North American CT-39A Sabreliner

The T-39 was based on the Rockwell Sabreliner 40 commercial aircraft. Air Force and Navy T-39’s were equipped with radar and LORAN navigational equipment and used to train navigators and F-105 aircrews. The T-39 was originally designed to meet the USAF “UTX” requirement for a combat readiness trainer, as a fast transport ,and as a utility aircraft. Tactical Air Command had six B models equipped with a Doppler Navigation System and NASARR all weather search and range radar as installed in the F-105 Thunderchief. The Navy used 36 D models for maritime radar indoctrination training.

The museum’s CT-39A, serial number 62-4465, was the command aircraft of the late General Gerald O’Malley, commanding officer of the Tactical Air Command. The museum’s T-39 was removed from the Air Force inventory and flown to the museum at March Air Force Base in May 1985. General O’Malley was killed in a landing crash of another T-39 in Scranton, PA, in 1986. This aircraft is on loan from the USAF.

The dates and specific history of our CT-39A are given below.

T-39A, s/n 62-4465, was manufactured by North American Aviation, Inglewood CA and delivered to the USAF on 2 Apr 1963. Its assignments were:

Apr 1963 - To 6550th Support Wing (AFSC), Patrick AFX FL

May 1964 - To 3245th Air Base Wing (AFSC), Hanscom AFB MA

Jun 1973 - To North American, Los Angeles CA

Sep 1973 - To 6590th Support Squadron (AFSC), Andrews AFB MD

Oct 1973 - To Air Proving Ground Center (AFSC), Eglin AFB FL

Jun 1975 - To 1st Composite Wing (MAC), Andrews AFB MD

Jul 1975 - To 89th Military Airlift (Special Missions) Wing (MAC), Andrews AFB MD

Jun 1977 - To 4950th Test Wing (AFSC), Wright-Patterson AFB OH (to CT-39A)

Mar 1978 - To 1402nd Military Airlift Squadron (MAC), Andrews AFB MD (deployed to Peterson AFB C0)

Oct 1978 - Unit moved to Langley AFB VA (joint operations with 89th Military Airlift (SM) Group, Andrews AFB MD)

May 1985 - Dropped from inventory by transfer to museum or school