Cessna A-37 Dragonfly

Twin Jet

The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly holds the distinction of being the only purpose-built light attack jet derived from a trainer to see extensive combat service. Developed rapidly during the Vietnam War from the T-37 Tweet primary trainer, the A-37 added twin General Electric J85 turbojets with nearly double the thrust, tip tanks for extended range, eight underwing hardpoints for ordnance, and armor protection for the crew. First deployed to Southeast Asia in 1967, it proved exceptionally effective in the close air support role, earning praise for its reliability, ease of maintenance, and ability to operate from austere forward airstrips that larger jets couldn't use. The Dragonfly could loiter for hours over the battlefield carrying a 5,000-pound weapons load—impressive for an aircraft weighing just 14,000 pounds at max takeoff. Its side-by-side seating configuration, inherited from the trainer, gave both crew members excellent visibility for ground attack missions. After U.S. service ended, the A-37 continued flying with air forces across Latin America and Southeast Asia well into the 2000s, with some remaining operational today. The type's docile handling characteristics and relatively low operating costs have made it popular with warbird collectors and civilian operators, though examples on the U.S. civil register are rare. SkyMeter has tracked 1 flights across 1 airframes and 1 operators, with SUPERTWEET LLC the largest observed operator.