North American NA-64 Yale

NA-64/NA-64 P-2/Yale I
Restored North American NA.64 Yale at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario
Role Trainer
Manufacturer North American Aviation
First flight 12 February 1940[1]
Introduction 1940
Retired 1 October 1946 (RCAF)[1][2]
1949 (Armee de l'air)
Status museum/warbird
Primary users Royal Canadian Air Force
Armée de l'Air & Aeronavale
Luftwaffe
Produced 1940
Number built 230
Developed from North American BT-14
Developed into North American Harvard

The North American NA-64 (NA-64 P-2 or NAA-64 P-2 in French service, Yale in Canadian service) is a low-wing single piston engine monoplane advanced trainer aircraft that was built for the French Armée de l'Air and Aeronavale and served with the Royal Canadian Air Force and Luftwaffe as a captured aircraft or Beuteflugzeug during World War II.

Design and development

Ordered as a follow-on to the NA-57 as a two-seat advanced trainer, the NA-64 P-2/NAA-64 P-2 represented a major structural improvement, with a longer all-metal fuselage replacing the fabric covered fuselage of the NA-57. As well as metal skin replacing the fabric on the fuselage, the fin was changed from having a corrugated skin to being a smooth stressed skin structure and was moved slightly aft, lengthening the rear fuselage while the engine was moved forward to maintain the center of gravity. The rudder was also changed from the rounded shape used previously to one with a roughly triangular shape with the broadest part being at the bottom to improve handling at high angles of attack. In one respect however, it was a step backwards from its immediate predecessor, the BT-14, with which it is often confused, in that the earlier straight wings were used with the result that in RCAF service, when compared to the later and more powerful Harvard II it was flown alongside, it had different handling characteristics and lower performance.[3]

Operational history

France

French Air Force NAA-64 in service after World War 2, in French controlled Morocco with a replacement rudder.

The NA-64 P-2 was built for the French Armée de l'Air and Aéronavale in 1939–1940, which ordered 200 and 30 respectively. Of these, 111 had been delivered before France surrendered to the Germans after the Battle of France.[2] In France, the NA-64, like the NA-57 before it, was known as the North,[4] and was designated as NAA-64 P-2 (abbreviated from North American Aviation modèle 64 perfectionnement, 2 places (North American Aviation model 64 advanced trainer, 2 seats)[4]) but were sometimes attached to reconnaissance units. A small number escaped the Germans to be used by the Vichy French Air Force. Two examples in North Africa survived into the postwar years, having been operated alongside NA-57s, the last only being retired in 1949.

Canada

RCAF Yale shortly after being taken on strength as an intermediate trainer, at Camp Borden.

The remaining 119 undelivered aircraft were bought up by the British Purchasing Commission and transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) for the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan between August and September 1940,[2] and all were operational by November[5] The type was named the Yale Mk.I[note 1] following British naming practice of naming trainers after education institutions and US-supplied aircraft after American locations, in this case, Yale University, and were used initially as intermediate pilot trainers taking pilots from the de Havilland Tiger Moth and Fleet Finch to the much faster and more complex North American Harvard,[4] until this category was dispensed with as being unnecessary. They were then relegated for use as airborne wireless radio trainers, along with the contemporary Fleet Fort intermediate trainer in 1943.[6][7] Prior to service entry, the throttle and engine mixture controls were modified from the system used by the French whereby the throttle was pulled back to increase power, and the mixture control pulled back to lean out the mixture, to the system used on the Harvard.[5] The Yale appeared in the movie Captains of the Clouds. The RCAF sold all surviving examples off as scrap in 1946 but over 30 survive today as a result of a large number of them being bought surplus by a single farmer, with about 15 currently in airworthy condition.

