TheCessna T-41 Mescalerois a military version of the popularCessna 172,operated by theUnited States Air ForceandArmy,as well as the armed forces of various other countries as apilot-training aircraft.[1][2]
| T-41 Mescalero | |
|---|---|
| |
| Cessna T-41D of the557th Flying Training Squadron | |
| Role | Primary pilot trainer |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Cessna |
| Introduction | 1964 |
| Status | In service |
| Primary users | United States Air Force United States Army Indonesian Air Force Turkish Air Force |
| Produced | 1964–1996 |
| Developed from | Cessna 172 Cessna 175 Skylark |
Design and development
editIn 1964, the US Air Force (USAF) decided to use thecommercial off-the-shelfCessna 172F as a lead-in aircraft for student pilots rather than starting them out in theT-37jet aircraft. The USAF ordered 237 T-41As fromCessna.[a]The first USAF class (67-A) of students began training on the T-41 from the civilian airport inBig Spring, Texas,in August 1965.[1][2]
The T-41B was the US Army version, with a 210 hp (160 kW)Continental IO-360engine and constant-speed propeller in place of the 145 hp (108 kW)Continental O-300and 7654 fixed-pitch propeller used in the 172 and the T-41A.[4][5][6]
In 1968, the USAF acquired 52 of the more powerful T-41Cs, which used 210 hp (160 kW) Continental IO-360 and a fixed-pitch climb propeller, for use at theAir Force AcademyinColorado Springs.[1][2]
In 1996, the aircraft were further upgraded to the T-41D, which included an upgrade inavionics[1]and to a constant-speed propeller.
Beginning in 1993, the USAF replaced many of the T-41 fleet with theSlingsby T-3A Fireflyfor the flight-screening role, and foraerobatictraining, which was outside the design capabilities of the T-41. The T-3A fleet was indefinitely grounded in 1997 and scrapped in 2006 following a series of fatal accidents at the US Air Force Academy.[2][7]
The USAF now trains all its prospective pilots andcombat systems officersthrough a civilian contract withDOSS Aviationknown as initial military flight screening, which makes use of theDiamond DA20.This program is conducted for USAF line officer accession programs (e.g.,USAFA,AFROTC,andOTS), with said training taking place after these officers have been commissioned as second lieutenants. It is also conducted for USAF officers at the first lieutenant and captain level selected for flight training after an assignment as a non-aeronautically rated officer.[8]
Four T-41s remain at the Air Force Academy for the USAFA Flying Team, as well as to support certain academic classes.[9]
A number of air forces, includingSaudi ArabiaandSingapore,purchased various civilian models of the Cessna 172 for use in military training, transport, and liaison roles. While similar to the T-41, these aircraft were not T-41s and were powered by the standard 172 powerplants available in the model year purchased. These included the 145 hp (108 kW) Continental O-300 in pre-1968 aircraft and the 150 and 160 hp (120 kW)Lycoming O-320in later 172s.[4]
Variants
edit
With the exception of the T-41A, most variants of the T-41 were certified under theCessna 175 Skylarktype certification.[10]
- T-41A
- United States Air Force version of theCessna 172F,172G, and 172H for undergraduate pilot training, powered by 145 hp Continental O-300.[4]230 built; 170 (172F), 26 (172G), and 34 (172H).[11][a]
- T-41B
- United States Army version powered by a fuel-injected 210 hp (157 kW)Continental IO-360-Dor -DE driving a constant-speed propeller and featuring a 28V electrical system, jettisonable doors, an openable right front window, a 6.00x6 nose wheel tire, and military avionics. The baggage door was removed. 255 built (all Model R172E).[5][6][10][11]
- T-41C
- USAF Academy version with a 14V electrical system, fixed-pitch propeller, civilian avionics, and only the two front seats. 52 total built; 45 as the R172E and 7 as the R172F.[5][10][11]
- T-41D
- Military Aid Programversion with 28V electrical system, four seats, corrosion-proofing, reinforced flaps and ailerons, a baggage door, and provisions for wing-mounted pylons. 299 total built; 34 as the R172E, 74 as the R172F, 28 as the R172G, and 163 as the R172H (with extended tail fillet).[5][10][11]First T-41D delivered to thePhilippine Air Forcein 1968[12]
Operators
edit
- Angolan Air Force(5× Cessna 172 in service)
- Argentine Army Aviation(10× T-41D in service)[5]
- Chilean Air Force(10× T-41D, already retired)
- Colombian Air Force(30× T-41D)[4][5]- retired[citation needed]
- Dominican Air Force(10× T-41D / R172),[5]
- Ecuadorian Air Force(8× T-41A,[4][5]12× T-41D)
- Hellenic Air Force(T-41A, 21× T-41D, retired[14][15])[5]
- Honduran Air Force(3× T-41B and 6× T-41D, retired)[5]
- Indonesian Air Force(55× T-41D)
- Khmer Air Force(22× T-41D).[16]
- Royal Lao Air Force(T-41B, T-41D)[5]
- Armed Forces of Liberia(T-41D)[5]
- Pakistani Air Force(T-41D)[5]
- Paraguayan Air Force(5× T-41B, retired)[17]
- Peruvian Air Force(25× T-41A[4][5]
- Philippine Air Force(20× T-41D)[5][18]
- Republic of Korea Air Force(15× T-41D)[5][18]
- Republic of Vietnam Air Force(22× T-41D, no longer in service)[citation needed]
- Royal Thai Air Force(6× T-41D)[citation needed]
- Royal Thai Army(6× T-41B)[citation needed]
- Turkish Air Force(30× T-41D)[19]
- Turkish Land Forces(25× T-41D)[19][20]
- United States Army(255× T-41B)[4]
- United States Air Force(211× T-41A and 52× T-41C)[4]
- Jacksonville Navy Flying Club/NAS Jacksonville,Florida - 2 x T-41A, 1 x T-41B (two currently airworthy)[21]
- Kirtland AFB Aeroclub/Kirtland AFB,New Mexico - 5 x T-41C (all 5 currently airworthy)[22]
- Patuxent River Navy Flying Club/NAS Patuxent River,Maryland - 3 x T-41C (1 currently airworthy)[23]
- Eglin AFB Aeroclub/Eglin AFB,FL - 2 x T-41A, 1 x T-41B (1 T-41A and 1 T-41B currently airworthy)[24]
- Travis AFB Aero Club/Travis AFB,CA - 1 x T-41C (currently airworthy)[25]
- Dover AFB Aero Club/Dover AFB,DE - 2 x T-41A, 1x T-41C (currently airworthy)[26]
- Uruguayan Air Force(7× T-41D)[citation needed]
Aircraft on display
edit- United States
- 65-5168 – T-41A on static display in the airpark atVance Air Force BaseinEnid, Oklahoma.[27][28]
- 65-5226 – T-41 on static display atRandolph Air Force Base,Universal City, Texas.It is on display in park area adjacent to Randolph Inn Visiting Officers Quarters (VOQ) / Distinguished Visiting Officers Quarters (DVOQ) along with other historicalATCandAETCaircraft.[29]
- 65-5251 – T-41A on static display at theNational Museum of the United States Air ForceinDayton, Ohio.[30]This aircraft was previously assigned to theUnited States Air Force Academyinventory.[citation needed]
- 67-14977 – T-41A on static display as part of the Officer Training School complex atMaxwell Air Force BaseinMontgomery, Alabama.[31][32]
Specifications (T-41C)
editData fromGlobal Security[1]
General characteristics
- Crew:one
- Capacity:three passengers
- Length:26 ft 11 in (8.20 m)
- Wingspan:35 ft 10 in (10.92 m)
- Height:8 ft 10 in (2.69 m)
- Wing area:159 sq ft (14.8 m2)
- Empty weight:1,363 lb (618 kg)
- Gross weight:2,500 lb (1,134 kg)
- Powerplant:1 ×Continental IO-360-D6-cylinder air-cooled horizontally-opposed piston engine, 210 hp (160 kW)
- Propellers:2-bladed variable-pitch propeller
Performance
- Maximum speed:125 kn (144 mph, 232 km/h)
- Range:626 nmi (720 mi, 1,159 km)
- Service ceiling:17,000 ft (5,200 m)
- Rate of climb:880 ft/min (4.5 m/s)
See also
editRelated development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
References
editNotes
edit- ^abThe T-41A designation was originally assigned in 1962 to a proposedUnited States Navynavigation trainer variant of theGrumman Gulfstream I,but the purchase was deferred and the designation was reassigned; the Grumman was subsequently ordered in 1966 and entered service as the TC-4C Acedeme.[3]
Citations
edit- ^abcdePike, John (April 2005)."T-41A/C Mescalero".Archivedfrom the original on 2008-05-14.Retrieved2008-05-13.
- ^abcdUnited States Air Force(March 1998)."Broad Area Review of the Enhanced Flight Screening Program".Archived fromthe originalon 2008-04-11.Retrieved2008-05-13.
- ^Swanborough, Gordon; Bowers, Peter M. (1976).United States Navy Aircraft since 1911(2nd ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 439.ISBN0-87021-968-5.
