North American Sabreliner

  • Civil: September 16, 1958
  • Military: June 30, 1960

The North American T -39 is a twin-engine business aircraft of the former U.S. 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 title Sabreliner (German: sabrelike ). It was used in military and civilian. The military version of T -39 Sabreliner was used by the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy. In 1959, the first order from the Air Force was made.

History

North American Aviation began developing the T -39 in 1956 without public order or previous tender. It was planned to develop both a civilian and a military version. Also looked at the U.S. Air Force as part of the UTX program ( Utility Trainer Experimental ) an aircraft that could take both transport and fighter pilot training tasks.

The first prototype of the civilian variant called NA -264 made ​​its maiden flight on 16 September 1958. Were driven by two General Electric J85 turbojet jet engines at the rear of the aircraft. The pattern approval was granted in April 1963. Candidate for the military UTX program was the model T- 39A, which was driven at the start of production of two Pratt & Whitney JT12A8 turbojet engines. Following the civil variants Series 40, Series 60, Series 60A and Series 75 were still being produced, which represent only longer and more spacious versions of the T -39 essentially. In 1973, the aircraft of the Sabreliner family were also with General Electric CF700 or Garrett AiResearch TFE73131D turbofan engines (Series 60A, 70, 75 ) can be ordered. As standard this happened in the Series 75A variant, which also brought several innovations in the cabin interior and in the aerodynamics of the aircraft with it.

In 1981 the production of the North American T -39 has been discontinued.

In May 2012, operated with the U.S. Navy for two seasons with the T- 39, for a training squadron VT -86 " Sabrehawks " at the Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, as well as the testing squadron VX -31 at the Naval Air Station China Lake in California; there only a single copy of the T- 39D series, however, is stationed. The U.S. Navy wants the remaining T -39, some of which are over fifty years old, replace 2014 by the McDonnell Douglas T -45.

Variants

Civilian versions

  • NA -265: Prototype of the civilian variant, which was identical to the military version of T- 39A.
  • Series 40: first production version. Model NA -265 -40 which was equipped with JT12A -6A or JT12A -8 engines.
  • Series 60: extended passenger cabins; externally it can be seen that there are five windows on each side, instead of the three windows in the Series 40, were located. Model NA -265 60; with JT12A -8 engines.
  • 60A Series: Series 60 version with aerodynamic improvements.
  • 65A Series: Series 60 Garrett AiResearch TFE731 - version -3R - 1D turbines. Model NA -265 65th
  • Series 75: Series 60A version with deeper fuselage. Model NA -265 70; JT12A -8 turbines.
  • 75A Series: Series 75 version with various improvements to the aerodynamics of the aircraft. This version was powered by GE CF700 turbofan engines. Model NA -265 80th

Military versions

  • T- 39A: First production version, used as training aircraft and driven by JT12A -6A engines. Model NA - 265th CT - 39A: freight and passenger transport version for the U.S. Air Force. The drive was carried out with J60-P-3/-3A-Einwellen-Turbojet-Triebwerken of P & W.
  • NT - 39A: test aircraft variant of the Type T - 39A, which was operated by the Air Force.
  • T- 39G: Modified version of the Navy variant - CT - 39G for flight exercises as part of the Undergraduate Flight Officer Training program.

User States

  • Argentine Air Force
  • Argentine Army
  • Bolivian Air Force ( Series 60)
  • Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana
  • Mexican Air Force
  • Mexican Navy
  • Flygvapnet
  • United States Air Force
  • United States Navy
  • BAE Systems, Inc. ( T- 39A )
  • Federal Aviation Administration ( Series 80 )
  • National Test Pilot School

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

The technical data is provided by Boeing.

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