CAF Acquires Rare TT-1 Pinto | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.19.25

Airborne-NextGen-05.20.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.21.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-05.22.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.23.25

Wed, Nov 08, 2023

CAF Acquires Rare TT-1 Pinto

Warbird Institution Enters the Jet Age

The Commemorative Air Force (CAF) has added a Temco TT-1 Pinto, registration N4486L, to its world-leading collection of historic military aircraft. Unique within the CAF’s fleet, the TT-1 is the only jet-powered, post-World-War-II-era machine amongst the organization’s famed collection of reciprocating-engined warbirds.

The acquisition of the TT-1 Pinto instantiates the CAF’s commitment to preserving aviation history and ensuring future generations of Americans come to know and appreciate the aircraft by which their freedoms have been so long and well protected and preserved.

TT-1 Pinto is the United States military designation for the Temco Model 51, a light-jet produced in very small numbers by Dallas, Texas-based Temco Aircraft in the hope of securing a U.S. Department of Defense contract for a jet-powered primary trainer. While the contract was awarded to Cessna’s T-37 Tweet, the Temco Model 51 was an capable aircraft in its own right.

Painted in broad-strokes, the Temco TT-1 Pinto was a single-engine, two-tandem-seat, primary jet-trainer. The aircraft was fitted with a durable mid-wing; a retractable, tricycle undercarriage; and numerous features characteristic of front-line combat aircraft, to include: ejection-seats, liquid oxygen equipment, and speed-brakes.

Following its 1956 maiden flight, the TT-1 Pinto was commended to the loving care of the U.S. Naval Air Test Center (NATC) in Patuxent River for evaluation. Navy test pilots reported favorably on the aircraft’s flight characteristics, but rated the little jet’s wave off capability “marginal” on account of its being, to a small degree, underpowered.

Only 15 specimens of the Model 51/TT-1-Pinto were built between 1955 and 1957, the entirety of which served in the Navy’s Air Training Command at Pensacola, Florida, where the planes took part in a program devised for purpose of testing the feasibility of conducting primary military flight training in jet-powered aircraft.

By the end of 1960, the TT-1s were phased out insofar as their performance was deemed insufficient. The wee jets—all of them—were sold as surplus.

Hoisted from ignominy by the CAF, N4486L has been assigned to a newly established Super Pinto Sponsor Group within the organization.

Rick Bell, one of the aircraft sponsors, remarked: “We are thrilled to operate this exceptional aircraft; it will enhance our ability to tell the story of military aviation history beyond World War II. The Pinto is also a great addition to our educational and historical outreach efforts."

The Pinto Sponsor Group will presently unveil the TT-1 Pinto. The aircraft will be based at the CAF’s Memphis, Tennessee hangar, but travel on occasion to the CAF’s Pensacola and Dallas facilities.

The CAF hopes to start offering living history flights in the TT-1 Pinto in 2024.

FMI: www.commemorativeairforce.org/aircraft

Advertisement

More News

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (05.20.25)

“From the beginning, the RV-15X’s performance has been very good, as reported and demonstrated in videos. However, we’ve continued to work hard to achieve the con>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.20.25): Handoff

Handoff An action taken to transfer the radar identification of an aircraft from one controller to another if the aircraft will enter the receiving controller's airspace and radio >[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.20.25)

Aero Linx: The de Havilland Moth Club Ltd The de Havilland Moth Club evolved from a belief that an association of owners and operators of Moth aeroplanes should be formed to create>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 05.20.25: Drone Regs, Zero-Emission Cargo, Door-Dash Drone

Also: Blackhawk’s Replacement, Supersonic Flight, Archer 1Q/25, Long-Range VTOL Program U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean P. Duffy released an update on progress being ma>[...]

Airborne 05.19.25: Kolb v Tornados, Philippine Mars, Blackhawk Antler Theft

Also: Tentative AirVenture Airshow Lineup, Supersonic Flight Regs, Private Pilot Oral Exam Guide, Boeing Deal The sport aircraft business can be a tough one... especially when Moth>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC