Canadair CL-41
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The Canadair CL-41, is a low wing monoplane with a tricycle undercarriage and a T-type tail assembly. It was designed to be a side-by-side trainer for provide elementary jet flight training & other training to an advanced level. It entered service with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF, now CF) as the CT-114 Tutor. Those supplied for Malaysia were built as a ground-attack aircraft.
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[edit] History
The CL-41 was designed & manufactured as a privately funded project by Canadair and first flew on 13 September 1960. The production version is designated the CL-41A. The flying controls are manual with spring tabs. The cabin, closed by a bubble-type canopy, can be pressurised to a differential of 3 psi (20 kPa or 0.2 kg/cm²).
One critical area of design was the positioning of the fin. The CL-41 was intended to demonstrate spin recovery. If the fin is too far forward, spin can not be initiated, but if it is too far aft, recovery becomes impossible. Modal tests were done to find the optimum position. The original Tutor prototype had a cruciform tail, which was revised to the T-tail design by removing the portion above the horizontal stabilizer.
In September 1961 the Canadian government ordered 190 examples of the CL-41A for the RCAF as the CT-114 Tutor.
The company developed an armament training and light attack variant (the CL-41G) with an uprated engine and under wing hard points to allow the carriage of external stores and drop tanks.
In March 1966 the Royal Malaysian Air Force ordered 20 CL-41G who named the aircraft Tebuan (which means "Wasp" in the Malay language) of the CL-41 sold to Malaysia is suitable for armament training and can be used for ground attack. It has hard points on the wings that allow the carriage of external stores or drop tanks. The Tebuan entered service in Malaysia in 1967.
In 1971 ten Tutors were modified for use as a formation aerobatic aircraft by the RCAF (and later the Canadian Armed Forces) display team the Golden Hawks. The display team was later renamed the Snowbirds, who give many displays and perform the annual flypast on Canada Day.
In 1976 the Canadian armed forces modified 113 survivors with provision for two external fuel tanks (drop tanks) and upgraded avionics.
A total of 212 aircraft were built.
[edit] Specifications for CL-41G
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 32ft 0in (9.75 m)
- Wingspan: 36ft 6in (11.13 m)
- Height: 9ft 0.75in (2.84 m)
- Empty weight: 5,296 lb (2,402 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 11,288 lb (5120 kg)
- Powerplant: 1× General Electric J85-J4 turbojet, 1,338 Kg (2,700 lb)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 480 mph (772 kmh)
- Range: 1340 miles (2157 km)
- Service ceiling: 42,200 ft (12,860 m)
Armament
Up to 4,000lb (1814 kg) of weapons on hard points
[edit] Specifications for CT-114
General characteristics
- Crew: 2
- Length: 32ft 0in (9.75 m)
- Wingspan: 36ft 6in (11.13 m)
- Height: 9ft 0.75in (2.84 m)
- Powerplant: 1× General Electric J85-CAN-40 turbojet, (2,700 lbf)
Performance
- Never exceed speed: 474 mph (763 km/h)
- Range: 403 miles (648 km)
- Service ceiling: 38,000 ft (11,850 m)
Armament
No armament, but the Tutor can carry external fuel tanks.
[edit] Operators
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Canadian Forces Page on the CT-114 Tutor
- Image of cL-41G Tebuan at Royal Malaysian Air Force Museum in Kuala Lumpur
- Image of cL-41G Tebuan at Royal Malaysian Air Force Museum in Kuala Lumpur
[edit] References
[edit] Related content
Designation sequence
Related lists
- List of military aircraft of Canada
- List of military trainer aircraft
