The story
For more than forty years the T-2 was a Navy jet pilot's first jet: a forgiving straight-wing trainer with tip tanks, a tail hook and two seats in a row. Students learned formation flying, gunnery and the hardest skill of all in it, landing on an aircraft carrier. The US Navy retired it in 2008; Greece kept flying them, and a few survive in private hands in orange and white trainer paint.
It's called the Buckeye because it was built in Columbus, Ohio, the Buckeye State.
Quick answers
How do you identify a T-2 Buckeye?
Straight wings with fuel tanks on the tips, a tandem bubble canopy, a tail hook under the tail and, nearly always, bright orange and white Navy trainer paint.
What does a T-2 Buckeye sound like?
Two small J85 jets: a high, thin whistle-roar, the classic sound of a 1960s trainer.
How fast is the T-2 Buckeye?
Top speed is 454 kts.
How many people does the T-2 Buckeye carry?
Typical configuration: Student + instructor.
How far can the T-2 Buckeye fly?
Range is about 909 nmi.
How big is the T-2 Buckeye?
It is 38 ft 4 in long and 38 ft 2 in across the wings.
When did the T-2 Buckeye first fly?
Its first flight was in 1958.
How many T-2 Buckeyes have been built?
519 built.
How rare is a T-2 Buckeye in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first T-2 Buckeye catch is worth 250 points.
