09/30/2024. Remarks by
Johan Visschedijk: "In 1945, the USN drew up requirements for a new scout trainer intended as a replacement for the
SNJ Texan, and North American succeeded in winning a contract to build two prototypes of its NA-142 design. Powered by a 1,100 hp Wright Cyclone R-1830-78 radial, the XSN2J-1 resembled the SNJ in general configuration, but had considerably higher performance. It was equipped with arrester gear for carrier landing practice and for armament training it was fitted with two machine guns and could carry bombs or rockets.
(
Johan Visschedijk Collection)
Two prototypes (BuNo. 121449 c/n 142-38427, 121450 c/n 142-38428) were built in 1946 and evaluated by the USN in conjunction with the
Fairchild XNQ-1 primary trainer prototype, but the new training syllabus for which the two new types were intended was not in the event adopted. Features of the NA-142 design were revived by North American a little later in the NA-159 which, as the T-28B, was in due course adopted as the new Navy trainer combining the earlier primary and basic roles.
Type: Two-seat Experimental Intermediate Trainer.
Wings: Low-wing cantilever monoplane. All-metal two-spar stressed-skin structure. Flaps on underhung hinges between ailerons and fuselage. Dive brakes on upper surfaces. Dihedral angle from roots 7°, but from points outboard of landing-gear attachments angle could be adjusted + or – 2°.
Fuselage: All-metal stressed-skin structure.
Tail unit: All-metal stressed-skin structure. Statically and dynamically balanced movable surfaces. Controllable trim-tabs in elevators and rudder.
Landing gear: Retractable main wheels, fixed tail-wheel. Hydraulic retraction. Static three-point ground angle 13°. Deck-arrester hook aft of tail-wheel.
Power plant: A 1,100 hp Wright Cyclone R-1830-78 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine with single-stage two-speed supercharger. Hamilton Standard Hydromatic three-blade constant-speed propeller.
Accommodation: Tandem cockpits under power-operated two-piece "bubble" canopy which slides aft to provide openings above each cockpit. Pupil in front. Both cockpits similar and conform to standardized "functional" cockpit developed jointly by USAAF, USN and RAF. Instructor could "upset" certain controls and instruments in pupil's cockpit to simulate possible emergencies. Three switches spilled gyro instruments and fuel quantity gauge and five push-buttons could upset airspeed indicator, altimeter, turn-and-bank, and oil and fuel pressure gauges. When switches and buttons were released, instruments returned to normal. Emergency system for opening canopy and releasing shoulder straps.
Accommodation: Two wing-mounted 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns; camera gun; bomb and rocket carrying equipment; oxygen gear; indirect instrument lighting; radio, etc."
