CB Tweets Complete

[Bergman]

How cool is it that the very first jet there was also the same jet to fly the fini-flight? For once the AF gets it right!

4/8/2008 - COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFPN) -- The T-37 Tweet formally retired April 3 from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training here after 39 years of service as the gateway to the sky for more than 10,000 Air Force aviators.

Columbus Air Force Base was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training base flying the T-37, but the T-37 will continue to be used at Sheppard AFB, Texas, in the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program.

Vance AFB, Okla., and Laughlin AFB, Texas, phased out the T-37 from their pilot training programs in 2007.

"If you are a flier or a maintainer of any airplane, there is an emotional attachment," said Maj. Gen. Irving L. Halter Jr., the 19th Air Force commander. "The T-37 is a part of the fabric of Air Force aviation as well as American aviation."

The first T-37 arrived at Columbus AFB in 1969 in preparation for the base's realignment from Strategic Air Command to Air Training Command in 1970.

In 1970, Columbus AFB officials undertook the undergraduate pilot training mission, usng the T-37 for its primary training, and the T-38 talon for advanced training.

T-37 tail number 68-8068 arrived at Columbus AFB from the Cessna factory in Wichita, Kan., Sept. 25, 1969, with a grand total of 9.1 flight hours to its credit.

Thirty-nine years later, on March 31, 68-8068 was flown for the last student training sortie in the T-37 at Columbus AFB. Maj. Robert McGrath, an instructor pilot, and Capt. Jay Labrum, a student pilot, flew the aircraft's 10,351st sortie. The trainer jet ended its service to Columbus AFB with 16,637.6 flying hours.

With the completion of his training sortie, Captain Labrum was the last Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training student to utter the time honored words of "Tweet complete," signifying his completion of Phase II of the Air Force Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training program and the T-37.

"The T-37 has been a symbol of Air Force pilot training for half a century," said Lt. Col. David Johnson, the 37th Flying Training Squadron commander. "While getting newer aircraft is always a good thing, the Tweet was a living, breathing piece of pilot training heritage being used on a daily basis to train our young men and women."

The retirement ceremony culminated with a four-ship T-37 fly over by members of the 37th Flying Training Squadron.

"Goodbye, old girl. We are going to miss you," General Halter said. "You have done much for this nation and have made dreams come true."

[Flare]

Only 16K hours? That's brand new compared to some of the Tweets on the ramp at SPS!

[JS]

How cool is it that the very first jet there was also the same jet to fly the fini-flight? For once the AF gets it right!

You know, that is the way that I first interpreted the article too, but if you read it again, I don't think that is what it says. I think it is simply saying that the last aircraft flown there, 68-8068, arrived at the base on Sept 25, 1969. It was just stating the background of the final aircraft flown there, and not implying that it was also the first aircraft delivered to CBM.

On a cooler and more important note, I scanned through my old 781's from when I was at UPT, and it looks like I had the honor of flying 68-8068 on a hot April day several years ago.

[AEWingsMN]

After 14 years as a SAC base, on 1 July 1969, HQ USAF transferred Columbus back to Air Training Command and to its original mission of training undergraduate student pilots. In preparation for this transfer, Air Training Command had activated the 3650th Pilot Training Wing at Columbus on 15 February. The first undergraduate pilot training (UPT) class--71-01--entered school on 17 July.

wikipedia

If that was the first plane to arrive, then T-37 was delivered 25 Sept, that's about 2 months after the first class got there, which could have been all academics depending on the curriculum structure/pace at the time... possibly plausible.

[herkbum]

I flew that airplane! According to my logbook, I flew it at least twice (missing the tail #'s from the first half of Tweets), with the last flight being 10 Feb 03. Formation ride 2105!

[Skitzo]

I wonder if he said "tweet complete" over the radio? I know studs used to get in trouble for that at CBM.

[HercDude]

[Bergman]

You know, that is the way that I first interpreted the article too, but if you read it again, I don't think that is what it says. I think it is simply saying that the last aircraft flown there, 68-8068, arrived at the base on Sept 25, 1969. It was just stating the background of the final aircraft flown there, and not implying that it was also the first aircraft delivered to CBM.

On a cooler and more important note, I scanned through my old 781's from when I was at UPT, and it looks like I had the honor of flying 68-8068 on a hot April day several years ago.

After re-reading, I think you may be right. Either way, still amazing that -8068 showed up brand new and then flew the fini flight 39 years later.

I bet we don't get 39 years out of the T-6.

[JS]

I bet we don't get 39 years out of the T-6.

I bet they don't get half of that out of the T-1 either.

