Carenado has released its version of the Beechcraft T-34B Mentor with native compatibility for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Often described as one of the easiest military aircraft to fly, the T-34B is recognizable by its sleek tandem-seat, bubble canopy, distinctive straight tail, and classic appearance. It’s a favorite among pilots for its responsive, “fighter-style” handling and exceptionally forgiving flight characteristics.
Developed in the late 1940s by legendary aviation pioneer and Beechcraft founder Walter Beech, the design of the T-34 drew heavily from the civilian Beechcraft Bonanza, sharing a basic wing design and fuselage structure. To meet military requirements, Beech replaced the Bonanza’s famous V-tail with a conventional tail and swapped the four-seat cabin for a tandem-seat cockpit with a bubble canopy. But, despite its civilian roots, the Mentor proved to be an endearing military success, serving the US armed forces for several decades.
The differences between the US Air Force T-34A and US Navy T-34B models of the Mentor are subtle, but they were designed to accommodate each branch’s unique requirements for training new aviators. For example, the T-34A features a steerable nosewheel and a conventional, full-length rudder, whereas the Navy’s T-34B has a “notched” rudder and a free-castoring nosewheel. The wings of the T-34B also incorporate an additional degree of dihedral for enhanced lateral stability and contain a simplified fuel system compared to the T-34A. The T-34B’s design was so good that in the mid-1950’s, the US Navy’s transition from the T-6 trainer (SNJ) to the Mentor resulted in a more than 50% reduction in the time required for a student to solo.
Carenado’s T-34B Mentor features an upgraded, 285hp Continental IO-520-BB engine and advertises a typical cruise speed of between 145 and 150 knots, with a range of 750–800 nautical miles. Developed to take advantage of MSFS2024 features, Carenado has included a fully interactive walkaround (checking oil/engine bay), removable covers, and physical cockpit effects (shivering needles). Carenado’s T-34B also features a classic steam gauge cockpit with the option to integrate the Garmin GNS 430 or TDS / PMS GTN 650 series GPS navigators, all controllable via the integrated menu within the MSFS2024 EFB. A retrofitted KAP-140 autopilot is also included, along with Carenado’s fully functional representations of the Collins Nav/Comm and ADF radios.
Features:
- 8 liveries + 1 white.
- Realistic HQ digital sounds.
- Realistic flight dynamics.
- Circuit breaker panel is operative.
- Landing gear emergency extension.
- Canopy Jettison Operative.
- Tablet-style interface for navigation system selection (GNS/GTN).
- MSFS2024 career-mode ready: First flight, Ferry flight, and Flightseeing.
- Carenado RealXperience features such as attitude indicator startup, shivering needles, panel shaking, among others.
Carenado’s T-34B Mentor is now available exclusively via the MSFS2024 Marketplace for $22.99 US.
