Scott Carpenter’s bracket-bound United States Air Force flight manual for the T-33A aircraft, dated July 15, 1961, 9 x 11.5, with the front page initialed by six of the Mercury astronauts in pencil or ballpoint: Scott Carpenter, “C.,” John Glenn, “J.H.G,” Gus Grissom, “V.G.,” Wally Schirra, “W.M.S.J.,” Alan Shepard, “A.B.S.,” and Deke Slayton, “D. K.” The manual consists of the following nine sections: Description, Normal Procedures, Emergency Procedures, Auxiliary Equipment, Operating Limitations, Flight Characteristics, Systems Operation, Crew Duties, and All Weather Operation. In fine condition. Accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity from Farthest Reaches owner Stephen Hankow, who affirms that this manual derives from the Scott Carpenter Family Collection.
A group of four Lockheed T-33A jet trainers were operated at the NASA Flight Research Center from 1958 to 1973. The T-33 was the first U.S. Air Force jet trainer and it was primarily used for support and flight research. However, during the Mercury Program, the T-33 was replaced by the T-38 in 1961 as NASA’s new go-to advanced jet trainer. Serving the Air Force in that capacity to this day, the T-38 remains a fixture for astronaut training more than 30 years later because the sleek, white jets force pilots and mission specialists to think and adapt quickly to fast-changing situations, mental experiences that astronauts say are critical to practicing for the rigors of spaceflight.
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