Estrella WarBird Museum

Tweety Bird

One of the most prominent of the trainer/attack type aircraft was the Cessna Model 318, the Air Force's dual-engine and dual-purpose T-37/A-37, popularly known in various forms as the Dragonfly, Tweety Bird, Tweet, or Super Tweet. The A-37 combat version was developed from the T-37 trainer, which was the standard jet trainer form the mid-'50s into the '70s. As A-37 it served with distinction in an attack role during the Vietnam War and, in its larger role, flew for decades as a primary trainer for the USAF. Both T-37 and A-37 also provided a wide range of services in the air forces of other nations.

The first T-37A was completed in September 1955, making its maiden flight that year, and was delivered to the USAF in June 1956 for use in cadet flight training. Both instructors and students considered T-37A an extremely pleasant aircraft to fly. It handled well and was agile and responsive. Although certainly not overpowered, it was also capable of all traditional aerobatic maneuvers.

T-37B was the next version, with uprated J-69-T-25 engines to provide about ten percent more thrust and better reliability in its rigorous training schedules.

The prototype XT-37C was a modified T-37B. Primary changes included stronger wings, with a stores pylon under each wing outboard of the main landing gear well for combat duties. T-37C could also be fitted with wingtip fuel tanks, each with a capacity of 65 US gallons, that could be dropped in an emergency. A computing gunsight and gun camera were added, and it could be fitted with a reconnaissance camera mounted inside the fuselage, as well.

Manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Co, Wichita KS.