A case for the T-2 Buckeye

This thread was inspired by the case for the A-4 Skyhawk thread. Even though I like the idea of having the A-4 officially supported by DCS I understand how that can be very challenging to make it happen if not impossible without a license and having to overhaul it or redoing it from scratch.

However what had inspired me in particular about the A-4’s capabilities was that it would had made a great Naval trainer to practice aircraft carrier landings. Therefor the next best thing if not the ideal thing would be the T-2C Buckeye. The T-2's performance was between that of the Cessna T-37 Tweet and the TA-4J Skyhawk.

Now what would make the T-2 an even more inserting case was if it was included with the free DCS download along with the TF-51 and Su-25T. This would provide newcomers to DCS with an actual trainer from the start that would better prepare them for the other advanced modules. The investment that ED would have to make to make it happen would actually pay for its self as the T-2 would generate more interest in DCS as a whole and increase sales in the other Naval aircraft models.

Some other interesting facts about the T-2 Buckeye was that cockpit controls were similar to the propeller-driven T-28C Trojan making it easy to learn to operate. While it had no built-in armament, the T-2 could accommodate two .50-inch gun pods, 100 lb practice bombs, or 2.75-inch rockets beneath the wings. It was also operated buy the Hellenic Air Force and Venezuelan Air Force.

Some interesting benefits about the T-2 that make it more special and useful over the T-45 are:

1. The T-2 can be equipped with gun pods which the T-45 can't

2. The T-2 was a far more stable design because it was specifically engineered from the ground up to be the best trainer possible.

"Not only did North American design the Buckeye to be tough, but they also designed it to be extremely stable and forgiving. This garnered the straight-winged T-2 a special place when it came to advanced spin training. Even today, the Air Force’s Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base contracts one of the few Buckeyes in private hands for this use from time-to-time."

T-2 Buckeye was the first module in progress by RAZBAM, but delayed and put on hold....

It would be a great add-on for DCS. A naval, carrier-capable training aircraft certainly has its place in DCS.

Either the T-2 or the T-45, any of those would be great. Pete Mitchell honed his flying skills on the T-2 though! :smilewink:

T-2 trojas was the first module in progress by RAZBAM, but delayed and put on hold....

Yes, that was a great disapointment indeed. I was really looking forward to that module. Evoman has a point though. This would be a terrific marketing tool to suck would be Topgun Maverics into the game! They'd never know what hit them!! :megalol: Far beyond any and all hopes would be that the T-2 could be capable of multiplayer as is the L-39.......or at least is supposed to be.

As a Dev training tool for Multi crew code.

I want any trainer that was developed by North American Aviation,i would like to see the T-6 Texan WWII one too since i'm not really that good at flying the TF-51 Mustang.:thumbup:

I still hope the Hawk will be resurrected, the T45 would be good with its carrier capability.

I would absolutely love to have the T-2. And if it's not a free module I would gladly pay for it.

Not only is it a great trainer that generations of naval aviators learned on, but I grew up 20 minutes away from where they were built.

Far beyond any and all hopes would be that the T-2 could be capable of multiplayer as is the L-39.......or at least is supposed to be.

That would RULE. It would help me enormously to have an experienced pilot in the back seat while I'm learning, and someday I'd like to pay it forward and train others.

I think it would make it easier for people to get into DCS if they could have an experienced hand to help them get started.

I want any trainer that was developed by North American Aviation,i would like to see the T-6 Texan WWII one too since i'm not really that good at flying the TF-51 Mustang.:thumbup:

Don't forget the T-28 Trojan!! :thumbup:

It would be a great add-on for DCS. A naval, carrier-capable training aircraft certainly has its place in DCS.

 

Either the T-2 or the T-45, any of those would be great. Pete Mitchell honed his flying skills on the T-2 though! :smilewink:

If you want a Naval training aircraft, I would go with the T-45 before the T-2. The T-2 is a slug and not that much fun to fly. The T-45 is a great airplane.

If you want a Naval training aircraft, I would go with the T-45 before the T-2. The T-2 is a slug and not that much fun to fly. The T-45 is a great airplane.

