T-29C CMI Package_2025_Final.pdf

Hill Aerospace Museum Beech T-29 “Flying Classroom” CMI Package – December 2024

Color, Markings & Insignia Package T-29C Flying Classroom (S/N 52-1119)

I. BACKGROUND

The T-29 “Flying Classroom” The T-29C was a variant of the ConvAir T-29, a military transport aircraft developed by Convair during the 1940-1950s. The T-29 was originally designed as a transport and cargo aircraft, but it also saw service as a navigation trainer, communications relay aircraft, and staff transport. The T-29C specifically was a navigation trainer variant, designed to train navigators and radar operators for the US Air Force and US Navy.

The T-29C played a significant role in the training of military navigators and radar operators during the 1950s and 1960s. The aircraft was equipped with a range of navigation and radar equipment, including a search radar, a navigation radar, and a celestial navigation system.

The T-29C was also fitted with a crew of instructors and students and could simulate a range of navigation scenarios, including instrument meteorological conditions and celestial navigation. The T-29C remained in service with the US military until the late 1960s, when it was replaced by more modern aircraft, such as the Boeing T-43.

The Hill Aerospace Museum T-29C The T-29C played a significant role at Hill Air Force Base (HAFB) in Utah, as it was used as a navigation trainer aircraft. One T-29 was always assigned to Hill Air Force Base during the 1950-1970s. They were used in a yearlong program to train navigators. During this training at Hill, the student first completed simulated flight missions. Once the student passed flight simulators, they went aloft in a T-29 where they repeated practice missions under simulated combat or operational flight missions. Students ultimately spent several hundred hours in aerial practice.1 T-29s at HAFB also participated in local base exercises for transport and navigation.2 It successfully supported the important mission of training Air Force navigators, bombers, and others in unique and specialized situations.

1 Air Force Training Navigators in T-29 “Flying Classroom”. Hill Top Times, April 28, 1950.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349606039/ 2 Simulated ‘Alert’ Takes Workers on 3-Day Exercise. Hill Top Times, November 14, 1958.

https://www.newspapers.com/image/349555474/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/349606039/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/349555474/

Figure 1 The T-29 was beneficial for navigation trainings (Hill Top Times, April 28, 1950)

This T-29C, S/N 52-1119, was manufactured by Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft (the Convair Division of General Dynamics Corporation) in San Diego, California, and delivered to the US Air Force on January 13, 1954. The aircraft was immediately sent to the 3610th Aircraft Observer and Navigator Training Wing, Air Training Command, at Harlingen AFB, Texas, where it remained until January 1958. The plane's next assignment was with the 7625th

Operations Squadron at Lowry AFB, Colorado, for training cadets at the US Air Force Academy.

In May 1960, the aircraft was sent back to Harlingen to operate with the 3610th. The 3565th Maintenance and Supply Group, Air Training Command, at James Connally AFB, Texas, acquired the plane in July 1962, then transferred it in December 1965 to the 3566th Field Maintenance Squadron, also at Connally. The aircraft was reassigned to Mather AFB, California, in April 1966 and again in March 1973, where it was used by the 3535th Navigator Training Wing (ATC) and 325th Flying Training Wing (ATC) respectively.

Figure 2 - Not the Museum T-29, but the last one to train at Hill AFB (Hill Top Times, September 27, 1974)

Finally, in February 1975, the aircraft was dropped from the US Air Force inventory and sent to Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona, for storage. The US Air Force Museum System eventually acquired the aircraft, and it was assigned to Hill Aerospace Museum for static display. The Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah arranged with Western International Aviation, Inc., to have the aircraft prepared for one last flight to Hill AFB for delivery to the Museum. The aircraft arrived at the Hill Aerospace Museum on November 8, 1991.

T-29C – 52-1119 c/n 358

• 2-28-75: MASDC, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ

• 7-22-75: Naval Air Rework Fac, NAS Pensacola

• 11-4-75: VT-29 (“D 56”) NAS Corpus Christi, TX

• 11-22-76: MASDC, Davis-Monthan, AFB, AZ

• 8-16-77: Stricken with 759 hours

II. CURRENT CONFIGURATION

Pictures of S/N 52-1119 as it appears now.

3The Museum’s T-29C outside in the mid-1990s.

3 https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/post/warplanes-of-the-usa-utah-hill-air-force-base-hill-aerospace-museum

III. OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED PAINT SCHEME RESTORATION

Overall Color Scheme:

The top of the T-29C is colored white (FS 37925) with a blue line (FS 15045) directly below.

Underneath the blue line, the aircraft is polished aluminum. The airframe needs to replicate the polished aluminum look, whether through paint or polishing the aluminum.

National Insignia:

The standard National Star insignia of the design, shown in figure 1, will be applied so that in normal flight attitude of the aircraft, the top point of the star of the insignia points upward on fuselage surfaces and forward on a wing surfaces.

The line through the top point of the star and its center will be perpendicular to the line formed by the constant 50 percent chord line of the wind, which passes through the center of the star. The diameter of the blue circle (excluding the border) will be in multiples of 5 inches.

