The Temco TT Pinto is a tandem two seat primary jet trainer built for the United States Navy by Temco Aircraft of Dallas, Texas.
The Temco Model 51 had been initially proposed to the US Air Force in response to an Air Force competition for a jet powered primary trainer, which was won by the Cessna T-37 Tweet.
The concept behind the Model 51 was an attempt to provide primary training in a jet-powered aircraft.
The official name for the Model 51 was the Pinto.
The Pinto was a mid-wing, tricycle landing gear trainer with an enclosed cockpit powered by a single Continental Motors J69/T-9 jet engine.
The aircraft carried no armament
The TT-1s were equipped with many of the same features found in operational jets, including ejection seats, liquid oxygen equipment, speed brakes, along with typical flight controls and instrument panels.
Although the flight characteristics were considered good, the “wave off” capability was rated marginal due to being slightly underpowered.
After its first flight in 1956, the prototype was sent to the Naval Air Test Centre (NATC) Patuxent River to be evaluated alongside the Beech Model 73 Jet Mentor.
Fourteen of the aircraft, designated TT-1, were produced between 1955 and 1957.
In 1959, these aircraft served in the Air Training Command at Pensacola, Florida and used in a training program demonstration testing the feasibility of using a jet-powered trainer for primary flight training.
By the end of 1960, the TT-1s were phased out of operations in the Naval Air Training Command because performance was deemed insufficient.
These were on sold as surplus.
AJI T-610 Super Pinto
In 1968, American Jet Industries (AJI) re-engined a TT-1 Pinto.
The T-610 Super Pinto started as a 1968 conversion of the United States Navy’s Temco TT Pinto two-seat jet trainer.
AJI modified the aircraft for light attack by replacing the engine with the General Electric CJ610-6 turbojet engine and extending the fuselage by 10 inches.
It featured a modified wing, wingtip fuel tanks, and a swept vertical stabilizer as well as provision for two under wing hardpoints.
The prototype first flew on June 28, 1968.
The aircraft flew very well and later improved in power three fold, with only 20 pounds more weight compared to the original design.
The United States Air Force (USAF) evaluated the Super Pinto during its PAVE COIN program in 1971 but it did not receive a contract with either the USAF or Turkey.
Consequently, the company decided to sell the whole project and struck a deal with the Philippine government, whereby AJI relinquished all rights on the Super Pinto design.
In a US $1.25 million deal, the Philippine Air Force (PAF)’s Self Reliance Development Wing bought the rights for the work drawings, patents, design, flight test data, and process sheets for the manufacture of the aircraft on November 8, 1976, as well as one U.S built prototype, which became the first Philippine T-610 Cali, also an additional fuselage was given.
The deal included the exclusive rights to market military and commercial versions internationally.
Specifications
T-610 prototype
Crew
Two
Length
9.57 m (31 ft 5 in)
Wingspan
9.09 m (29 ft 10 in) with tip tanks,
(10.31 m (33 ft 9 in) without tip tanks
Height
3.48 m (11 ft 5 in)
Wing area
13.94 m2 (150.0 sq ft)
Empty weight
1,542 kg (3,400 lb)
Max take-off weight
3,628 kg (7,998 lb)
Fuel capacity
1,048 l (277 US gal; 231 imp gal)
[With tip tanks]
Powerplant
1 × General Electric CJ610-4 non-afterburning turbojet, 12.7 kN (2,850 lbf) thrust
Performance
Maximum speed
843 km/h (524 mph, 455 kn) at 7,620 m (25,000 ft)
&
2,041 kg (4,500 lb) aircraft gross weight
Stall speed
121 km/h (75 mph, 65 kn) flaps down
Never exceed speed
760 km/h (472 mph, 410 kn) at 4,570 m (14,990 ft)
Range
1,570 km (976 mi, 848 nmi) internal fuel
Ferry range
2,062 km (1,281 mi, 1,113 nmi)
Endurance
5.5 hours
Service ceiling
15,240 m (50,000 ft)
Rate of climb
47 m/s (9,300 ft/min)
Armament
Hardpoints
6 under wing hardpoints with a capacity of up to 3,500 kg (7,700 lb) of stores,
With provisions to carry 2 × 7.62 mm calibre machine guns.
