lines installed. All new wiring, circuit breakers, and switching panels. All instruments new or yellow tagged and installed with new hardware and plumbing. New horizontal stabilizers, elevators and rudder installed. All control surfaces covered with ceconite. Installed hydraulic retractable tail wheel and plumbing. Stripped center section and painted zinc chromate. Replaced tank padding. Pressure tested fuel tanks, painted and reinstalled with new hardware. Overhauled landing gear and modified axles to accept wildcat wheels. Fabricated new gear doors and wheel fairings. Overhauled flap cylinder and installed with new rollers and plumbing. Fabricated new side panels and flush riveted. Installed new one piece windshield and single pane sliding canopies. Fabricated turtle deck to conform to na50 shape. Installed new auxillary fuel cell (30 gallon), hoses, and hardware. Installed all new stainless steel cables. Modified oil tank for inverted flight. Installed electric boost pump, electric primer, aluminum oil cooler. Fabricated new cowling incorporating an inner liner.
Avionics/radios:
• Dynon D-10A display
• Garmin SL30 Nav/Comm plus the Becker Comm.
• PS pm4000 Audio Panel
• Xcom with Remote Head
• Becker mode C Transponder
• Air gismo with 496 Garmin tied into Dynon, Display, Shows Weather, Winds Aloft, etc.
• JPI FS450 fuel flow tied to Dynon Display
• ADC Oil Filter with Bypass Lite
• Artex ME406 ELT
• King ka134 Audio Panel
• King kx155 Nav Com
• King ky96a Com
• King kt76a Transponder with Encoder
• Apollo 604 Loran
• 2 Place Intercom
• Digital Fuel Flow Computer
• Digital volt/amp Meter
Additional equipment:
• Outstanding Restoration
• Redline Brakes
• Geared 1340-61 Engine
• 3 Bladed Prop
• Fuel capacity: 170 gallons
• 2 Place built in Oxygen
• Cockpits Insulated
• Hooker Harness
• Dual Cockpits and Controls
• Wingtip Strobes
Easy plane to maintain and fly, cruises at 180 knots and holds
170 gallons of fuel @30 per hour. 900 nautical mile range.
Price $225,000 obo.
The North American NA-50 was developed in the late 1930’s as a light fighter for export. North American built 6 for the Peruvian Air Force which were delivered in 1939. The type saw action in 1942 when there was a brief conflict between Peru and Ecuador. It is believed that the 50 was in service in Peru until 1950.
The NA-50 design was based upon the NA-16 trainer. The NA-16 was eventually developed into the AT-6 “Texan” (US Army Air Corp) , the SNJ (US Navy version) and also the Harvard Mk. I through IV (license built in Canada). Depending on which variants you include, it appears that something between 17,000 and 20,000 AT-6/SNJ/Harvard’s were built (into the early 1950’s) and these aircraft have trained more pilots than any other trainer.
Sadly, only one NA-50 survives. It is mounted on a stand at the entrance to the Peruvian Air Force complex in Peru.
A further development of the 50 became the P-64. A batch of these were slated to go to Siam (Thailand) but they never made it. It turns out that they were in transit to Siam when WWII broke out and the US Government confiscated them and they were refitted for training purposes. One of these survives and is on display at the EAA Museum in Oshkosh, WI.
This replica NA-50 was fabricated from a 1952 Canadian built Harvard Mk. IV. The wings were shortened by over 4 feet (to 38’ wing span), the ailerons were modified and the center flap removed. The landing gear was modified to use Grumman Wild Cat wheels and a Pratt & Whitney R1340-61 engine fitted with a Hamilton Standard 3 blade propeller was installed. This engine is geared and has a 10:1 ratio super charger which develops over 630hp at sea level. It burns about 30gph in cruise, which is about 175mph. This aircraft weighs about 5300lbs and holds 170 gallons of fuel. It can do many aerobatic maneuvers and has a top speed of 250mph. One unique feature is the retractable tail wheel – not typical of the early North American designs.
The original armament was two .30 Caliber Colt-Browning machine guns.
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