Armament of AT-6 Texan in anti-submarine role?

[Sid Guttridge]

I notice that several Latin American countries received armed AT-6 Texans and they tended to use them on inshore patrol activities against U-boats.

However, I have only seen reference to AT-6 Texans carrying conventional bombs. But was the AT-6 Texan ever equipped to carry depth bombs?

The depth bombs used by the OS2U Kingfisher on inshore patrolling were 325lbs, so I imagine that one such bomb was probably the maximum practicable for an AT-6 Texan.

But were they ever fitted or carried?

Many thanks,

Sid.

[Empiricist]

I do not want to tell it was impossible but the US Navy's SNJs never carried even 100lb M38A2 Practice Bombs -- so typical for the Catalinas for instance -- not to mention heavier ones. I like the Texans very much and I collect all is possible for me and related to these aircraft but I have never heard about their ASW role.

Regards

E.

[Lennart Andersson]

Hello,

Well, Swedish Air Force Harvards (Sk 16s) used rockets in the anti-submarine role during the 1950s. In an emergency a special reservist organisation was to be set up with aircraft taken from the aviation school and stationed along the Swedish coast. Personnel were trained for this and exercises wer held regularly for several years. In reality the main role for these aircraft was of course observation.

Lennart Andersson

[Graham Boak]

Both Mexico and Brazil used the T-6 (or variants) in the ASW role. The was a story, certainly apochryphal, that the Mexicans had attacked and sunk a U-boat with one. The normal armament of an armed T-6 variant was one mg in the wing - I forget which, sorry, but it is in the manuals (port, I think)- and the rear moveable gun. Plus a 100lb bomb under each wing.

It may be that heavier bombs were carried but this would have been at the expense of the rear crewman and considerable endurance, so it seems unlikely. As ar as I known no depth charges were ever carried operationally by any member of the T-6 family.