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While not as well-known as some of the more glamorous Aircraft, like fighters, the Cessna Tweet is a legend in its own right: For more than 52 years it has served as the U.S. Air Force’s primary trainer, not to mention going to war and serving with many air forces of smaller countries.
When the USAF requested proposals for an experimental trainer known as TX in 1952, Cessna could look back on a long experience of producing Observation Aircraft for the U.S. Army. For the TX competition they entered with their Model 318, a twin-jet with side-by-side seats for student and instructor. It won the competition and a prototype was ordered under the name XT-37.

The second prototype.

A typical feature of the T-37 became its ultra-wide track landing gear, that gives great stability on landing and takeoff, while the relatively short landing gear and in consequence the close proximity of air intakes to the ground increased the risk of FOD (Foreign object damage).
The most distinct feature of the T-37 however was the sound of its J69 Turbo-jet engines – a high-pitched shriek. This earned the aircraft a number of nicknames, such as “Screaming Mimi”, “6,000 pound dog whistle” and ultimately “Tweety Bird” or “Tweet”. While it was never the official name of the T-37 or A-37, Tweet is the name that it went down in aviation history with.

The wide track landing gear of the T-37 is evident on this image.

The T-37A entered production in 1955. Soon, it was updated to the T-37B, which featured a stronger, improved engine and better avionics.
The next version of the Tweet became the T-37C, which received modifications to be used as a weapons trainer that could be used for light attack missions, aiming also at the export market.
The T-37 was used by 20 air forces in all kinds of training roles. It was a plane that was pleasant to fly, agile and responsive. Its capability to perform all kinds of acrobatic maneuvers also made it a natural choice for various acrobatic teams, it was even once considered as the plane for the USAF Thunderbirds.

	The YAT-37D was the first A-37, a modified T-37. Here it carries sidewinder missiles.

With the growing involvement of the United States in Vietnam, a counter-insurgency version of the T-37 was projected and two prototype YAT-37D were built. It took a while though until the project got picked up to become the A-37 which replaced A-1 Skyraiders, which had a high rate of losses in Vietnam.
Officially designated “Dragonfly”, the A-37 became known among its pilots simply as the “Super Tweet”.

A-37 firing rockets during a mission over Vietnam.

The A-37’s changes from the T-37 included once again stronger wings, four hardpoints for ordnance, larger wingtip tanks (95 gal), an internal 7.62mm minigun, better avionics and a tougher landing gear suitable for rough fields. It also had the option to install an aerial refueling probe. A pre-production of 39 A-37A’s was ordered for battle evaluation. They did so well in close air support, that a slightly improved version, the A-37B was ordered in larger numbers. In total 577 were built, 254 of which were flown in the markings of the South Vietnamese Air Force. 95 captured A-37’s were later used by Communist Vietnam until spare parts ran out in the early 1980s.
The A-37 was operated by a number of smaller countries, especially in South America, where it was also used in combat, particularly by Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala. Some of the USAF’s A-37’s were converted to OA-37s for the Forward Air Controller role.

An Uruguayan A-37 from the front.

Columbian T-37s and A-37s in formation.

wingspan: 10.26m
length: 8.92m
height: 2.8m
empty weight: 1755kg
max loaded weight: 3630 kg
maximum speed: 4647km/h
range: 1065km

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