tejanos(e)

Hugo Idrovo
Ecuador

In the outbreak of WW2 and with the direct involvement of the United States in the conflict, their allies rushed in 1941 to participate as well in the hostilities. Brasil have sent troops and aviators to Italy, Mexico to the Phillipines, Panama gave the rights on the Canal Zone and Ecuador contributed to thedefense of the hemisphere with the lease of Baltra Is. (Seymour) in the Galapagos Is. and a strategic point in the Santa Elena peninsula (Salinas) for the build up of an air-naval station and an air base for the US Navy and USAAF respectively. This way and paying back for the support, the US Government started in 1941 to built the bases in Salinas and Galapagos.

In 1942, the Military Aviation School started operating in those newly built premises, with 12 Ryan PT-19 (PT for Primary Trainer), 3 Ryan PT-22, 12 Vultee BT-13 Valiants (BT for Basic Trainer) and six well worn and obsolete Severskys racers, derivatives from the P-35.

Ecuadorean cadets, after their primary and basic instruction, were lead to the AT-6As (AT for Advanced Trainer) from the USAAF, based in Salinas, until they were certified in the type as qualified pilots. Those first AT-6s flown by ecuadorean pilots, wore US markings. After Second World War, those planes were handed over to the ecuadorean air force and repainted with ecuadorean markings and the tricolor rudder. One of this aircrafts, s/n FAE 78, participated in the first South American Air-Raid, transporting the Olympic Torch to Santiago, Chile in April 1946.

A new batch of AT-6s arrived in 1947 with the first Thunderbolts and C-47s. Since then, and until their service life ended, were flown with ecuadorean markings.

The AT-6A had a Pratt & Whitney R-1340-49 600hp engine. Rear canopy could be fold forwards, as a windshield for the student, who was sitting in a swiveling seat. The backseater could operate a .30 caliber machine gun, when mounted. Another machine gun of same type could be mounted to starboard side, in front of the pilot.

The AT-6D was a development of former model AT-6C and were practically identical, except for the electric system. Previous models were fitted with a 12 volts system, while the AT-6D had a 24 volts system.

The most popular and final variant of the Texan family was the T-6G, modified from previous T-6 cells (prefix "A" was omitted in 1947, when the USAF re-designated all types of trainers as "T"). In the AT-6F, the machine gun was eliminateovide better visibility to the crew members and was fitted with improved navigation systems, radio and hydraulic system.

The T-6G had a great number of tasks while in service with the ecuadorean air force, being used as a primary trainer, conversion to the F-47s (the student was seated in the rear, in order to get used to the Thunderbolts poor front visibility), advanced trainer for night flights, instrumental flights, weapons delivery, acrobats, cartography, obsd and the swivel seat was replaced by a forward looking fixed seat. The aft portion of the cockpit was also replaced with a one piece rear canopy. A removable aerodynamic cone was added to the propeller, and two small navigation lights were added beneath the tail. The T-6G had the rear seat rised in 6 inches, the canopy framing was deleted to prervation, and many other tasks.

In the first years, T-6s were identified with serial numbers in the 70´s range, and the Vultee BT-13 was asigned the 50´s range. From 1947 until mid 60s, ecuadorean Texans adopted series 300´s, the PT-19s were identified with serial numbers in the 100´s range, the BT-13 with series 200´s, the F-47s with 400´s and the C-47s with 500´s. In the period 1963-1965, these numbers were changed for large codes or "buzz numbers" with a remarkable USAF style, painted in the tail and fuselage, where national roundels were added. Soon, the roundels were deleted and the yellow, blue and red rudder was re-established, keeping the fuselage codes, FAE lettering and serial numbers in the same proportion.

The Texan saw the end of its service life in 1968. Actually, there a few survivors preserved as gate guardians in some air bases and at the Air Force Museum in Quito. None of them keep the original color and markings.

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