The standard insignia will be in insignia-white (FS 17925) five-pointed star inside and insignia-blue (FS 15045) circumscribed circle with an insignia-white rectangle. The length of the rectangle shall be one radius of the blue circle, and the width shall be of the radius of the blue circle. The rectangle shall be placed on each side of the star so the top edges will form a straight line with the top edges of the two points beneath the top point of the star. An insignia-red (FS 11136) horizontal stripe shall be centered in the white rectangle at each side of the star; the width of the red stripe is to be of the radius of the blue circle. An insignia blue border, width being 1/8 of the radius of the blue circle, will outline the entire design. (T.O. 1-1-636 3-2)

Other US Air Force Markings:

Vertical block type lettering in insignia blue (FS 15045) on aluminized surfaces. Insignia-red will be used on black finish. (T.O. 1-1-636 3-7)

The marking US Air Force (FS 15045) will be placed on the lower surface of the left wing and the upper surface of the right wing of all US Air Force will be placed on the lower surface of the left wing and the upper surface of the right wing of all US Air Force aircraft, except department of the Army and National Guard aircraft. The height and location of this marking will correspond insofar as possible with the National Star insignia on the opposite wing of the aircraft. Width 2/3 the height; width of strikes and space will be 1/6 the height, the top of the letters will be toward the leading edge of the wing. (T.O. 1-1-636 3-8)

The markings, US Air Force will be placed on each side of the fuselage of all US Air Force aircraft, exact as indicated in Figure 2. Width of the letters will be 2/3 the height; width of the strokes and spaces will be 1/6 the height. Except space between “period” and “S” and “period” and “A” will be 1/3 letter height; space between “AIR” and “FORCE” will be one letter width.

IV. OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED PAINT SCHEME ALTERATION

These elements need to be added to the aircraft.

Serial Numbers:

The aircraft serial number (FS 15045) marking (Serial Number: 52-1999) will be included and stenciled in letters and numerals one inch high on the left side of the fuselage, near the pilot’s compartment and plainly visible from the ground (T.O. 1-1-636, 9-27)

T-29 Identification Number:

The T-29 Identification Number (TJ-119) will be on both sides of the fuselage below “U.S. AIR FORCE” marking, as described in Figure 1 and sketched in Figure 2. Letters and numbers will be 16 inches in height.

Radio Call Numbers:

Radio call numbers (10862) consisting of five numerals will be maintained on all US Air Force aircraft. The five numerals will be applied to each outboard side of the vertical fins on aircraft. The established mimimum size for radio call numerals is 8 inches wide and 12 inches high on twin engine cargo aircraft. The stroke and space for radio call numerals will be 1/6 the height. In the event space is not available for these standard sizes, the numerals will be of the largest size which can be applied which is consistent with exsisting space. The alternate numeral size will be established by the width equaling 2/3 the height and stroke and space will equal 1/6 the height. (T.O. 1-1-363, 3-30h) Colors for radio call numbers will be insignia-blue (FS 15045) when applied on aluminized surfaces, jet black may be used as a subsititue. (T.O. 1-1-363, 3-30i)

Propeller Warning Stripes and Signs:

The area of the fuselage which is in the plane of the propeller path will be marked with a glossy insignia-red (FS 11136) stripe 3 inches wide extending completely around the fuselage, whenever it does not interfere with standard US Air Force markings or insignia.

ATC Emblem:

With the T-29C’s first exterior paint, the Air Training Command emblem was placed on the left and right side of the nose by the cockpit windows. See Figure 3.

Figure 3 - ATC emblem on Nose

Upon further research of the T-29s in ATC during the 1950-60s, the museum concluded this was an inaccurate marking placement. Instead, we request the ATC emblem appear on the tail, near the top, on both the right and left side. Size should replicate (approximately) what is displayed in reference imagery. See Figure 4.

Figure 4 - ATC emblem on tail

Below is a historical image of a T-29C with the ATC crest on the tail. See Figure 5.

Figure 5 - ATC emblem on T-29C tail

The ATC emblem must reflect what is displayed in Figure 6.

Figure 6 - ATC Emblem

Please consult the attachments below for detailed marking/stenciling information.

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9 - Standard lettering style used on US AIR FORCE aircraft, from US AIR FORCE T.O. 1-1-4

Figure 10 - Layout of national insignia on US AIR FORCE aircraft, from US AIR FORCE T.O. 1-1-4

Mr. Aaron Clark, Director Date Hill Aerospace Museum Hill AFB, UT

References:

1. United States Air Force, (1964), T.O. 1-1-4 Exterior Finishes, Insignia, and Markings Applicable to US AIR FORCE Aircraft

2. Convair: T-29 Flying Classroom, R4Y/C-131 Sanarutab & CC-109 Cosmopolitan, Steve Ginter and Nick Williams. S. Ginter: Simi Valley, California, 1987.

3. Aircraft Record File – DD Form 1149

4. Aircraft Record File – Misc – incident reports, photos etc.

5. T-29 Traded for C-118. Hill Top Times, September 27, 1974.

6. Air Force Training Navigators in T-29 “Flying Classroom”. Hill Top Times, April 28, 1950. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349606039/

7. Simulated ‘Alert’ Takes Workers on 3-Day Exercise. Hill Top Times, November 14, 1958. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349555474/

8. https://pimaair.org/museum-aircraft/convair-t-29b/

9. https://reninassancemusings.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/the-t-29-flying-classroom/comment-page-1/

10. https://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=6220

11. https://www.jetphotos.com/registration/52-1119

12. https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjscanlonphotography/41494467725

13. https://airport-data.com/aircraft/52-1119.html https://www.newspapers.com/image/349606039/ https://www.newspapers.com/image/349555474/ https://pimaair.org/museum-aircraft/convair-t-29b/ https://reninassancemusings.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/the-t-29-flying-classroom/comment-page-1/ https://reninassancemusings.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/the-t-29-flying-classroom/comment-page-1/ https://aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=6220 https://www.jetphotos.com/registration/52-1119 https://www.flickr.com/photos/mjscanlonphotography/41494467725 https://airport-data.com/aircraft/52-1119.html