military-aircraft-t-45

Needing a trainer to replace its McDonnell Douglas TA-4 Skyhawk and Rockwell T-2 Buckeyes, both elderly types that were becoming difficult to maintain and expensive to operate because of their turbojet engines, the US Navy finally fixed on a nasalized version of the British Aerospace Hawk to meet its VTX-TS requirement. In November 1981 McDonnell Douglas was retained as prime contractor for the T45 Training System, as the nasalized Hawk had now become. The T-4 Goshawk is an Anglo American project, with BAe as subcontractor responsible for the wings, rear fuselage, and control service. By comparison with the Hawk T.Mk 1, the Goshawk has an arrested hook and strengthened landing gear ( long stroke main units and twin wheel nose unit ) to provide carrier compatibility, a taller fin and ventral fin lets, rear fuselage air brakes, considerably revised wing leading edges, and a completely revised cockpit with new US Navy instruments and ejector seats. The first T-45 flew in April 1988, and encountered a number of teething problems including performance shortfalls cured by greater engine power. Some 302 aircraft delivered from June 1991

Description	Specifications
Manufacturer: McDonnell Douglas	Length: 39 ft. 3 in. including probe.
First Flight: April 1988	Height: 13 ft. 5 in.
Model: A	Wing Span: 30 ft. 9.75 in.
Crew: Two.	Wing Area: 179.6 sq. ft.
Nickname: Goshawk	Empty Weight: 9,394 lb.
Basic Role: Carrier borne and land based advanced trainer.	Max. Weight: 12,798 lb.
Other Versions: T-45A Goshawk naval trainer.	Armament: None.
Principal User: USA.	Propulsion
Performance	Power Plant: Rolls Royce/Turbomeca F405-RR-401 (Adour Mk 871 turbofan.
Range: 1,150 miles.	Horsepower: 5,845-lb thrust.
Max. Speed: 620 mph at 8,000 ft.	No. Of Engines: One
Ceiling: 42,250 ft.
Climb Rate: 6,980 ft per minute.