[Milsurplus] Radio-less trainers

[mikea]

On Mon, Jul 08, 2002 at 05:11:35PM -0500, Cecil Acuff wrote:
> Dan are you sure it wasn't the T-33....The T-38 is the last step before the
> pilots are placed in a front line fighter.  It's a HOT machine.....they say
> if you can fly the T-38 proficiently you can fly anything the Air Force has!
> 
> Cecil...
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Dan <hankarn@pacbell.net>
> To: <jhaynes@alumni.uark.edu>
> Cc: Marty R's GI-stuff haunt <cosmoline@aa4rm.ba-watch.org>;
> <milsurplus@mailman.qth.net>; <whitaker@ieee.org>
> Sent: Monday, July 08, 2002 12:07 PM
> Subject: Re: [Milsurplus] Radio-less trainers
> 
> 
> > Well when I was in USAF pilot training class 53-C we started in T-6G's
> > and had VHF radio's. we used both light signals and radio. All systems
> > had 28 VDC and starters. The G model did not have provisions for the
> > inertia starters that were on the earlier models.
> > If I remember correctly the 54 or 55 classes started in the twin engine
> > T-38 Talon. Your first ride was known as the "Dollar ride" was
> > supersonic. With full blown avionics package UHF, ADF, basic flight
> > director and TACAN. Light guns to this day are standard equipment in
> > towers. LF and HF are all history.

Well, the T-38 _did_ grow into the F-5, which is the advanced 
trainer in use at Vance AFB, about 100 miles N of me, outside 
Enid, OK. And it _definitely_ is a hot aircraft, even by modern
standards.

But IIRC, 1954-55 was when T-birds were new, and F-94s were line
aircraft for Regular units. The T-38 came along in the mid-60s
or later; I remember astronauts flying them from Ellington AFB
when I worked at the Manned Spacecraft Center (_super_-neat 
place) from the last Mercury shot through the Apollo pad-fire
disaster.

-- 
Mike Andrews
mikea@mikea.ath.cx
Tired old sysadmin since 1964