Work on the development of a new basic trainer for the Brazilian air force began in January 1978, the product of a design team led by Ing. Joseph Kovacs. A contract for two prototypes and two static test airframes was awarded to the company by the Brazilian Ministry of Aeronautics on 6 December 1978. Given the company designation Embraer EMB-312 and known to the Brazilian air force as the T-27, the type was named Tucano (Toucan) on 23 October 1981.
The EMB.312 is a single-engine turboprop, low wing, equipped with a turbine Pratt &Whitney Canada PT6A-25C of 750shp, driving a three-bladed propeller, with student and instructor sitting in tandem under a single hood, opening sidelong. The ejection seats are placed so that the instructor, sitting behind in a higher position, has almost complete visibility ahead.
Variants
EMB312H / AT-29 Single-engine turboprop of new generation.
EMB-312 – The standard production model.
T-27 – Two-seat basic training aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force.
AT-27 – Two-seat light attack version for the Brazilian Air Force.
EMB-312F – France model with French avionics.
MB-312H ALX Single seat version
Short Brothers Tucano
Tucano T.Mk 1: basic trainer version developed and built by Short Brothers in Belfast, in collaboration with EMBRAER. One-hundred-and-thirty, each powered by a Garrett TPE331-12B engine driving a Hartzell four-bladed propeller, ordered for RAF.
Tucano T.Mk 51: Twelve Shorts-built armed aircraft ordered by Kenyan air force in 1988 for weapons training. First example flown in October 1989 and delivered in 1990.
Tucano T.Mk 52: Sixteen Shorts-built basic trainers ordered by Kuwait Air Force in February 1989 for delivery in 1991.
Super Tucano
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Developing Nation: |
Brazil. |
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Manufacturer/designer: |
Embraer. |
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Production line: |
Sao Jos dos Campos. |
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Task: |
Basic trainer. |
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First Flight: |
– August 16, 1980, FAB 1300. |
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First Delivery: |
– September 29, 1983. |
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Crew: |
2 |
|
Ejection Seat: |
Martin-Baker MB BR8LC zero/zero |
|
|
Embraer EMB312 Tucano |
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Wing span: |
11.14 m. |
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Wing area: |
19.4 m |
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Wing aspect ratio: |
6.4 |
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Length: |
9.86 m. |
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Height: |
3.40 m. |
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Tailplane span: |
4.66 m. |
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Wheel track: |
3.76 m. |
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Wheelbase: |
3.16 m. |
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Engine (s): |
one Pratt&Whitney Canada PT6A-25C rated 559 kW. |
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Propeller: |
– Three bladed constant speed. |
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Weight: |
– empty: 1.810 kg. |
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Max. Take off weight: |
3.175 kg. |
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Max. Speed: |
519 km/h. |
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Max. cruise at 3.050 m: |
319 km/h. |
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Service ceiling: |
9.145 m. |
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Max. Range: |
3.330 km. |
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Performance: |
– take-off run 381 m at max. take-off weight. |
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g limits: |
-3g to +6g |
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Centerline hard point(‘s): |
One |
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Under wing hard points: |
(454 kg) of stores on four underwing hardpoints, but not on UK Tucanos |
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Weapons: |
12.7 mm machine guns, rockets and bombs may be carried |
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Operators |
|
|
Brazil. |
– 151 |
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Angola. |
– 14 six from Peru |
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Argentina. |
– 30 |
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Colombia. |
– 14 |
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Egypt. |
– 54 |
|
France. |
– 50 |
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Great Britain. |
– 131 |
|
Honduras.
|
– 12 |
|
Iran. |
– 15 |
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Iraq. |
– 80 |
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Kenya. |
– 12 |
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Kuwait. |
– 16 |
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Paraguay. |
– 6 |
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Peru. |
– 30 |
|
Venezuela. |
– 31 |
All pictures courtesy of Zijde Aviation Photo and Publishing, Marcel van Leeuwen and Rob Vogelaar.
