GREEK MASTER

ADVANCED BUILD

José Pires graduates from training with Special Hobby’s 1/32 T-2E Buckeye

T-2 BUCKEYE

Scratch-built pipework and other detail was added to the main undercarriage bays, utilising copper wire and stretched sprue.

The front instrument panel received a tinsheet coaming/sun shield; note the wiring for the rear panel instruments, plus the refined details on the central console.

North American Corporation’s T-2 Buckeye first entered service in 1959 and although it was retired from the US Navy in 2008, it’s still in operation with the Hellenic (Greek) Air Force as of 2018. Its US career as a trainer was an amazing 49 years and introduced all ab initio Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Operators to carrier-borne jet operations during this time, before being phased out between 2004 and 2008 in favour of the T-6 Texan II and T-45 Goshawk. The Buckeye had limited export success, being sold to Venezuelal and, in 1976, Greece. The latter received the T-2E variant (along with several ex-US Navy T-2Cs), which featured six underwing pylons (US Navy machines had just two) for a variety of air- to-ground munitions. Rugged, reliable, ergonomic and with fine] handling and flight characteristics, it has served as the trainer for Hellenic jet pilots from basic jet familiarisation through to advanced combat tactics.