Beech T-34 Mentor

The Beech T-34 Mentor is a military trainer still in service in several countries around the world. It was America's flying school for young cadet pilots in the 1950s and 1960s. It was developed in the United States by Beechcraft, which is a branch of the Beech Aircraft Company. It performed its maiden flight in 1948, entering service in 1953, both with the US Air Force and US Navy.

The version Beech T-34A was used by the US Air Force as its first post war primary trainer. Meanwhile the T-34C would become the US Navy's main trainer for many years. The Spanish and Canadian air forces also employed this trainer during the Cold War years. It has also been used by the Uruguayan, Ecuadorian, and Colombian air forces.

Piston Engine and Turboprop variants

The Beech T-34 Mentor had a simple design as it was very reliable, safe, and easy to fly. The T-34A was powered by a 500-HP piston engine, while the T-34C by a 715-HP turboprop engine. The turboprop version (Turbo Mentor) trained the US Navy's pilots until it was replaced by the Raytheon T-6A in 2004. This turboprop variant was also exported world-wide.

Technical Characteristics

The Beech T-34 Mentor is a two-seat, single-engine monoplane, which is fitted with straight low wing. Fuselage is all-metal alloy, with a semi-monocoque structure, which allows it higher speeds, aerobatics and a longer fatigue life. The aircraft is equipped with retractable tricycle-type landing gear. The tail unit is of light alloy cantilever structure, having a fixed incidence tailplane and manually-operated trim tabs on the elevators and rudder.

Specification (T-34C)

Type: trainer aircraft

Length: 8.75 m (28 ft, 8 inch)

Wingspan: 10.16 m (33 ft, 4 inch)

Wing Area: 16.71 square meters (180 sq. ft)

Height: 3.02 m (9 ft, 7 inch)

Power Plant: one 715-HP, Pratt & Whitney PTCA-25 turboprop engine.

Maximum Speed: 414 km/h (257 mph)

Range: 1,205 km (745 miles)

Crew: two

Below, the Beech T-34A in service with the Spanish Air Force in the 1970s

 The US Air Force's T-34 Mentor in flight in the 1950s

Below, three T-34C turboprop Mentors in the 1980s