North American T-39

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North American T-39 Sabreliner
A North American T-39N of the US Navy
A North American T-39N of the US Navy
Type: Twin-engine business jet aircraft , trainer aircraft
Design country:

United StatesUnited States United States

Manufacturer:

North American Aviation

First flight:
  • Civil: September 16, 1958
  • Military: June 30, 1960
Commissioning:

1963

Production time:

1958 to 1980

Number of pieces:

212

The North American T-39 is a twin-engine business jet made by the former US manufacturer North American Aviation in the 1950s. Due to the similarity of the T-39 with the North American F-86 , the aircraft was given the additional designation Sabreliner (German: saber-shaped). It was used in the military and civil sectors. The military variant T-39 Sabreliner was used by the US Air Force and the US Navy . In 1959, the Air Force received its first order.

history

NA-265-60 Series 60 Sabreliner from the National Test Pilot School at Mojave Airport

North American Aviation began developing the T-39 in 1956 without a public contract or previous tender. It was planned to develop both a civilian and a military version. The US Air Force was also looking for an aircraft as part of the UTX (Utility Trainer Experimental) program that could take on both transport and fighter pilot training tasks.

The first prototype of the civilian variant with the designation NA-264 completed its maiden flight on September 16, 1958. It was propelled by two General Electric J85 turbojet jet engines at the rear of the aircraft. The type certification in April 1963. A candidate for the military UTX program was the model T-39A that the production launch of two Pratt & Whitney JT12A8 turbojet engines was powered. Subsequently, the civilian variants Series 40 , Series 60 , Series 60A and Series 75 were produced, which were essentially only longer and more spacious variants of the T-39. In 1973, the aircraft could Sabreliner family with General Electric CF700 - and Garrett AiResearch TFE73131D - turbofan -Triebwerken (Series 60A, 70, 75) can be ordered. This happened as standard with the Series 75A variant, which also brought various innovations to the cabin equipment and aircraft aerodynamics.

In 1981 production of the North American T-39 ceased.

In May 2012, the US Navy was still operating two squadrons with the T-39, on the one hand the training squadron VT-86 "Sabrehawks" on Naval Air Station Pensacola , Florida , and the test squadron VX-31 on Naval Air Station China Lake in California ; However, only a single copy of the T-39D series is stationed there. The US Navy plans to replace the remaining T-39s, some of which are over fifty years old, with the McDonnell Douglas T-45s by 2014 .

variants

Civil versions

  • NA-265 : Prototype of the civilian variant, which was identical to the military variant T-39A.
  • Series 40 : first series version. Model NA-265-40 equipped with JT12A-6A or JT12A-8 engines .
  • Series 60 : extended passenger cabin ; Outwardly recognizable by the five windows on the side instead of the three windows on the Series 40 . Model NA-265-60; with JT12A-8 engines.
  • Series 60A : Series 60 version with aerodynamic improvements.
  • Series 65A : Series 60 version Garrett AiResearch TFE731-3R-1D turbines. Model NA-265-65.
  • Series 75 : Series 60A version with a deeper fuselage. Model NA-265-70; JT12A-8 turbines.
  • Series 75A : Series 75 version with various improvements regarding the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This version was powered by GE CF700 turbofan engines. Model NA-265-80.

Military versions

  • T-39A : first production version, used as a training aircraft and powered by JT12A-6A engines. Model NA-265.
    • CT-39A : Cargo and passenger transportation version for the US Air Force. It was powered by J60-P-3 / -3A single-shaft turbojet engines from P&W .
    • NT-39A : Test aircraft variant of the T-39A version, which was operated by the Air Force.
  • T-39B : Air Force radar system training aircraft equipped with Doppler radar antennas. Model NA-265-20.
  • T-39D : US Navy radar system training aircraft equipped with AN / APQ-94 and AN / APQ-126 radars. Model NA-265-30.
  • CT-39E : Navy transport version with JT12A-8 engines.
  • CT-39G : Navy transport version with an extended fuselage and JT12 thrust reverser engines .
    • T-39G : modified version of the Navy-CT-39G variant for flight exercises as part of the Undergraduate Flight Officer Training Program.
  • T-39N : Navy training version for the Undergraduate Flight Officer Training program.

User states

ArgentinaArgentina Argentina
BoliviaBolivia Bolivia
  • Bolivian Air Force (Series 60)
EcuadorEcuador Ecuador
MexicoMexico Mexico
SwedenSweden Sweden
United StatesUnited States United States

Technical data (North American T3J-1 / T-39D)

Three-sided view of the US Navy T-39N

The technical data comes from Boeing.

Parameter Data
span 13.56 m
length 13.41 m
height 4.88 m
Empty weight 4199 kg
Takeoff weight 7412 kg
crew 4-5
Passengers 5-7
Cruising speed 800 km / h
Top speed 885 km / h
Service ceiling approx. 12,200 m
Range 4,020 km
Engines two Pratt & Whitney JT12 jet engines

Web links

Commons : North American Sabreliner  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ "Fact Sheet" of the North American T-39A Sabreliner ( Memento from October 6, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) (English)
  2. Aircraft Data: Rockwell Sabreliner. Airliners.net, accessed on May 25, 2012 (English).
  3. a b History of the Rockwell Sabreliner on www.airliners.net
  4. Matthew Clements: Sabreliner Survivors . In: Air International . Key Publishing, June 2012, ISSN  0306-5634 , p. 106-109 .
  5. technical data on www.boeing.com ( Memento from October 29, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) (English)