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AVIATION IN PROFILE NORTH AMERICAN T-2 BUCKEYE Greek Buckeyes


Kirk Paloulian describes the story and service of the T-2C/E Buckeye Advanced Jet Trainer in Hellenic Air Force service


T-2E Buckeye, s/n 160062/62 coming in to land at Kalamata Air Base. (Ioannis Lekkas)


After a notable career in


the US Navy in preparing student Naval aviators to become fighter pilots, the only other air arm to operate the Buckeye worldwide is the Polemikí Aeroporía (Hellenic Air Force, HAF). The Buckeye has served HAF well, and the type is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary in HAF service, which looks like operating the type for a few more years to come, possibly until 2020, as a request for proposals for a new advanced jet trainer seem unlikely to be issued in the foreseeable future...


D


uring the 1973-74 Junta regime years, the HAF leadership opted for a


major reorganisation of HAF equipment. HAF Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Panagiotis Papanikolaou signed five


different contracts with


companies for the acquisition of A-7H Corsairs, Mirage F.1CGs, C- 130H Hercules, G-164 Grumman Agcats and the T-2E Buckeye. The introduction of modern aircraft such as the A-7H and Mirage F.1CG, and the F-4E Phantom, required substantial restructuring of the service. As such, the selection of the T-2E Buckeye as an advanced jet trainer was fundamental following the acquisition and operation of such types as the A-7H and F-4, which, having naval origins, it was thought better to select a naval trainer that guided the student pilot in flying an aircraft with the same type of approach sequences, was twin engined and had a tandem seat layout.


T-2E Buckeye in HAF service In 1975, following the assembly


of the first six T-2E Buckeyes, the export version for Greece of which 40 were built at the North American plant in Columbus, Ohio, three Greek Instructor Pilots with backgrounds on the T-37B/C, T- 33 and F-84F, were sent to acquaint themselves with the T-2.


Training was initiated at NAS


Pensacola, Florida with VT-4 ‘Warbucks’. In this initial stage the pilots became proficient from the front seat. Then during January 1976, they moved on to VT-19 ‘Green Frogs’ at NAS Meridian, Mississippi where they received Instructor Pilot training including Out of Control Flight phases, such as vertical, inverted and flat spins – however, these phases were demonstrated and taught while the Greek IPs sat in the backseat!


The US Navy undertook the spin


procedures over McCain Field, Mississippi with the entry from an altitude of 25,000 feet, and carried it on until the spin rotation was curtailed at the tenth turn. However, this training procedure was not carried on in Greece, as it was decided to terminate spins after three turns and exit the


manoeuvre. The only exception to this rule was during a flight test after Periodic Depot Maintenance flown by a test or instructor pilot. The USN Master Curriculum Guide contained four weeks of flight training on instructing procedures and two weeks of ground schools on instructional matters.


Following the graduation of the


three Greek Buckeye Instructor Pilots, delivery flights began from Columbus, Ohio, with an intermediate stop at Goose Bay, Canada, with the next leg transatlantic destination being NAS Keflavik, Iceland. After this stop the next leg was carried out with a stop in Prestwick, Scotland. After a long flight the next day, the first three T-2Es touched down on the tarmac of Kalamata’s runway 35L/17R.


Following the delivery of the first


six T-2E Buckeyes (s/n 160059, 160060, 160061, 160062, 160063 and 160064) the old T-33s were retired from the role of flight instruction of cadet pilots. Deliveries continued at three


aircraft per month, with the last ones (s/n 160096, 160097 and 160098) arriving on 17 January 1977.


Black and white shot of one of the initial delivery T-2Es.


40 WWW.SCALEAIRCRAFTMODELLING.CO.UK


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