Cessna A-37 Dragonfly

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The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a jet-powered, light attack aircraft that was designed and produced by American aircraft manufacturer Cessna. It was developed during the Vietnam War in response to military interest in new counter-insurgency (COIN) aircraft to replace aging types such as the Douglas A-1 Skyraider. A formal United States Air Force (USAF) evaluation of the T-37 Tweet basic trainer for the COIN mission was conducted in late 1962, after which the USAF concluded that it could be modified to effectively perform the role. The attack-oriented A-37 was directly derived from the T-37, roughly doubling in both all-up weight and engine thrust to permit considerable quantities of munitions to be carried, along with extended flight endurance and additional mission avionics. The prototype YAT-37D performed its maiden flight during October 1964. While test results were positive, a production contract was not immediately forthcoming until an uptick in combat intensity and aircraft...

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