The Temco TT Pinto is a tandem two-seat

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jet trainer A jet trainer is a jet aircraft for use as a trainer, whether for basic or advanced flight training. Jet trainers are either custom designs or modifications of existing aircraft. With the introduction of military jet-powered aircraft towards the e ...

built for the

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Design and development

The Temco Model 51 had been initially proposed to the US Air Force in response to an Air Force competition for a jet-powered primary trainer, which was won by the Cessna T-37 Tweet. The concept behind the Model 51 was an attempt to provide primary training in a jet-powered aircraft. The official name for the Model 51 was the Pinto. The Pinto was a mid-wing, tricycle landing gear trainer with an enclosed

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. The aircraft carried no armament. The TT-1s were equipped with many of the same features found in operational jets, including ejection seats, liquid oxygen equipment, speed brakes, along with typical flight controls and instrument panels. Although the flight characteristics were considered good, the "wave off" capability was rated marginal due to being slightly underpowered. After its first flight in 1956, the prototype was sent to the Naval Air Test Center (NATC)

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to be evaluated alongside the Beech Model 73 Jet Mentor. Fourteen of the aircraft, designated TT-1, were produced between 1955 and 1957.

AJI T-610 Super Pinto

In 1968, American Jet Industries (AJI) (later to become

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) re-engined a TT-1 Pinto. The J69 was replaced with a

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(the civil version of the J85). The modified aircraft, called the T-610 Super Pinto, flew on 28 June 1968. The new engine significantly increased performance, with maximum speed reaching , and AJI marketed the aircraft as a light attack aircraft.Field ''Flight International'' 16 October 1976, p. 1185. The prototype Super Pinto, together with drawings and production rights, were purchased by the

Philippine Air Force The Philippine Air Force (PAF) ( tgl, Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas, , Army of the Air of the Philippines) ( es, Ejército Aérea del Filipinas, , Ejército de la Aérea de la Filipinas) is the aerial warfare service branch of the Armed Fo ...

, which planned to build the aircraft as the T-610 Cali.

Operational history

In 1959, these aircraft served in the Air Training Command at

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and used in a training program demonstration testing the feasibility of using a jet-powered trainer for primary flight training. By the end of 1960, the TT-1s were phased out of operations in the

Naval Air Training Command The Naval Air Training Command (NATRACOM) is a one star command that conducts flight training of student Naval Aviators, and Naval Flight Officers. Though it does not conduct Naval Aircrew training which is conducted by Naval Education and Trai ...

because performance was deemed insufficient, and sold as surplus.

Variants

;TT-1 Pinto :Two-seat primary jet trainer aircraft. ; American Jet Industries T-610 Super Pinto :Re-engined with

-6

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.Taylor 1971, p. 223.

Operators

; *

Surviving aircraft

In December 2016, five of the TT-1 Pinto series still appeared on the U.S. civil roster (one with an expired certificate), down from seven, four of them Super Pintos, in 2011. As of late 2015, one T-610 prototype was still preserved at the Philippine Air Force Museum.44233 at Manila - Ninoy Aquino International by Paul Chandler1 on netAirspace.com
retrieved 07 Dec 2016.

Specifications (TT-1)

References

Bibliography

* Dillon, Mike. "Will lovely loser become super winner?" ''Air Progress,'' Vol. 24, no. 3, March 1969. * * Frankel, Mark

Simi Valley, California: Ginter Books, 2007. . * * Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1971–72''. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. Ltd, 1971. . * Taylor, Michael J.H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation (Vol. 5)''. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational Corporation, 1980. .

External links

Temco Model 51

Minijets – Temco 51 TT-1 Pinto
{{USN trainer aircraft 1948 TT Pinto TT, Temco Single-engined jet aircraft Mid-wing aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1956