The T-41 Mescalero is the military version of the popular Cessna 172 and was used by the United States Air Force and the United States Army as a pilot training aircraft. In 1964, the Air Force decided to use the off-the-shelf Cessna 172 as a preliminary flight screener for pilot candidates and ordered 237 from Cessna. The T-41 trainer is equipped with avionics and other equipment consistent with military missions. A total of 855 T-41 aircraft were built. The Air Force began replacing the T-41 in 1993.
The T-41A model was used by Air Training Command for preliminary flight screening of Air Force pilot candidates before their entry into undergraduate pilot training. Beginning in August 1965 the propeller-driven Cessna T-41 Mescalero provided 30 hours of what was, for many pilots, their first military flying experience.
A more powerful version, designated T-41C, is used for cadet flight training at the United States Air Force Academy. The Air Force Academy acquired the T-41C in 1968 for use in its pilot indoctrination program. The T-41Cs, unlike the T-41As with the old 145hp engine, are fitted with a larger 210hp engine. The T-41C can best be described as a C-172 on steroids and is only slightly different than the T-41D which also incorporates a variable pitch propeller.
All versions of the T-41 have fixed landing gear. This plane has brute power and it takes a few flights to really get used to it when coming from smaller planes, but once it is mastered, flying this aircraft is a great time. It takes a lot of right rudder to keep a T-41 level in stalls. The excess P-factor and torque make the use of rudder imperative on the takeoff and climb. The nose is so high that the only thing that can be seen out the front window is sky, so the pilot must get used to looking at the wingtips out the side windows to check pitch and bank angle.
T-41 VH-ENY was donated to HARS by the United States Air Force. Once fully restored it will be used as a training and general liaison aircraft by the Society.
Cessna T-41 Mescalero VH-ENY
Aircraft Specifications
T-41 Mescalero
Length 8.21 m | 26.92 ft
Wing Span 10.92ms | 35.83 ft
Height 2.69 m | 8.83 ft
Empty Weight 618 kg | 1,363 lbs
Loaded 1,043 kg | 2,300 lbs
Maximum Speed 232 km/h | 144 mph
Combat Range 1,158.7 kms | 720 miles
Rate Of Climb 268 m/min | 880 ft/min
Service Ceiling 5,180 m | 17,000 ft
Engines
Power Plant One Continental IO-360-D (C variant)
Power 160 kW 210 hp
