The first XT-37 being flown by Cessna test pilot Bob Hagan.
On 15 April 1952, the United States Air Force (USAF) announced a competition for its first ever primary jet trainer. The Request for Proposals was titled Trainer Experimental, and the requested aircraft was dubbed the TX. It was intended to bridge the performance gap between the prop driven trainers (North American T 28 Trojan and Beech T 34 Mentor) and the Lockheed T 33 Shooting Star advanced jet trainer. The USAF decided that a lower performance jet trainer was needed for the primary phase of pilot training.
The new trainer aircraft was to be designed from the ground up as a flying classroom with the emphasis on ease of instruction. Simplicity, durability, and ruggedness were to be as important as performance. The USAF intentionally kept the design requirements to a minimum to allow maximum flexibility for the designers. These requirements included:
Good low speed handling characteristics.
Good high altitude maneuverability.
Service ceiling above 30,000 feet.
Fuel for 20 landings within a two hour lesson.
Maximum final approach speed of 113 KIAS.
Maximum empty weight of 4,000 pounds.
The ability to takeoff and land over a 50 foot obstacle in less than 4,000 feet.
The USAF expected its new trainer to exhibit handling characteristics similar to those of the current jet fighters (remember, this was in 1952) as well as the ability to provide an introduction to high altitude flight. Beyond the basic design parameters, the USAF let…
