Lexington Park in St. Mary's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
North American T-2C Buckeye
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 30, 2019
Training Jet Jocks For over four decades, aspiring Navy and Marine Corps pilots learned the art of operating jets from aircraft carriers in a T-2 Buckeye. Unglamorous and unsophisticated, the T-2 was designed for only one vitally important mission: the intermediate flight training of future Navy and Marine jet pilots. After being evaluated at NAS Patuxent River in 1959, T2Js (then single-engine aircraft, and redesignated as T-2s in 1962) were assigned to the Naval Air Training Command. Buckeyes remained in the Training Command until 2008, after they were replaced by the T-45 Goshawk. The T-2C before you is an example of the Buckeye's final U.S. Navy version. Buckeyes were also flown by Greece and Venezuela.
Our Display Aircraft Bureau Number 158320 was accepted by the Navy on 23 June 1971. It served in the Training Command in the Training Command until July 2008, after which it was transferred to VX-20 at NAS Patuxent River. At VX-20, our T-2 was used as a chase aircraft for high-risk development tests of the E-2C, C-2, E-2D, and P-8. It also flew with the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. When retired on 30 September 2015, our T-2 had logged 13,956 hours, 42,673 field landings, 344 catapult launches, and 347 arrested landing. It also made the last flight of any Navy-operated T-2. The Buckeye joined the PRNAM flight line in 2016.
• Primary Mission: Intermediate and advanced flight training
• Crew: One Pilot, one Student Naval Aviator
• U.S. Service Timeline (T-2 Series): 1959 - 2008 (some T-2s served as test aircraft until 2015)
• Max. Gross Wight: 14,000 lb
• Dimensions: 38.3 ft length, 381. ft wing span
• Propulsion: Two General Electric J85-GE-4 Turbojets
• Max. Operating Speed: 518 MPH (sea level)
• Armament: None
Erected by Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Education • Military. A significant historical date for this entry is June 23, 1971.
Location. 38° 16.554′ N, 76° 27.762′ W. Marker is in Lexington Park, Maryland, in St. Mary's County. Marker can be reached from Three Notch Road (Maryland Route 235) just north of Buse Road, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 22156 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park MD 20653, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. NC-8A Mobile Electric Power Plant (MEPP) (here, next to this marker); TA-75A Tow Tractor
Photographed By Devry Becker Jones (CC0), August 30, 2019
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2019. It was originally submitted on August 31, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 173 times since then and 34 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 31, 2019, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.