Germany

The NAA-64s captured from the French were used by the German Luftwaffe for all types of flight training, from basic flying to advanced fighter tactics. Dive bomber schools and target tug units and even combat squadrons all used the NAA-64, as they were designated by the Luftwaffe, from the tail markings of the French examples. At least one was used by the Zirkus Rosarius to familiarize German aircrew with the handling of American aircraft before they evaluated captured aircraft.[5]

Operators

Yale 3416, which appeared in the movie, Captains of the Clouds
 Canada
The first North American NAA-64 P-2 NX13397 before delivery. Due to the fall of France, this aircraft was instead delivered to Canada as a Yale Mk.I, and still exists.
 France
North American NAA-64 in its shipping crate for delivery to France. Most of those that made it to France had not even been unpacked when the Germans overran northern France.
 Germany
 United Kingdom

Survivors/aircraft on display

Ex-RCAF North American NA-64 Yale painted to represent a USAAC BT-14, in a diorama at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio

There are many surviving NA-64 Yales today because of Ernie Simmons, a farmer from near Tillsonburg, Ontario. Simmons bought 39 Yales in 1946,[25] along with Fairey Swordfish and Westland Lysanders[26] and kept them on his farm until he died in 1970.[27][28] Most were auctioned the same year, and many have been restored by museums and warbird enthusiasts. All surviving Yales are from the Simmons collection. Two examples have been subsequently lost, a major hangar fire took the Musée de l'air et de l'espace's NA-64 3415/64-2224, and 3454/64-2165 was destroyed as the result of a flying accident. Several Yales have been painted or partially modified as BT-14s Additionally, over a dozen are privately owned in Canada, the US, and Europe or are not accessible, and additional airframes may be held by some museums as a source of spares.

RCAF
Serial		NAA
Serial		Museum/organizationLocationStatusNotes
334964-2171Imperial War Museum DuxfordDuxford, Englandairworthy[29]
335064-2206Canadian Warplane Heritage MuseumHamilton, Ontarioairworthy[30]
336164-2183Milestones of Flight MuseumLancaster, Californiaas BT-14[31]
336764-2175Sherwood Park, AlbertaSherwood Park, Albertastatic[32]
338164-2194Commemorative Air ForceMidland, Texasas BT-14
338364-3037Legend Of Aces AviationBrighton, Michiganrestoration
339064-3033Bomber Command Museum of CanadaNanton, Albertarestoration[32]
339664-2161Commonwealth Air Training Plan MuseumBrandon, Manitobarestoration
339764-2150Pima Air & Space MuseumTucson, Arizonastatic[33]
339964-2160Canadian Harvard Aircraft AssociationTillsonburg, Ontarioairworthy[34]
340064-2149Canadian Warplane Heritage MuseumHamilton, Ontarioairworthy[35]
340464-2157Bomber Command Museum of CanadaNanton, Albertarestoration[36]
340664-2144Eric DowningMaryland Heights, Missouriairworthy
341164-2167Canadian Warplane Heritage MuseumHamilton, Ontariostatic[37]
341664-2169No. 6 RCAF Dunville MuseumDunnville, Ontariostatic[38]
341764-2168National Museum of the United States Air ForceDayton, Ohioas BT-14[39]
343064-2223Western Canada Aviation MuseumWinnipeg, Manitobastatic[40]
345064-2214Commemorative Air ForceMidland, Texasas BT-14
345664-2221Legend Of Aces AviationBrighton, Michiganrestoration
345864-3024Reynolds-Alberta MuseumWetaskiwin, Albertastatic[41]
346364-2207Texas Air MuseumSan Antonio, Texasas BT-14[42][43]
unknownunknownMusée aéronautique de Presqu'île côte d'AmourLa Baule-Escoublac, Francerestoration[44]

Specifications

3 view line drawing of North American NA-64 Yale trainer

Data from North American Aviation, Manuel de Pilotage de l'Avion NA-64 P-2 (Avion de Perfectionnement), 1940, pp.8-9

