The South African AT-6 Texan/Harvard/SNJ and NA-16, first appeared in 1938 and was similar to and eventually replaced the BC-1A basic-combat trainer when the BC classification was abandoned. But the BC-1A itself was only one of a very large number of aircraft that stemmed from the NA-16 of 1935.

Originally designed as a basic trainer for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC), the NA-16 was a cantilever low-wing monoplane powered by a 400 HP Wright Whirlwind engine. The two tandem cockpits were open and the fixed landing-gear legs were trousered. Following selection by the Army, the prototype was modified to near production standard, with a hastily fitted long cockpit enclosure, a revised landing gear and a long-cord cowling round the 600 HP Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engine.

Production aircraft for the US services and for export to many countries were built under a wide range of NA, NJ, BC and BT designations. They were used as combat trainers, basic trainers, general-purpose aircraft and bombers. They featured a wide range of engines, fixed or retractable landing gear and varying cockpit enclosures. One BT-9 was modified into the NA-22 with open cockpits and a 225 HP Wright R-760 engine.

The first model to introduce the AT Texan (Advanced Trainer) designation was the NA-59 ordered for the USAAC. As the NA-66 or Harvard II it was supplied to the airforces of Canada, Great Britain and New Zealand, following the Harvard I (NA-49) previously supplied to Britain and Canada. The AT-6A (US Navy SNJ-3) was powered by the Pratt & Whitney R-1340-49 engine and had a removable aluminum fuel tank. It was also built under license in Canada by Noorduyn Aviation as the Harvard IIB, 2,485 going to the RAF alone and those supplied to the USAAC becoming AT-16's. The AT-6B was fitted with an R-1340-AN-1 engine.

The AT-6C (SNJ-4 and Harvard IIA) differed in being redesigned to eliminate the use of aluminum-alloy and high-alloy steels. the wings, center section, fin rudder, elevator, ailerons, flaps, etc., were made of spot-welded low-alloy steel. The side panels of the forward fuselage and the entire rear fuselage, tailplane, floor boards, etc., were of plywood - introducing a weight savings of 1,246 pounds. However, fear of shortages of strategic materials proved unsubstantiated and the normal structure was reverted back. The AT-6D (SNJ-5 and Harvard III), nearly 4,400 of which were built, retained the R-1340-AN-1 engine but no photographic equipment fitted. The final production version was the AT-6F, most going to US Navy as SNJ-6's.

In post war USAF service, Texans were redesignated under the T-6 classification, new versions being produced by modification. Today Texans/Harvards are still flown as basic trainers and light attack aircraft by the airforces of 22 countries, although no longer in the USA. Among the purpose-built combat aircraft based on the AT-6 were the NA-50 and the NA-68 single-seat fighter-bombers, built for Peru and Siam respectively. The latter were retained for the USAAF as P-64 trainers.
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