ROYAL THAI NAVY It is intended that this page will ultimately include as full a listing as possible of the aircraft operated by the Royal Thai Navy. This listing is largely based on personal observations and research, with thanks also due to the Royal Thai Navy, many Air Britain publications, Malcolm Fillmore (Tiger Moths), Jeremy Parkin (helicopters), Aad Neeven (F-27’s), Marco Dijkshoorn (Scramble), Derek King, Jack Friell (Albatross’s), Ed Young’s “Aerial Nationalism – A History of Aviation in Thailand” (Smithsonian 1995), Erik van Helvoort (visit report), Bob Boxhill (visit report), Dave Wilton (USN data), Peter-Michael Gerhardt (German types), Jan Forsgren, Jack Friell (HU-16’s), George Kernahan (USN data), Phil Yeadon, the ‘Scramble’ team and others. Thanks are due to Vidya Tapasanan for information on Japanese aircraft operated by the Royal Thai Navy. The Thai Navy first established an air arm in 1938. According to the British Naval Attache, on 1-Dec-49 the naval air arm had 33 officers and 433 men, largely at Sattahip. A new naval air base was established at Chantaburi 1949. Following their support for an unsuccessful coup in June 1951 all their aircraft (including Helldivers, Magisters, Widgeons, Bonanzas etc) were transferred to the Thai Air Force where they formed Wing 7; other aircraft intended for the Navy such as the Fireflies were delivered directly to the Air Force. An independent naval air arm was not re-established until the 1962 delivery of two HU-16 Albatross. Other websites which refer to Royal Thai Navy aviation include:- Vidya Tapasanan’s Thai Navy site

Serial number system Initially, until the 1970’s, aircraft usually wore serials derived from their previous USAF serial, BuNo or c/n, e.g. Tracker ‘415’ was ex Bu136415. Since then however the serial has been based on the squadron allocation. A three-figure system was first in use. The first figure denoted the Squadron and the last two the individual aircraft serial, e.g. Bell 212 ‘405’ was 4 Squadron aircraft 5. In the early 1990’s (before 1996) however the unit designations were extended, and a four-figure aircraft serial system introduced. The first two numbers denote the unit, and the last two the individual aircraft serial. For example, Cessna T337 ‘1311’ is 103 Squadron (‘13’) aircraft 11; AV-8S ‘3104’ is 301 Squadron (‘31’) aircraft 4. Certain aircraft span all three systems, e.g. Tracker Bu136416 has been serialled 416, 102 and 1102 successively.

The list below summarises aircraft operated by the RTN. An attempt has been made to list the aircraft chronologically:-

Type

Serial / Code Worn

Previous Identity

C/n

Notes

(1938) Watanabe WS.103S floatplane (BRN.1)

6 delivered May-38; 4 based at Sattahip & 2 on Thai Navy corvettes; 5 still active 1945

(1939) Avro 504N

1 ex Thai AF delivered 1939

(1940) Nakajima E8N1 Type 95 ‘Dave’ (BRN.2)

18 ordered 1938; delivered by sea late 1940; 1 destroyed & 2 damaged on ground 24/25-Jul-45; 15 still active 1945

(1942) Aichi E13A-1 Type 0 ‘Jake’ (BRN.3)

3 delivered 1942; plus 3 in Jun-44; 1 destroyed on ground 24/25-Jul-45; 5 still active 1945

Note: Reports of 12 Nakajima (Mitsubishi?) A6M2-N delivered 1941 plus 27 in 1942, some Tachikawa Ki9 ‘Spruce’ delivered during WW2, and some Mitsubishi F1M2 ‘Pete’ delivered before 1945 are incorrect

(1947) Miles Magister

20 delivered Nov-47 to Mar-48 to both Air Force and Navy; split not known. Survivors taken over by Air Force following June 1951 Navy failed coup.

(1948) Beech Bonanza

3 delivered 1948; 2 taken over by Air Force following June 1951 Navy failed coup; 1 to Siamese AW 1951. Note that one Bonanza stolen from Sattahip 12-Feb-49 & flown to Burma; not returned by 23-Feb.

