Rockwell (North American) T-2C Buckeye
In 1956, the US Navy issued a requirement for a basic trainer aircraft capable of carrier landings, but an aircraft that would also be easy to fly, easy to maintain, and relatively low-cost. The intent of the aircraft was to supplement and eventually replace the earlier TV-1 SeaStar (a navalized version of the T-33 Shooting Star) and two-seat F9F-8T Cougar trainers.
North American, which had earlier designed the successful T-28 Trojan propeller-driven basic trainer for the Navy, chose a design that deliberately drew from earlier naval aircraft. The prototype used the wing design from the FJ-1 Fury, one of the Navy’s first jet fighters, while the cockpit layout was based on the T-28’s. Though the aircraft was obviously no high-performance fighter, with straight wings and a bulbous fuselage, it met all the Navy’s requirements of being robust, simple to fly, and below cost. The Navy purchased the aircraft as the T2J-1 Buckeye, named for the state of Ohio where it was produced, and it entered service in 1958.
While initial reports were favorable, the Buckeye lacked speed: though it was never intended to be supersonic, it was slower than the aircraft it was meant to replace, and its single engine meant that a flameout would mean a subsequent bailout. North American redesigned the aircraft with two J85 turbojets, which was a minimal-time conversion, provided the Buckeye with the safety of two engines, and brought performance up to standard. This aircraft was accepted into the Navy as the T-2B, under post-1962 designation practices. A version with uprated engines, the T-2C, became the baseline aircraft. Buckeyes, as planned, replaced the TV-1, though two-seat TA-4J Skyhawks proved better to replace the TF-9J Cougars.
Over the next forty years, every naval aviator to pass through the US Navy’s pilot training program flew Buckeyes. The syllabus called for initial qualification in T-34C TurboMentors, after which the pilot went on to the T-2. If he (or she) were selected for fighter or attack duties, the T-2 was then used to “carqual” (carrier qualify) before going on to the more high performance TA-4J, and from there to frontline squadrons after graduation. The T-2’s forgiving nature and easy handling made it a perfect trainer for naval aviators. These features also led to it being adopted as the T-2D and T-2E respectively for the Venezuelan and Greek air forces, who used them primarily as trainers, but with secondary roles of light bomber, counterinsurgency, and forward air control duties.
Though the T-2 lasted in service longer than the US Navy had anticipated—the last would not leave naval service until 2008—plans to replace it had already been made by 1990, and gradually the Buckeye was replaced by the T-45A Goshawk. Venezuela has also since retired theirs, leaving Greece the only nation still flying T-2s, which in turn are likely to be retired in the next few years. A few have made their way to civilian operators. 529 Buckeyes were built.
T-2C Bureau Number 156697 joined the US Navy sometime in the late 1970s, and served with VT-19 ("Fighting Frogs") at NAS Meridian, Mississippi until 2003. It was retired and donated to the USS Midway Museum, and painted in the colors of VT-9 (which are nearly identical to those of VT-19). I got a shot in May 2021.
Rockwell (North American) T-2C Buckeye
In 1956, the US Navy issued a requirement for a basic trainer aircraft capable of carrier landings, but an aircraft that would also be easy to fly, easy to maintain, and relatively low-cost. The intent of the aircraft was to supplement and eventually replace the earlier TV-1 SeaStar (a navalized version of the T-33 Shooting Star) and two-seat F9F-8T Cougar trainers.
North American, which had earlier designed the successful T-28 Trojan propeller-driven basic trainer for the Navy, chose a design that deliberately drew from earlier naval aircraft. The prototype used the wing design from the FJ-1 Fury, one of the Navy’s first jet fighters, while the cockpit layout was based on the T-28’s. Though the aircraft was obviously no high-performance fighter, with straight wings and a bulbous fuselage, it met all the Navy’s requirements of being robust, simple to fly, and below cost. The Navy purchased the aircraft as the T2J-1 Buckeye, named for the state of Ohio where it was produced, and it entered service in 1958.
While initial reports were favorable, the Buckeye lacked speed: though it was never intended to be supersonic, it was slower than the aircraft it was meant to replace, and its single engine meant that a flameout would mean a subsequent bailout. North American redesigned the aircraft with two J85 turbojets, which was a minimal-time conversion, provided the Buckeye with the safety of two engines, and brought performance up to standard. This aircraft was accepted into the Navy as the T-2B, under post-1962 designation practices. A version with uprated engines, the T-2C, became the baseline aircraft. Buckeyes, as planned, replaced the TV-1, though two-seat TA-4J Skyhawks proved better to replace the TF-9J Cougars.
Over the next forty years, every naval aviator to pass through the US Navy’s pilot training program flew Buckeyes. The syllabus called for initial qualification in T-34C TurboMentors, after which the pilot went on to the T-2. If he (or she) were selected for fighter or attack duties, the T-2 was then used to “carqual” (carrier qualify) before going on to the more high performance TA-4J, and from there to frontline squadrons after graduation. The T-2’s forgiving nature and easy handling made it a perfect trainer for naval aviators. These features also led to it being adopted as the T-2D and T-2E respectively for the Venezuelan and Greek air forces, who used them primarily as trainers, but with secondary roles of light bomber, counterinsurgency, and forward air control duties.
Though the T-2 lasted in service longer than the US Navy had anticipated—the last would not leave naval service until 2008—plans to replace it had already been made by 1990, and gradually the Buckeye was replaced by the T-45A Goshawk. Venezuela has also since retired theirs, leaving Greece the only nation still flying T-2s, which in turn are likely to be retired in the next few years. A few have made their way to civilian operators. 529 Buckeyes were built.
T-2C Bureau Number 156697 joined the US Navy sometime in the late 1970s, and served with VT-19 ("Fighting Frogs") at NAS Meridian, Mississippi until 2003. It was retired and donated to the USS Midway Museum, and painted in the colors of VT-9 (which are nearly identical to those of VT-19). I got a shot in May 2021.