Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia


General information
Type	Jet trainer
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	North American Aviation North American Rockwell
Status	Active service with Hellenic Air Force
Primary users	United States Navy (historical) Hellenic Air Force Venezuelan Air Force (historical)
Number built	529
History
Manufactured	1958–1970
Introduction date	November 1959
First flight	31 January 1958
Retired	United States Navy 2008^[

In 1956, the US Navy issued a requirement for a jet-powered basic trainer to replace its T-28 piston-engined aircraft. (Primary training for the US Navy remained the responsibility of the piston-engined Beechcraft T-34 Mentor while the jet-powered Lockheed T2V SeaStar provided more advanced training). North American Aviation won the US Navy's competition for the new training aircraft in mid-1956 with its NA-241 design. North American's design, designated the T2J-1 by the US Navy, was a mid-winged monoplane with trainee and instructor sitting in tandem on North American-built ejection seats, with the rear (instructor's) seat raised to give a good view over the trainee's head. The aircraft's unswept wing's structure was based on that of the FJ-1 Fury, while its control system was based on the T-28C. It was powered by a single Westinghouse J34-WE-46/48 turbojet, rated at 3,400 lbf (15 kN)

The North American T-2 Buckeye was the United States Navy's intermediate training aircraft, intended to introduce U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps student naval aviators and student naval flight officers to jets. It entered service in 1959, beginning the replacement process of the Lockheed T2V SeaStar, and was itself replaced by the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk in 2008

Variants

North American

North American Aviation North American T-2 Buckeye Manufactured 1958–1970 Introduction date November 1959 First flight 31 January 1958

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Length: 38 ft 3+1⁄2 in (11.67 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 1+1⁄2 in (11.62 m) (over tip tanks)
Height: 14 ft 9+1⁄2 in (4.51 m)
Wing area: 255 sq ft (23.7 m²)

Powerplant

Empty weight: 8,115 lb (3,681 kg)
Max takeoff weight: (5,978 kg)
Fuel capacity: 691 US gal (575 imp gal; 2,620 L) total
Powerplant: 2 × General Electric J85-GE-4 turbojets, 2,950 lbf (13.1 kN) thrust each

Specifications

Maximum speed: 522 mph (840 km/h, 454 kn) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
Stall speed:(160 km/h, 87 kn)
Range: 1,046 mi (1,683 km, 909 nmi)
Service ceiling: 40,400 ft (12,300 m)
Rate of climb: 6,200 ft/min (31 m/s)

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Special Links North American T-2 Buckeye

Links to Youtube & Others

Every jet-qualified Naval Aviator and virtually every Naval Flight Officer from the late 1950s until 2004 received training in the T-2 Buckeye, a length of service spanning over four decades.

North American
T-2 Buckeye

More recently, the T-2 has been used as a director aircraft for aerial drones.

Youtube Link

everal T-2 Buckeyes, although still retaining their USN markings, are now registered as civilian-owned aircraft with FAA "N" numbers; they regularly appear at airshows

North American Aviation
North American T-2 Buckeye
Manufactured 1958–1970
First flight 31 January 1958

North American
T-2 Buckeye