General characteristics

Performance

Armament

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Related lists

References

Notes

  1. ↑ As there was no Yale Mk.II, the Mk.I part of the designation was rarely used.
  1. 1 2 Smith, 2000, p.29
  2. 1 2 3 Hagedorn, 1997, p.48
  3. ↑ Fletcher, 1990, p.37
  4. 1 2 3 Fletcher, 1990, p.36
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Fletcher, 1990, p.38
  6. 1 2 3 Fletcher, 1990, p.42
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Fletcher, 1990, p.45
  8. 1 2 Fletcher, 1990, p.40
  9. 1 2 3 Fletcher, 1990, p.172
  10. ↑ Fletcher, 1990, p.170
  11. 1 2 Fletcher, 1990, p.171
  12. ↑ Fletcher, 1990, p.43
  13. ↑ "EOM 82 Niger", www.traditions-air.fr (in French), retrieved March 2014
  14. ↑ Peter D Evans, "LEMB Stammkennzeichen Database", The LEMB Stammkennzeichen Database Project, retrieved March 2014
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "stamm Dx+xx" The LEMB Stammkennzeichen Database Project accessed March 2014
  16. 1 2 "stamm Nx+xx" The LEMB Stammkennzeichen Database Project accessdate:March 2014
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 stamm Rx+xx accessdate:March 2014
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 stamm Vx+xx accessdate:March 2014
  19. 1 2 3 Cx+xx accessdate:March 2014
  20. 1 2 stamm Kx+xx accessdate:March 2014
  21. ↑ stamm Hx+xx accessdate:March 2014
  22. ↑ stamm Px+xx accessdate:March 2014
  23. ↑ Fletcher, 1990, p.41
  24. ↑ Restoration of North American NA-64 Yale 3383 accessdate:March 2014
  25. ↑ Fletcher, 1990, p.48
  26. ↑ Fletcher, 1990, p.49
  27. ↑ Fletcher, 1990, p.51
  28. ↑ "The Ernie Simmons Story." Spitfire Emporium. Retrieved: 24 December 2011.
  29. ↑ Aeroflight - Duxford accessdate:1 April 2014
  30. ↑ North American Yale 3350 accessdate:31 March 2014
  31. ↑ Milestones of Flight Air Museum: accessdate:31 March 2014
  32. 1 2 Canadian Warplanes preserved in Alberta accessdate:1 April 2014
  33. ↑ Pima Air & Space Museum - Yale accessdate:31 March 2014
  34. ↑ "NA-64 Yale." Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association. Retrieved: 24 December 2011.
  35. ↑ North American Yale 3400 accessdate:31 March 2014
  36. ↑ Bomber Command Museum of Canada - North American NA-64 Yale accessdate:31 March 2014
  37. ↑ North American Yale 3411 accessdate:31 March 2014
  38. ↑ Aircraft 3416 Photo accessdate:2 April 2014
  39. ↑ Fact Sheet: North American BT-14 (NA-64) accessdate:31 March 2014
  40. ↑ Western Canada Aviation Museum – Winnipeg accessdate:2 April 2014
  41. ↑ Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame - Wetaskiwin, Alberta accessdate:1 April 2014
  42. ↑ Currently painted as Luftwaffe example, but with BT-14 nose.
  43. ↑ Texas Air Museum - North American NA-64
  44. ↑ Musee Aeronautique Presqu'ile Cote d'Amour accessdate:1 April 2014
  45. 1 2 3 4 5 Canadian Wings.com accessdate: March 2014
  46. ↑ North American Aviation, 1940, p.29
  47. ↑ North American Aviation, 1940, p.22
  48. ↑ North American Aviation, 1940, p.28
  49. ↑ North American Aviation, 1940, pp.17

Bibliography

  • Fletcher, David C; MacPhail, Doug (1990). Harvard! the North American Trainers in Canada. San Josef BC/Dundee ON: DCF Flying Books. ISBN 0-9693825-0-2. 
  • Fletcher, David (1995). "North American Yale". Random Thoughts (International Plastic Modellers Society of Canada) 17 (2): 31. 
  • Griffin, John A. (1969). Canadian Military Aircraft Serials & Photographs 1920 - 1968. Publication No. 69-2. Ottawa: Queen's Printer. 
  • Hagedorn, Dan (1997). North American NA-16/AT-6/SNJ (WarbirdTech Volume 11). North Branch, MN: Speciality Press. ISBN 0-933424-76-0. 
  • Kostenuk, S.; Griffin, J. (1977). RCAF Squadron Histories and Aircraft: 1924–1968. Toronto, ON: Samuel Stevens, Hakkert & Co. ISBN 978-0888665775. 
  • Milberry, Larry; Halliday, Hugh A. (1990). The Royal Canadian Air Force at War, 1939-1945. Toronto, ON: CANAV Books. ISBN 978-0921022046. 
  • North American Aviation (1940). Manuel de Pilotage de l'Avion NA-64 P-2 (Avion de Perfectionnement). Rapport No 1552. Inglewood, CA: North American Aviation. 
  • Skaarup, Harold A. (2000). Canadian Warbird and War Prize Survivors, Updated Edition. Lincoln, NE: Writers Club Press. ISBN 978-0595122165. 
  • Smith, Peter Charles (2000). North American T-6: SNJ, Harvard and Wirraway. Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-382-1. 

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