Texan T6/Harvard (Antique)
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 6; Flight Crew Total 18409; Flight Crew Type 31
Distraction; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
While doing pattern work; I was number two to land following a Citabria; I believe; which was doing a touch and go; and the spacing was close; but I was certain there was enough spacing for the Citabria to take off prior to my landing; but the tower issued a go around to me. When I reached down to retract the flaps I lost sight of the Citabria momentarily and when I reacquired it I was closing on it very fast; just left of my course. I immediately made a right climbing turn to avoid the Citabria.The tower gave me traffic that was in the right pattern; I had originally been using the left pattern; and I acquired that traffic and was instructed to follow it; and completed a touch and go. After the event; my passenger said he thought he had heard the controller instruct me to turn left on the go around. It's possible; but my passenger had just said something to me as the controller was issuing instructions and I missed that.It appeared the primary tower controller was a trainee; we could hear someone in the background instructing him to correct instructions to aircraft in the pattern and approaches. This whole event could have been avoided had the controller not instructed me to go around when there was enough spacing to avoid a conflict with the departing aircraft.
Pilot reported that after being directed to go around; they had a near miss with a Citabria.