On November 9th, 2012 North American AT6C Harvard F-AZQR made its
firtst flight from Angers after a 15 year long restauration in the hands
of his owner Gilles Carter.
Once the testflights and the certification are done, the aircraft will leave Angers for its new home, La Rochelle.
F-AZQR was build for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) with
registration 41-33633, but was transferred on paper to the Royal Air
Force as EX660, in reality the aircraft was shipped directly to the
South African Air Force who registered it 7309.
Between 1947 and 1959 the aircraft flew with the Belgian Air Force
with registeration H4. On June 25th, 1959 it was bought by Air France
for its flying school and flew it until 1964 bearing the registration
F-BJBC.
Air France sold the aircraft to the Société anonyme des avions Meyer
and to Air Cameroun, which kept the aircraft until 1971. Then the
aircraft passed into private hands until it disappeared from the civil
register in 1977.
The wreck returned to France in the mid of the eighties via Saint-Rambert-d'Albon.
Gilles Carter bought the aircraft in 1990 and started a few years the
restauration in the buildings of the Musée Régional de l'Air d'Angers,
helped by his friend Camille Millon. 15 years later, their perseverance
has paid off..
Source : Fana de l'Aviation - January 2013.
Kind regards,
Laurent Heyligen