The T-45 would be great but I am going with the most realistic option that has a highest probability to be granted a license to make development possible. After the whole Hawk fiasco I am not too sure about the T-45 unless Boeing who now holds the rights to it agrees to it with a model that is in active use.

I loved the DINO T 45 in P3D.....

I want any trainer that was developed by North American Aviation,i would like to see the T-6 Texan WWII one too since i'm not really that good at flying the TF-51 Mustang.:thumbup:

it aint hard to learn.

If you want a Naval training aircraft, I would go with the T-45 before the T-2. The T-2 is a slug and not that much fun to fly. The T-45 is a great airplane.

+1

T-45 will certainly have more sales and profit compared to T-2 Buckeye and it sound more fun given its figures.

Since the Hawk T1A has been scuttled...then maybe this could fill the gap and this is a derivative of the Hawk series. But license could become an issue. Realistic possibility is the T-2 Buckeye.

But...I wouldn't mind T-2 Buckeye...carrier landings would be fun with a non modernized HUD.

(...)unless McDonnell Douglas agrees to it with a model that is in active use.

You'll need a time machine for that. The company McDonnell Douglas no longer exists, and hasn't done so for almost 23 years.

Their sign “Fly DC Jets” still stands in Long Beach. But now it’s a Mercedes dealership. They had to agree to keep the sign up in order to get the building

I'd like a T-2, T-28, or T-45. All would be pretty cool and it would be nice to have a carrier trainer just for kicks. Unfortunately I don't think we'll see too many more trainers unless a new Dev does one as an initial DCS release. And our newest Dev is already starting with the A-7

I was doing some research to see if there were any things that made the T-2 more special and useful over the T-45 and found two things.

1. The T-2 can be equipped with gun pods which the T-45 can't

2. The T-2 was a far more stable design because it was specifically engineered from the ground up to be a the best trainer possible.

"Not only did North American design the Buckeye to be tough, but they also designed it to be extremely stable and forgiving. This garnered the straight-winged T-2 a special place when it came to advanced spin training. Even today, the Air Force’s Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base contracts one of the few Buckeyes in private hands for this use from time-to-time."

https://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-navy-finally-says-goodbye-to-the-tubby-little-t-2-b-1733033041

Plus its older and therefore cool :)

My first 3 years in the Navy I was stationed at NAS Oceana with East coast adversaries VF-43 Challengers. There we flew A-4E (we had 2 A-4F's...Bad ass 'Super Fox" but we HAD to give them up to the Blue Angels) Also TA-4J, F-5E, T-38, and finally our 'Guppies' the T-2. I love them. Used for spin training.

I was looking at pictures of the T-2B cockpit and found it to be nice and simple. Which makes it perfect for newbie pilots and more experienced pilots that just want to practice the basics of aircraft carrier traps.

As one who misses the Hawk, and got burned by it through whole development time by not being able to fly it as wanted (development reasons rendering it unusable in different patches), I would be very much interested about T-45 but as long it is T-45C with glass cockpit.

https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/t45-goshawk/

What comes to even earlier 50's T-2 Buckeye, I am already more done with the pure analog trainers L-39C and C-101EB.

Those modules are already as good as one can make trainers, and the C-101 especially shows true dedication for details. A truly underrated module in DCS!

What would make the T-2 so valuable is its very simplicity to new comers to DCS. Especially if it were to be included for free with the DCS download. The T-45 is so much more advanced technically that it would have to be sold for a profit which I don't have an issue with. But my main drive for the T-2 is for it to attract a new player base to DCS and for it to increase interest/sales in the carrier capable modules.

Like some one had said earlier "This would be a terrific marketing tool to suck would be Topgun Maverics into the game!"

Well, that is good point for being a free carrier capable aircraft. But as it would have cannon pods, rocket pods, it would make a nice trainer for that purpose to be able train for A-G tasks.

It wouldn't beat the Su-25T as combat aircraft but at least training for landing/take-off without first buying those modules, it would be nice boost to consider buying a navy aircrafts.

Those modules are already as good as one can make trainers, and the C-101 especially shows true dedication for details. A truly underrated module in DCS!

It does look like a good module and I'm seriously thinking of buying it too.

But it can't land on a carrier.