Our Aircraft’s History

Cessna T-37B “Tweet”; (S/N 54-2732; MSN #40008) ~ Originally built as a T-37A-CE in April of 1956 by the Cessna Aircraft company in Wichita, Kansas. She was delivered to the US Air Force on April 30th; retained by Cessna for conversion to a JT-37A. The following is the history of the T-37B aircraft that MAPS has:

  • December 1958 – 3306th Pilot Training Group, Air Training Command (ATC), Bainbridge Air Force Base (AFB), Georgia; Aircraft converted to T-37B
  • January 1961 – 3525th Pilot Training Wig, ATC, Williams AFB, Arizona
  • March 1967 – At Cessna Aircraft, Wichita, Kansas
  • August 1968 – Dropped from inventory by transfer to museum status.  Assigned by the US Air Force Museum to the Florida Military Aviation Museum, St. Petersburg, Florida
  • August 2003 – Fort Meade, Florida
  • Recovered and moved to MAPS in March of 2007.
  • Spring/summer 2022; Renovated/modified to an A-37 Dragonfly.

In the fall of 2021, the aircraft was due for updated renovations and it was decided to modify the T-37B to a Cessna A-37 Dragonfly. 

A-37 information: During the Vietnam War, the United States Air Force wanted a replacement for the Skyraider that was taking many losses during COIN-type operations.  Due to the war escalating, the Air Force pushed for the need of this aircraft. Utilizing the T-37 as a base model, the Dragonfly was born.

Specifications/Performance (A-37)

  • Role: Light ground-attack aircraft
  • Manufacturer: Cessna
  • First flight: October 1964
  • Introduction: August 1967
  • Produced 1963-1975
  • Built: 577
  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 28 ft 3 1/4in
  • Wingspan: 35 ft 10 1/2 in 
  • Height: 8 ft 10 1/2 in
  • Empty weight: 6,211 lb
  • Max takeoff weight: 14,000 lb
  • Engines: 2 x General Electric J85-GE-17A turbojet, 2,850 lbf each
  • Max speed: 507 mph
  • Cruise speed: 489 mph
  • Range: 460 mi
  • Service ceiling: 41,765 ft

Armament, notable

  • 1 x 7.62 mm GAU-2B/A minigun
  • Hardpoints: 8 (4 @ 860 lb; 2 @ 600 lb; 2 @ 500 lb)
  • Rockets: LAU-3/A rocket pods
  • Bombs: 250 lb Mark 81, 500 lb Mark 82, 750 lb M117 bombs or BLU-32B, BLU-1C/B fire bombs or CBU-12 or 22 or 24 cluster bombs

Museum display notes:  On display as an A-37 Dragonfly. Also marked in honor of one of our MAPS Member/restoration volunteer, Capt. Ken Ramsay.  The Dragonfly markings are of her time with the 757th Tactical Fighter Squadron from 1973-1981 as part of the 910th Tactical Fighter Group at Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YI).

Designed to replace: Douglas A-1 Skyraider

Replaced by: Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt