Temco TT-1 Pinto
Temco Aircraft · United States · first flew 1956 · fighter
The Temco TT-1 Pinto was the first jet aircraft designed from the outset as a primary trainer for the US Navy, intended to introduce student pilots to jet flight before they transitioned to more capable aircraft.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Single Continental J69 turbojet in fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
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Spot it by:
- First purpose-designed US Navy jet primary trainer
- Single Continental J69 turbojet in fuselage
- Tandem two-seat swept-wing trainer
A compact, neat tandem-seat jet trainer with moderately swept low wings, a single dorsal air intake feeding the fuselage-mounted turbojet, and conventional tail surfaces—smaller and lighter than the T-2 Buckeye it helped inform.
Specifications
- The Temco TT-1 Pinto has a length of 10.2 m (33 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.6 m (31 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 740 km/h (460 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 (tandem).
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Temco developed the Pinto in response to a 1953 Navy requirement for a jet primary trainer. It first flew in March 1956 and fourteen production aircraft were ordered, entering service in 1958. The Navy ultimately decided that the Beechcraft T-34 Mentor piston trainer was more economical for primary training and the Pinto was retired relatively quickly.
Variants
Only the TT-1 production variant was built; the initial prototypes were designated XTT-1. The fourteen production aircraft remained the total fleet.
Where you'll see it
Served briefly with the US Navy's training establishment from 1958 until retired in the early 1960s; no examples are known to have survived.
Related aircraft
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