24/7 Wall St. Insights:

• The T-6 Texan has been in service of the U.S. military since before World War 2
• It can reach a top speed over 200 mph and is powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine which produces roughly 600 horsepower
• Some variants of the T-6 can equip light armament for training missions
• Also: Dividend legends to hold forever

The T-6 Texan originally entered service in the 1930s, almost an entire century ago. It was designed by North American Aviation as a trainer aircraft for the U.S. military and since then it would leave a storied legacy as one of the most popular and widely used aircraft in history. However, it’s legacy is not done. The T-6 Texan is still in service today by the U.S. Army. (America produced over 12,000 of these World War II carrier-borne planes.)

The variant that is currently in use by the U.S. Army has obviously been updated with the times and is much more versatile than the original model. The new variant, the T-6D, is equipped with improved instrumentation and armament capabilities but it still only serves in a trainer role.

The Texan can hit a top speed of just over 200 mph, powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine which produces roughly 600 horsepower. Some of these variants can be equipped with 7.62mm machine guns for light attack training missions.

While the T-6 has left an indelible mark on military aviation history, there are a number of newer aircraft in use by the U.S. Army. Over the decades, the Army has evolved and broadened its aviation capabilities from basic trainers like the T-6 to attack helicopters like the AH-64 Apache or the Black Hawk. These are just a couple examples of the weapons currently employed by the U.S. Army. (These countries have the most Apache attack helicopters.)

24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the arsenal of the U.S. Army. To identify the oldest aircraft in the U.S. Army, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry publication. We ordered these aircraft chronologically. We also included supplemental data on the type of aircraft, top speed, and armament.

Here is a closer look at the oldest U.S. Army aircraft currently in service:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding the combat aircraft used by the U.S. Army provides insight into joint military capabilities and defense strategies. Also knowing what the U.S. has in its arsenal further explains its military capabilities.

22. UH-72 Lakota

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 2007
• Manufacturer: Eurocopter / Airbus Helicopters
• Active in the Army: 478
• Top speed: 167 mph
• Armament: N/A

21. Citation Encore/Ultra

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 2004
• Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft
• Active in the Army: 28
• Top speed: 490 mph
• Armament: N/A

20. Grob G120

• Type: Trainer aircraft
• Year introduced: 1999
• Manufacturer: Grob Aircraft
• Active in the Army: 6
• Top speed: 199 mph
• Armament: N/A

19. C-27 Spartan

• Type: Medium-lift tactical transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1997
• Manufacturer: Leonardo-Finmeccanica / Boeing
• Active in the Army: 7
• Top speed: 373 mph
• Armament: N/A

18. Bell 407

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1996
• Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter
• Active in the Army: 5
• Top speed: 162 mph
• Armament: N/A

17. H125 Fennec

• Type: Light utility helicopter
• Year introduced: 1990
• Manufacturer: Eurocopter / Airbus Helicopters
• Active in the Army: 1
• Top speed: 152 mph
• Armament: 20mm GIAT automatic cannon, 12.7mm machine gun pods, 7.62mm machine gun pods, FZ220 rocket pods, BMD-71 TOW missiles

16. AH-64 Apache

• Type: Two-seat attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1986
• Manufacturer: Boeing / McDonnell Douglas / Hughes
• Active in the Army: 824
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 30mm automatic cannon, Hellfire missiles, Hydra rocket pods, Stinger missiles, Sidewinder missiles, Sidearm missiles

15. Cessna 208 Caravan

• Type: Turboprop utility aircraft
• Year introduced: 1984
• Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft / Textron Aviation
• Active in the Army: 1
• Top speed: 214 mph
• Armament: N/A

14. Dash 8

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1984
• Manufacturer: de Havilland / Bombardier Aerospace
• Active in the Army: 9
• Top speed: 317 mph
• Armament: N/A

13. Gulfstream C-20H

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1983
• Manufacturer: Gulfstream Aerospace
• Active in the Army: 1
• Top speed: 582 mph
• Armament: N/A

12. Challenger 604/650

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1980
• Manufacturer: Bombardier Aerospace
• Active in the Army: 3
• Top speed: 565 mph
• Armament: N/A

11. C-26 Metroliner

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1980
• Manufacturer: Fairchild Aircraft
• Active in the Army: 13
• Top speed: 331 mph
• Armament: N/A

10. AH/MH-6 Little Bird

• Type: Light attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1980
• Manufacturer: Hughes / McDonnell Douglas / Boeing
• Active in the Army: 47
• Top speed: 175 mph
• Armament: 30mm M230 chaingun, 12.7mm GAU-19 gatling guns, 7.62mm miniguns, M261 rocket pods, Hellfire missiles, TOW anti-tank missiles, Stinger missiles

9. S-70 Black Hawk

• Type: Medium-lift multi-mission helicopter
• Year introduced: 1979
• Manufacturer: Sikorsky
• Active in the Army: 2,299
• Top speed: 183 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, Hellfire missiles, 12.7mm gatling guns, M134 gatling guns, rocket pods, 30mm chain gun

8. DHC-7 Dash 7 (EO-5C)

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1978
• Manufacturer: de Havilland
• Active in the Army: 3
• Top speed: 317 mph
• Armament: N/A

7. Mi-8/17 Hip

• Type: Medium-lift transport / gunship helicopter
• Year introduced: 1977
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
• Active in the Army: 10
• Top speed: 158 mph
• Armament: 23mm cannon pods, 7.62mm machine guns, rockets, anti-tank missiles

6. Beech C-12 Huron

• Type: Special mission aircraft
• Year introduced: 1974
• Manufacturer: Beechcraft
• Active in the Army: 3
• Top speed: 332 mph
• Armament: N/A

5. Mil Mi-24 Hind

• Type: Attack helicopter
• Year introduced: 1973
• Manufacturer: Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant
• Active in the Army: 1
• Top speed: 208 mph
• Armament: 12.7mm heavy machine guns, 23mm cannon, 30mm cannon, anti-tank missiles, rocket pods, machine gun pods, cannon pods, conventional drop bombs

4. Super King Air

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1972
• Manufacturer: Beechcraft
• Active in the Army: 179
• Top speed: 348 mph
• Armament: N/A

3. CH-47 Chinook

• Type: Medium-lift, tandem rotor transport helicopter
• Year introduced: 1962
• Manufacturer: Boeing
• Active in the Army: 510
• Top speed: 180 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns

2. T-6D Texan

• Type: Trainer aircraft
• Year introduced: 1936
• Manufacturer: North American Aviation
• Active in the Army: 4
• Top speed: 209 mph
• Armament: 7.62mm machine guns

1. DC-3 (C-41A)

• Type: Transport aircraft
• Year introduced: 1936
• Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
• Active in the Army: 5
• Top speed: 237 mph
• Armament: N/A

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