[Guest AndThenSome]

Interesting that they put the Tweety Bird "That's All Folks" class patch on the last T-37 but that class, 08-09, wasn't the last to fly it (it was the last FULL class of Tweets). The student who flew the very last sortie was from something like 5 or 6 classes behind that one. I guess the Looney Tunes reference w/ phrase was too good to pass up.

[Trogdor]

It will be interesting to see which tweet will be the last one at SPS. There are a couple '59 models on the ramp and many of the tweets here are well into the 20,000's on flight hours.

[Guest Sessy]

Interesting that they put the Tweety Bird "That's All Folks" class patch on the last T-37 but that class, 08-09, wasn't the last to fly it (it was the last FULL class of Tweets). The student who flew the very last sortie was from something like 5 or 6 classes behind that one. I guess the Looney Tunes reference w/ phrase was too good to pass up.

0815 is the last split class at CBM... those dudes started phase 3 last week. 0815's patch has a slogan on it that says "The Final Split, We flew em into extinction" I'm guessing the leadership liked the Tweety bird patch better so went with that one. I don't think he said "tweet complete" on the radio, but I think the IP said something about it. On another note, another dude from that class said "Tweet Complete" on his last pattern during his form check, IP took the jet, broadcast to RSU, "not yet" and apparently the dude went from a 0E to an 8G and had to show up in his blues the next day. Bummer.

[JarheadBoom]

...and apparently the dude went from a 0E to an 8G and had to show up in his blues the next day. Bummer.

Dunno what 0E or 8G are, but it's gotta be a bad thing if there's wearing-of-blues involved...

[amcflyboy]

Dunno what 0E or 8G are, but it's gotta be a bad thing if there's wearing-of-blues involved...

zero downgrades with an excellent overall to eight downgrades with a good overall....

Had to show up in blues huh? He should have just taco-ed him then.

[Dead Last]

zero downgrades with an excellent overall to eight downgrades with a good overall....

Had to show up in blues huh? He should have just taco-ed him then.

We would have taken so much s#!t from our fellow classmates if we didn't say "Tweet Complete" that unless you know you hooked you said it...

cheers

oh yeah I had a tear in my eye when I read the article, it was a fun damn airplane

[LockheedFix]

On a side note to this thread, does anybody know where President Bush went to Pilot Training and whether or not he flew Tweets? I've always been curious. That would be kind of cool if I had flown one of the same tails as the POTUS.

[Bergman]

On a side note to this thread, does anybody know where President Bush went to Pilot Training and whether or not he flew Tweets? I've always been curious. That would be kind of cool if I had flown one of the same tails as the POTUS.

Doesn't look good for your idea. I'll settle for wearing the same wings though. UPT sure has changed over the years...T-41 straight to the T-38. Niiicceee.

It took some digging due to all the 2000 election year BS...but here is the link to this article.

After being accepted into the ANG, Airman Basic Bush was selected to attend pilot training. His six weeks of basic training was completed atLackland AFB in Texas during July and August of 1968. Upon its completion, Bush was promoted to the officer's rank of second lieutenant. He spent the next year in flight school at Moody AFB in Georgia from November 1968 to November 1969. The aircraft Lt. Bush trained aboard were the T-41 Mescelero propeller-driven basic trainer and the T-38 Talon primary jet trainer. He also completed two weeks of survival training during this period.

Bush then returned to Ellington in Texas to complete seven months of combat crew training on the F-102 from December 1969 to June 1970. This period included five weeks of training on the T-33 Shooting Star and 16 weeks aboard the TF-102 Delta Dagger two-seat trainer and finally the single-seat F-102A. Bush graduated from the training program in June 1970.

[Flare]

That doesn't seem right. He went straight from a 172 to a -38?

[JS]

That doesn't seem right. He went straight from a 172 to a -38?

I thought I read somewhere that he flew T-33's before moving onto T-38's. That would make more sense since the T-33 was sort of the predecessor to the Tweet.

[Guest rotorhead]

He flew Tweets.

Lots of articles on the web.

T-41

T-37

T-38

THEN T-33 for lead in to F-102.

Here is one of the many articles.

https://www.valorstudios.com/wingmen/twait.htm

[Bergman]

He flew Tweets.

Lots of articles on the web.

T-41

T-37

T-38

THEN T-33 for lead in to F-102.

Here is one of the many articles.

https://www.valorstudios.com/wingmen/twait.htm

Oh good Lord. I'm just going to call "tumbleweed" concerning my inputs to this thread.

I must have read 10 different articles trying to find that answer and didn't find any that mentioned the Tweet. Just goes to show you can't believe everything you read.