@ Arlington Municipal Airport, Arlington, TX
February 2008
Produced by Texas Engineering and Manufacturing Co. (Temco), the Pinto was originally 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 Navy had some interest and ordered fourteen Pintos, designated TT-1 (Turbine Trainer One), which were produced between 1955 and 1957. By the end of 1960, the TT-1s were phased out of operations in the Naval Air Training Command because performance was deemed insufficient, and sold as surplus. This example was the eleventh one produced, and heavily modified with modern avionics, wet wings for increased fuel load, and a larger engine with triple the original thrust. Nikon D70 w/14-24mm.