- ^abcdefghTaylor, John:Jane's Pocket Book of Military Transport and Training Aircraft,page 67. Macmillan Publishing Inc., 1974. Library of Congress 73-15288
- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrKrivinyi, Nikolaus:World Military Aviation,page 148. Arco Publishing Co, 1977.ISBN0-668-04348-2
- ^abWarbirdFlight.Net (2007)."T-41B".Archived fromthe originalon 2009-08-21.Retrieved2008-05-13.
- ^Pike, John (September 2006)."T-3A Firefly".Archivedfrom the original on 2008-05-14.Retrieved2008-05-13.
- ^DOSS Aviation (2007)."About Doss IFS".Archived fromthe originalon 2008-07-06.Retrieved2008-05-13.
- ^USAFA."United States Air Force Academy Aircraft".Archivedfrom the original on 2008-04-05.Retrieved2008-05-13.
- ^abcdFederal Aviation Administration(March 2003)."Type certificate data sheet no. 3A17"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2011-06-08.Retrieved2024-06-06.
- ^abcdPhillips, Edward H:Wings of Cessna, Model 120 to the Citation III,Flying Books, 1986.ISBN0911139052
- ^Sheil/Forsgren/Little 1976, p. 76
- ^Hagedorn 1993, pp. 87, 92–93.
- ^"Tecnam Completes Delivery Of 12 Trainer Aircraft To The Hellenic Air Force | Tecnam".18 June 2019. Archived fromthe originalon 28 October 2019.Retrieved28 October2019.
- ^Schymura, Jens (June 2019). "New Greek trainers".Air International.Vol. 96, no. 6. p. 9.ISSN0306-5634.
- ^"Khmer Air Force History".aeroflight.co.uk.Archivedfrom the original on 4 March 2016.Retrieved6 March2016.
- ^"Paraguayan Air Force".aeroflight.co.uk.Retrieved18 January2021.
- ^abAraneta, Macon Ramos (August 2008)."Air Force acquires 15 planes".Archivedfrom the original on 2009-04-15.Retrieved2008-09-15.
- ^abSheil/Forsgren/Little 1976, pp. 91-92
- ^"World Air Forces 2013".Archivedfrom the original on 2013-11-02.Retrieved2014-04-12.
- ^"Aircraft".Jax Navy Flying Club. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-10-07.Retrieved2012-11-05.
- ^"Cessna T-41C | Kirtland Flight Center".Archivedfrom the original on 2017-12-28.Retrieved2017-12-27.
- ^Patuxent River Navy Flying Club."Aircraft".Archived fromthe originalon April 4, 2009.Retrieved2009-08-05.
- ^(Eglin Aero Club."Aircraft".Archivedfrom the original on 2010-09-25.Retrieved2011-02-13.
- ^(Travis Aero Club."Aircraft/Rates".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-04-25.Retrieved2011-04-30.
- ^("Aero Club Brochure"(PDF).
- ^Gross, Tyler (August 25, 2010)."Construction of Vance's air park nears completion".Vance Air Force Base.Oklahoma.Archivedfrom the original on 14 September 2016.Retrieved30 August2016.
- ^"Airframe Dossier - Cessna T-41A Mescalero, s/n 65-5168 USAF".Aerial Visuals.AerialVisuals.ca.Archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2016.Retrieved30 August2016.
- ^"Airframe Dossier - Cessna172 / T-41 Mescalero, s/n 65-5226 USAF, c/r N5226F".Aerial Visuals.AerialVisuals.ca.Archivedfrom the original on 14 October 2016.Retrieved30 August2016.
- ^"Cessna T-41A Mescalero".National Museum of the US Air Force.Archivedfrom the original on 22 November 2016.Retrieved30 August2016.
- ^Kimberly, Wright (October 29, 2010)."OTS salutes heritage with T-41 display".Maxwell Air Force Base.Alabama.Archivedfrom the original on 14 September 2016.Retrieved30 August2016.
- ^"Maxwell AFB, AL T-41 OTS Display".Warbird Information Exchange.phpBB Group.Archivedfrom the original on 22 September 2016.Retrieved30 August2016.
Bibliography
edit- Hagedorn, Daniel P. (1993).Central American and Caribbean Air Forces.Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.ISBN0-85130-210-6.
- Shiel, Walt; Forsgren, Jan; Little, Michael (2006).T-41 Mescalero: The Military Cessna 172.Lake Linden, Michigan, USA: Slipdown Mountain Publications.ISBN978-0-9746553-3-8.
External links
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