Le prototype du Cessna XT37, 54-716, en vol au dessus de l'aéroport de Wichita
Actualité:
22.08.2012
La saga des BD-5J
Entre le 15 mai et le 1er août 2012, 3 nouveaux BD-5J ont fait leur premier vol.Aux Etats Unis...
Robert S. HAGAN vers 1963, lorsqu'il arriva chez Beech à Wichita
ROBERT S. HAGAN
During Bob Hagan's 46-year career, of which 36 years were in Kansas, he made significant and long-lasting contributions to military and civil aviation. Mr. Hagan began flying as an 18 year-old aviation cadet in 1943. He subsequently qualified in the P-47 "Thunderbolt" at Harding Field in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
In August 1944, he was assigned to the 386th Fighter Squadron, Balleroy, France. Over the next 20 months, he flew 91 missions, over 337 combat flying hours, until the end of Worl War II. During this time his aircraft was shot down twice. Among many awards and decorations, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal (11 oak leaf clusters), and the Purple Heart.
After discharge, he pursued studies in engineering, but was recalled to active duty in 1951. During this tour he flew the Republic F-84G "Thunderstreak."
In 1953 the Cessna Aircraft Company, of Wichita, hired Mr. Hagan as a test pilot. There, he was the "first flight" pilot in the T-37, on October 12, 1954.
He also flew the Model 31OG and the Model 411 as the "first flight" pilot before leaving Cessna in 1962.
Continuing his career with the Lear Jet Corporation, Mr. Hagan helped usher in the era of the "business jet" by piloting the "first flight" of the Model 23 - the first Lear Jet - on October 7, 1963. Eleven variants of the aircraft have been built and the 2000th Lear Jet was delivered on August 20, 1999.
Mr. Hagan began his 24-year association with Wichita's Beech Aircraft Corporation as Chief of Engineering Flight. His "first flights" at Beech include the Model 56TC Turbo Charged "Baron," the Model A88 "Queen Air" variant, and the Model 60 "Duke"
Mr. Hagan held several other positions within the company including Chief of Test Operations, Chief of the Commonality Program, Chief of Commonality and Value Engineering, and Senior Project Engineer on the "King Air" commuter and "special mission" aircraft. Mr. Hagan retired from Beech in 1989.
Cessna Model 318, USAF designation : T-37
The T-37, Cessna's first jet aircraft was the winner of a Design Competition for a two-seat side by side intermediate jet trainer, for which fifteen proposals were submitted to USAF Air Reseach and Development Command.
In the spring of 1954, the USAF awarded Cessna a contract for three prototype of the Model 318, and a contract for a single static test aircraft. The Air Force designated the type as XT-37.
Premier vol du T37, le 12 octobre 1954
Prototypes XT-37
The first flight was made on October 12, 1954 by pilot Bob Hagan.
One of the XT-37 prototypes was lost in a flat spin; the pilot baled successfully but the airplane "splatted."
The XT-37 was fitted with two Continental-Teledyne J69-T-9 turbojet engines, French Turbomeca Marboré IIC engines built under license, with 920 lbf (4.1 kN) thrust each.
The T-37A was delivered to the U.S. Air Force beginning in June 1956. The USAF began cadet training in the T-37A during 1957.
The first T-37B was delivered in 1959. Instructors and students considered the T-37A a pleasant aircraft to fly. It handled well and was agile and responsive, though it was definitely not overpowered. It was capable of all traditional aerobatics maneuvers.
The last T-37B was officially retired from active USAF service on 31 July 2009
Cessna T-37A (model 318-A)
NASA Dryden research flight center Photo collection
The production T-37A was similar to the XT-37 prototypes, except for minor changes to fix problems revealed by the flight test program. The first T-37A was completed in September 1955 and flew later that year.
The T-37A was very noisy, even by the standards of a jet aircraft. The intake of air into its small turbojets emitted a high-pitched shriek that led some to describe the trainer as a "Screaming Mimi". The piercing whistle quickly gave the T-37 its name: "Tweety Bird", or just "Tweet".
Exemplaires produits
XT-37 : 2 prototypes
T-37A : 444 exemplaires
T-37B : 552 exemplaires
T-37C : 273 exemplaires
T-37 Photo USAF
NATO - T-37 à Edwards AFB
Le Cessna T-37 sous toutes ses couleurs
Grèce (Greece) Hellenic Air Force
32 aircraft have been delivred to the Hellenic Air Force, including 8 T-37Bs and 24 T-37Cs.
Greek Cessna T-37B of 361 Mira at Kalamata on 5.4.1996, Photo by Andy Marden
Anniversary T-37 "Ikaros" of the 120 ATW/361 Squadron, HAF Hellenic Air Force, Photo Konstantinos Grapsas
Cessna T-37 (67-14751 / TE-751), HAF, Kalamata (KLX / LGKL) Greece, September 18, 2007. With courtesy of the photographer Chris Lofting
Jordanie (Royal Jordanian Air Force)
15 aircraft, apparently ex-USAF T-37Bs had been delivered to RJAF. They equipped No 6 Training Squadron at the King Hussein Air Base (KHAB) in Mafraq.
The T37 were at KHAC until 1987 when the Casa 101 came into service as the basic jet trainer.
T-37b Jordaniens, Photo : Royal Jordanian Air Force
Pérou [Peru] Peruvian Air Force
The first seven Cessna T-37B jet trainer for the Peruvian Air Force took off on 20th 1961 July from Wichita en route to Lima, Peru, the seven were the first of fifteen purchased by the P.A.F to initiate all-jet training.
Those aircraft were included in the Us Military Assistance Program (MAP) concluded with friendly countries.
A total of 32 Cessna T-37B had been finally delivered to the Peruvian Air Force.
Cessna T-37, one of the first arriving in LIMA (Air pictorial, July 1961)
Portugal
Le T-37 a été choisi comme avion d'entrainement pour l'armée de l'air Portugaise en 1961. Ce choix est le résultat d'une compétition gagnée face au Co/BAC jet-Provost T3.
20 Avions furent achetés et livré en 1963 avec les N° de série 2401 à 2421. Un lot supplémentaire de six avions (2425 à 2430) sera commandé et livrée dans les années qui suivirent.
Ils furent employés sur base de Sintra, dans l'Escuadron 102 "Os panchos" ( Escuadron de Instructao de basico) . C'est à partir de cet escadron que sera formé la partouille Asas de Portugal qui sillonera le ciel d'Europe durant de nombreuses années.
En Décembre 1990, un des avions d'Asas de Portugal perdi une aile en vol. Tous les avions furent inspectés et il fut identifié de sérieux problèmes de vieillissement dans les attaches d'ailes. Devant être prochainement remplacés par des Alphajet, il fut décidé de les interdire de vols et d'envoyer les pilotes aux états-unis en attendant le nouvel avion.
Avec l'aimable autorisation de Mike Freer (Touchdown Aviation). T37 de l'armée de l'air Portugaise, pris à Greenham Common le 26 juin 1977