NC3996N

D-1467

exported to Thailand 15-Apr-48; to RTAF

NC3997N

D-1483*

exported to Thailand 26-Apr-48; to HS-SFE

NC3998N

D-1486

exported to Thailand 26-Apr-48; to RTAF

(1949) Piper PA-11 Cub Special

2 delivered 1949; taken over by Air Force following June 1951 Navy failed coup

11-1069

exported to Thailand 22-Jul-49; to RTAF 1951

11-1070

exported to Thailand 22-Jul-49; to RTAF 1951

(1949) North American T-6 Texan

‘Some’ reported early 1950’s; none identified

(1950) Grumman G-44A Widgeon

5 (or 6?) delivered by 1951; 5 taken over by Air Force following June 1951 Navy failed coup

NC41972

1403

originally delivered new to ‘Civil Aviation School, Bangkok’; to RTAF 1951

NC86623, N86623

1449*

mfg 11-Apr-45; originally dd to Long Island AL 19-Jul-46, then to Lambros Seaplane Base 27-Sep-49; dd to RTN c1950; to RTAF 1951

Report in late 1947 that RTN ‘seaplanes arrived recently from the Philippines’. Report that one Widgeon was recovered from a lake in Michigan after it sank, restored, flown to the West Coast, then shipped to Thailand

(1950) DH82A Tiger Moth

Rollasons received order for 30 Tiger Moths from RThaiNavy 1950; all currently on UK civil register. 31 (or 34 or 37 ?) delivered 1950/51. Survivors taken over by Air Force following June 1951 Navy failed coup.

G-AFGT, W7955, (G-AMEA), G-AFGT (canx 17-Jan-51)

3681

4

N5448, G-AJXM (canx 17-Jan-51)

3711

5 ?

N6614, G-AJXN (canx 19-Feb-51)

3915

N6634, G-AJXP (canx 19-Feb-51)

3938

N9387, G-AJXR (canx 19-Feb-51)

82457

R4899, G-AJXT (canx 19-Feb-51)

82816

1

N6655, G-AKGG (canx 27-Oct-50)

3959

3

T7327, G-AMDF (canx 15-Nov-50)

83838

2

DE146, G-AMDI (canx 1-Nov-50)

85216

7

N6969, G-AMDK (canx 14-Nov-50)

82207

5 ?

R4783, G-AMDL (canx 27-Oct-50)

82727

6

R5038, G-AMDM (canx 1-Nov-50)

82939

8

T6097, G-AMDT (canx 20-Dec-50)

84564

9

N6787, G-AMDU (canx 20-Dec-50)

82057

13

T7127, G-AMDV (canx 20-Dec-50)

83578

T7094, G-AMDW (canx 20-Dec-50)

83479

11

T6025, G-AMDX (canx 20-Dec-50)

84173

10

DF134, G-AMDY (canx 20-Dec-50)

85883

14

DE737, G-AMEB (canx 17-Jan-51)

85667

R4778, G-AMEE (canx 19-Feb-51)

82722

T6920, G-AMEF (canx 19-Feb-51)

85149

T7809, G-AMEG (canx 18-Jan-51)

84187

T7154, G-AMEH (canx 19-Feb-51)

83613

T5603, G-AMFA (canx 18-Jan-51)

83296

T6033, G-AMFB (canx 1951)

84212

N6485, G-AMFC (canx 19-Feb-51)

3822

DE432, G-AMFD (canx 30-Nov-50)

85440

Unconfirmed as Thai

T7090, G-AMFE (canx 30-Nov-50)

83475

Unconfirmed as Thai

R4973, G-AMFF (canx 30-Nov-50)

82883

Unconfirmed as Thai

T6182, G-AMFG (canx 30-Nov-50)

84630

Unconfirmed as Thai

NL824, G-AMFH (canx 30-Nov-50)

86280

Unconfirmed as Thai

N9276, G-AMFI (canx 30-Nov-50)

82377

Unconfirmed as Thai

N6713, G-AMFY (canx 17-Jan-51 ?)

3986

17

T6254, G-AMFZ (canx 17-Jan-51)

84680

N6931, G-AMGA (canx 19-Feb-51)

82175

21 ?

R4877, G-AMGB (canx 17-Jan-51)

82794

T6045, G-AMHH (canx 19-Feb-51)

84275

Neither of the two ‘Tango Squadron’ Tiger Moths is from the above list; both are 1990’s imports to Thailand

(1951) Fairey Firefly

10 FR.1 & 2 T.2 ordered Apr-50, but order taken over by Air Force following June 1951 Navy failed coup, and delivered to Air Force from Oct-51

(1951) Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver

6 delivered on CVE-88 Cape Esperance Apr-51 (in Bangkok 17-Apr-51 to 25-Apr-51) , but taken over by Air Force 29-Jun-51 following Navy failed coup.

Bu83206 (soc 31-Jul-49)

Bu83299 (soc 31-May-49)

Bu83328 (soc 31-May-49)

Bu83410 (soc 31-May-49)

366

to RTAF Museum

Bu83711 (soc 31-May-49)

Bu89458 (soc 28-Feb-49)

(1951) Grumman F8F Bearcat

10 due for delivery Jul-51 but order taken over by Air Force following June 1951 Navy failed coup

(1962) Grumman HU-16B Albatross