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, and was replaced by the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk in 2008.
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The North American T-2 Buckeye was a jet trainer aircraft designed and built by North American Aviation for the United States Navy in the late 1950s. It served as the intermediate training aircraft for student naval aviators and naval flight officers, who learned the basics of jet flying and carrier operations on the T-2 Buckeye. The T-2 Buckeye had a mid-wing monoplane configuration, with a tandem cockpit and two turbojet engines. It could also carry various weapons for training purposes, such as gun pods, rockets, and practice bombs.
The T-2 Buckeye had several variants, each with different engines and performance characteristics. The first version, the T-2A, flew in 1958 and was powered by a single Westinghouse J34 turbojet. The T-2B, introduced in 1965, had two Pratt & Whitney J60 turbojets, which increased its speed and thrust. The T-2C, which first flew in 1968, had two General Electric J85 turbojets, which improved its fuel efficiency and reliability. The T-2D and T-2E were export versions for the Venezuelan Air Force and the Hellenic Air Force, respectively.
The T-2 Buckeye was a reliable and versatile trainer aircraft that served the US Navy for over 50 years. It was replaced by the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk in 2008, but some T-2s are still flying with the Hellenic Air Force today. The T-2 Buckeye was an important part of the US Navy’s aviation history and legacy.
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