Cessna T-41B Mescalero

Cessna · United States · first flew 1964 · light aircraft

The T-41B Mescalero is a military primary flight trainer variant of the Cessna 172 Skyhawk, fitted with a more powerful engine than the baseline T-41A for use at high-altitude airfields.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	8.28 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Military primary trainer based on Cessna 172 Skyhawk
High-wing four-seat monoplane with fixed tricycle gear
More powerful engine than standard T-41A for USAF Academy use

Indistinguishable externally from a civilian Cessna 172 — high-wing strut-braced monoplane with fixed tricycle gear and a single nose-mounted piston engine; military aircraft identified by USAF markings.

Specifications

The Cessna T-41B Mescalero has a length of 8.28 m (27 ft).
It has a wingspan of 10.92 m (36 ft).
Its maximum speed is 232 km/h (144 mph).
Typical crew: 1 + 1 student.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Adopted by the US Air Force in the mid-1960s as an off-the-shelf primary trainer, the T-41B used a 210 hp fuel-injected Continental engine to cope with the thin air at the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs.

Variants

The T-41 family includes the T-41A (standard 172), T-41B (210 hp, USAF Academy), T-41C (aerobatic, USAF Academy cadet program), and T-41D (export version for foreign military sales).

Where you'll see it

The T-41B served the US Air Force Academy and allied air forces as a first-step trainer for decades, introducing student pilots to basic flight before progressing to jet trainers.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.