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| With a requirement in 1956 for a multi-role jet trainer, the US Navy awarded North American a contract to build its North American NA-241 design, which combined proven components and equipment from earlier aircraft manufactured by the company. Ordered as the T2J-1 (later T-2A), this trainer combined a wing derived from the FJ-1 Fury and the control system of the T-28C Trojan with a single 1542kg thrust Westinghouse J34-WE-36 turbojet, and accommodated the instructor and pupil in tandem, seated (eventually) on zero-zero ejection seats. The first of six initial production T-2As was flown on 31 January 1958 and deliveries to the US Navy began in July 1959, by which time the name Buckeye had been allocated to this trainer. Equipping US Navy Training Squadrons VT-4, -7, -9 and -19, a total of 217 T-2As was built. Two were modified to serve as YT-2B prototypes, in which the single J34 turbojet was replaced by two 1361kg thrust Pratt & Whitney J60-P-6 turbojets. The first was flown on 30 August 1962, being followed by 97 similar T-2B aircraft. Final production version was the T-2C which introduced General Electric J85 turbojets, preceded by a single YT-2C prototype conversion from a T-2B. A total of 273 was built under US Navy
contracts, comprising 231 T-2Cs for navy use, plus 12 T-2D and 30 T-2E aircraft procured for Venezuela and Greece respectively.
| MODEL | T-2C |
| CREW | 2 |
| ENGINE | 1 x General Electric J85-GE-4 turbo-jet, 13.1kN |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 5978 kg | 13179 lb |
| Empty weight | 3681 kg | 8115 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 11.63 m | 38 ft 2 in |
| Length | 11.79 m | 39 ft 8 in |
| Height | 4.51 m | 15 ft 10 in |
| Wing area | 23.70 m2 | 255.10 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Ceiling | 13535 m | 44400 ft |
| Range | 1465 km | 910 miles |
| ED Johnson, e-mail, 25.09.2010 23:52 While in VRF-31 in 1969 I had the privalege to be one of the pilots who delivered the first four T2J's to the NAVY training command at Pensacola. Great plane to fly and with those wide set main landing gear, almost impossible to ground loop. reply | | Merv Sam, ADCS(AW) (Ret.), e-mail, 17.09.2010 08:26 It was my first operational assignment in the Navy back in 1978, what a great time maintaining this aircraft. Unfortunately due to the ease in maintaining this "bird," it did not prepare me for other Navy aircraft that were much more difficult to keep flying. Regardless, still love the old Buckeye! reply | | Wade R McKay, e-mail, 16.04.2010 22:58 This was the first aircraft I worked on while serving 10 years in the NAVY VT-23 Kingsville,TX. AME3 Wade R McKay 181 Tiger Team Pilot Puncher /Go Griffins ! reply | | Clark Hunt, e-mail, 11.04.2010 04:49 I flew the T2-A in VT-7 and VT-4 in 1964 and 1965 as a student naval aviator. CQ'd on the Lexington. Does anyone have a photo or spec's of the T2-A? reply | |
| | Norm Scruggs, e-mail, 01.09.2010 03:28 I flew the T2-C as a student, and then later as an instructor in VT-10 from 1979-1983 ( total of 1600 hours). At the time, this was the only jet in the Navy certified for spins. This was a simple, fun jet to fly, and probably the most forgiving jet ever made. It was a great trainer, because students had to really work hard to screw up. Lots of fond memories.... Semper Fi reply | | CDR Stan Parsons, USN, (Ret.), e-mail, 20.02.2010 16:50 Greetings Skipper Troutman! You were my old CO at VT-23 and led me out to the Lex for my first trap. You never told me that I would later have to do that at night!! reply | | Darrell Troutman, Capt USN(RET, e-mail, 01.02.2010 22:09 Had my XO /CO tour in this aircraft at Kingsville with VT-23 in the mid-70s. Great trainer! Easy to fly and very safe and reliable. reply | | Rob, e-mail, 22.12.2009 05:18 I flew these as an instructor in NAS Kingsville, TX. Great trainer and very easy to manage in any environment. reply | | Norbert E. Onaitis, e-mail, 12.04.2009 07:58 Hi,
There are two T2-C Kits that I know of in 1 /48 scale. The T2-C Buckeye from Collect Aire ( www.collectaire.com /models.html) is a fantastic, limited run, resin kit. At a price of $109.95 + shipping and Handling, it should be. There is another due out soon from TwoBobs (www.twobobs.net /), also in 1 /48. It will supposedly be out soon at a more reasonable price of $52.00. I've pre-ordered one for myself.
Hope that this helps..
Norbert E Onaitis reply | | Bill Query, e-mail, 30.08.2008 22:49 I flew them as an instructor in VT-9 at NAAS Meridian, Miss. This was 1992 /1995. Logged over 1000 hours and had very few problems. Once a fuel control stuck in idle in the break at McCoy AFB but I was going the speed of heat and the runway was 12,000 so it was really a non-event. reply | | Mauri, e-mail, 10.05.2008 21:27 You are looking for a plastic model or cardmodel? I can help with the second option ... reply | | Vickie, e-mail, 18.04.2008 18:51 I was an AD-3 stationed in Meridian MS. I worked on these planes for many years. I love them. I have been looking for a model of the airplane that I can put together for about 20 years and cannot find any. If there is anyone that could assist me Please e-mail me. Thank you reply |
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