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Would dat be dis one.....

Gotta better shot somewhere, will try to find it

11Fan

11Fan

USMCFLYR

Ah..........the Buckeye. That was a fun plane to fly. You didn't feel very sexy in it taxiing up next to the T-38 on the cross countries, but boy was it a forgiving aircraft to fly! The cockpit was a big as a jacuzzi tub (for three!)

USMCFLYR

Fishfreighter

SAN wx unreliable? You haven't spent much time there.

III Corps

When I was going through -38s in UPT, we got a call that a Cougar that had lost its canopy and was in our area. The IP wanted someone to check him over to see if there was any damage. We, in our 'white whale', eased up on him wearing his dark blue. It was a contrast. No damage noted so we both went our own ways. Never knew what happened to cause the canopy loss or where they recovered but funny.. two guys sitting in a swept wing machine with no canopy.

USMCFLYR

I wouldn't expect 'white whale' to be an appropriate name for a T-38
More like White Shark. It is such a sleek little plane.
As much as I hated parking next to a T-38 in the 'Battle Guppy' (T-2C) - I always liked parking next to a T-37 Now I didn't mind parking next to anything in the Skyhawk. That was a little 'hot rod' of a plane!

USMCFLYR

III Corps

I never figured out the 'whale' remark either but it was a fun airplane to fly.

The -37 was a fun airplane to fly, responsive and yet very forgiving. But it was where we began serious instruments and that was more than a load and a half.

The -38 on the other hand seemed to just "fit". I felt I could do just about anything in it and over the six months I flew it, tried most of what I could think of.

My first solo in the -38 was a pattern ride due to wx in the local area. Speeds were 280 into the pattern, 175 plus fuel (1kt for every 100lbs over 1000) in the final turn, 155 on final plus fuel. So I do one trip around the pattern and figure my speeds on about 3500lbs of fuel or 200kts in the final turn and 180kts on final. I was told to go-around and not pitch again until I was down to around 1500lbs. Some people are just NO fun.

The Battle Guppy? Never heard that one. Not a bad looking machine, especially in this paint scheme. (...wouldn't have minded climbing in the cockpit of the machine behind the 'battle guppy' in this picture) although I read it was a slasher, one pass, one turn MAYBE and outta here!

USMCFLYR

Hard to tell what it is - but it looks like it could be a Kfir.

I've never seen a T-2 in any other paint scheme than a trainer. Interesting. Do you know anything about this picture or did you find it on the web.

Your description of the T-37 sounds familiar to the T-2. One of the most exciting flights in the T-2 was the inverted spin flight - talk about forgiving. Right before you went to do BFM in the TA-4J you went back to the T-2 for a refresher flight for spins. The difference in the cockpit size was impressive! The Skyhawk fit like a glove while the Buckeye cockpit was more like a tub.

20,000 ft, over the USS America, in an inverted spin!
Now there is something to tell your grandkids about!

USMCFLYR

III Corps

2 pts. Correcto! When I was based in ORF, a F/O was in the aggressor squadron flying the Mongoose and the Navy had some of the Kfirs there. Tight cockpit and reportedly accelerated like a rocket. But not a turn and burn but then most deltas aren't. The other thing was the high landing speed and poor brakes. NOT a good combination.

On the web but reportedly a one time paint scheme, short lived, to resemble the F-14 scheme. VF-43 in the -80s. This website. It's a modeling forum with actual shots.
T-2 Buckeye Ohio's Mighty Trainer - Zone-Five Aircraft Modeling Forums

I had multiple emergencies in the Tweet and my instructor was unflappable. Engine fire, hyd failure, collapsed fuel tank, other problems but each time he went through the procedures as if it were a Sunday walk in the park. I never forgot that and later years when my systems failed, I thought of him.

I did spins with him and he talked through the set up, clearing turns, the break and then the spin stabilized. He noted the A/S, the VSI and the turn/ball as the country side became more and more defined. Then a flawless recovery. Again, no big deal. I really enjoyed flying with him and learning with him.