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North American, Rockwell

Aircraft  The Company
 
First
Flight
Model Military Number Name
1935 NA-16* BT-9  
1937 NA-58 BT-14 Yale
1937 NA-26* AT-6 Texan
1939 NA-68 P-64  
1940 NA-62* B-25 Mitchell
1940 NA-73* P-51 Mustang
1945 NA-120* F-82 Twin Mustang
1946 NA-143* L-17 Navion
1947 NA-130* B-45 Tornado
1947 NA-140* F-86 Sabre
1949 NA-159* T-28 Trojan
1951 NA-179* FJ-2 Fury
1953 NA-180* F-100 Super Sabre
1956 NA-212 F-107  
1958 NA-246* T-39 Sabreliner
1958 NA-241* T-2 Buckeye
1958 NA-233* A-5 Vigilante
1959 NA-240 X-15  
1965 NA-300* OV-10 Bronco
1974 D481 B-1 Lancer
* first model number of several
North American Aviation was formed in 1928 for the purposes of acquiring aviation oriented stocks and securities.

Important acquisitions include Berliner-Joyce (1930) and General Aviation (1933).  The U.S. Navy used the letter "J" to identify Berliner-Joyce aircraft and continued its use for North American aircraft.

The acquisition of these companies marked a transition from earning income from stock trading and dividends to designing and manufacturing aircraft.  Also important was the acquisition of "Dutch" Kindelberger as president and general manager.  "Dutch" had been a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corp, a draftsman for Glenn Martin and chief engineer for Donald Douglas.

North American's second aircraft was the aircraft that became the AT-6 Texan, of which over 16,000 were produced.  The Texan, B-25 Mitchell and, P-51 Mustang assured the success of the company.

North American Aviation merged with Rockwell-Standard (owner of Aero Commander) in 1967 to become North American Rockwell.  Another merger, this time with Rockwell Manufacturing, created Rockwell International in 1973.

Rockwell sold it's General Aviation division to Gulfstream in 1980, its Sabreliner division to Sabreliner Corp in 1983 and the rest of it's aerospace interests to Boeing in 1996.

 
   Related Websites
 
Boeing
Boeing has an excellent history section for Boeing, North American, McDonnell and Douglas)
 
 Stuff You Can Buy
 

Book:
North American Aircraft: 1934-1998 Volume 1
Norm Avery

Book:
North American Aircraft: 1934-1998 Volume 2
Kevin Thompson
 

page updated 14 February 2008

 

 

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© Kenneth W Shanaberger 2000 - 2010