Aviation Naval Warfare Land Systems Small Arms By Flag By Year By Tag

Boeing T-43 (Gator)

1973 COLD WAR MODERN AIRCRAFT

History

In the early 1970s, the U.S. Air Force commissioned Boeing to design and deliver an airborne navigation training platform for training aspiring Combat Systems Officers (CSOs) in the art of map reading and situational response.

In response, Boeing modified the fuselage of the 737-200 and equipped the passenger area with the necessary equipment to serve as a flight classroom. After testing and evaluation, the Air Force procured about 19 prototypes for about $5. 4 million per unit.

The aircraft was designated the T-43 and entered service with the U.S. Air Force in 1973, where it served for decades until its official retirement in 2010. T-29") has been in service since 1950.

The new T-43s were initially assigned to the 323rd Flight Training Wing at Mather AFB, California, after which the campaign permanently moved the fleet to London, Texas Dove Air Force Base, and the badge of the 12th Flight Training Wing.

Externally, aside from the occasional antenna protrusion, the T-43 shows little of its real utility. The aircraft appears in every way as part of the 737-200 airliner. The cockpit remains behind a short nose cone assembly.

The fuselage is tubular and short, with a vertical tail and two horizontal planes (each with a slight V shape) at the end. The main wing attachment is mounted low on the side of the fuselage and carries the turbofan engine in a down-slung nacelle. The landing gear consists of a pair of twin-wheel main legs and a twin-tire front leg.

While the front of the fuselage can be viewed through a framed windshield, the cabin is lined with rectangular viewing windows. Rectangular doors provide access to the aircraft.

The primary trainer model is the T-43A, based on the Boeing 737-253 series, powered by two Pratt & Whitney JT8D-9 series turbofan engines, each producing 14,500 lbf of thrust. The crew consists of two pilots, and the passengers consist of up to three instructors and 16 student seats (12 basic, 4 premium). Each workspace is aligned with the right side wall of the hull, allowing instructors to provide individual support to students.

All 19 airframes accepted by the USAF are T-43A models. The plane can reach a top speed of 560 mph, reach a maximum of 37,000 feet, and have a range of 3,000 miles.

Notably, the T-43A's flight record has proven to be perfect over its decades of service (except for the 1996 Croatian incident mentioned below).

Each student workstation can fine-tune the art of navigation for modern aircraft types, as well as the latest communications and avionics packages. The incorporation of GPS-based navigation finally makes the tried-and-true star-based navigation method obsolete for new hires. The program proved successful enough that the U.S.

Navy merged its own training program with the U.S. Air Force's T-43-based program. Ultimately, the T-43A series survived the U.S. military and was decommissioned in 2010 (with an official ceremony commemorating the event).

While the T-43A was primarily used as a flight school for most of its career, the airframe began to provide a number of other useful functions before it was retired. The "NT-43A" designation refers to a modified T-43A that could be used for a period of time as an in-flight radar test aircraft.

In addition, at least six T-43A airframes were later converted into VIP personnel carriers, known as "CT-43As". On April 3, 1996, one such plane crashed (due to pilot error) on a mountainside over Croatia, killing U.S. Commerce Secretary Ron Brown and 34 others.

The T-43A aircraft was informally referred to as a "crocodile" (as in "navigator") during its lifetime. Affectionately known by many as the "Flying Classroom".