Beech T-34 Mentor

Beech T-34 Mentor. . , The T-34 Mentor is a military basic flight training aircraft derived from Beech Aircraft Company's famous four-seat civilian light-lane, the Model 35 V-tailed Bonanza. The Bonanza first flew in 1945, and production aircraft were delivered in 1947. Its all-metal construction, retractable landing gear and speed made the plane popular for the higher-end general aviation market., Company founder Walter Beech speculated that the military would need a new trainer and developed the Model 45 as a private venture, without a direct request from the military. The Bonanza's wide four-passenger cabin was replaced with a narrower fuselage and a two-seat dual-control cockpit, placing the student and instructor in tandem, one behind the other. The Model 45 was also structurally stronger to withstand mild aerobatics and the rigors of student pilots in training. Beech's gamble paid off. After competitive testing, the U.S. Air Force ordered 60 T-34As in 1953. The following year, the U.S. Navy ordered the T-34B version of the trainer. The "B" model was modified to better match the systems of the more advanced aircraft flown by Navy pilots. It had differential braking on the main wheels for steering instead of nose wheel steering, and adjustable rudder pedals instead of an adjustable-height seat., In 1978, the Navy upgraded its basic training aircraft to include the T-34C Turbo-Mentor, a turboprop engine version. The Navy's T-34Bs and T-34Cs continued to serve as basic trainers until 2002. More than 1,900 Mentors were built in the United States and built under license overseas, including 125 in Canada, 173 in Japan and 75 in Argentina. Mentors have trained many U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots, as well as military pilots of 21 other countries., The Mentor on display is painted as a T-34B used by the navy. It is a gift of the Taylor family in memory and honor of Thomas M. Taylor, 1942-2006.,

Length: 25 feet 11 inches (7.9 m) , Wingspan: 32 feet (10 m) , Height: 9 feet 6 inches (2.9 m) , Empty Weight: 2,254 pounds (1,022 kg) , Max Weight: 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg) , Top Speed: 188 miles per hour (302 kph) , Ceiling: 19,500 feet (5,944 m) , Crew: Two , Armament: None

, [Captions:] , The T-er was an excellent basic trainer for the U.S. Navy and Air Force. Student pilots learned the basics of aerobatics, flying on instruments and formation flying., The T-34C Turbo-Mentor is easily identified by the longer nose, which houses a turbo-prop engine. This advanced version of the aircraft had four underwing weapon pylons that carried 1,200 pounds (540 kg) of practice weapons such as flares, incendiary bombs, gun pods and small rockets.