OUR STORY
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In 2020, the Arizona Aviation Historical Group was formed with a simple goal: celebrate the history of aviation in the great state of Arizona. A pillar of that effort is to preserve and share aircraft that played an important role in our states history.
Our first project led us to a Canadian-built T-33 Shooting Star, known as the Mk. 3 Silver Star. The Lockheed-built variant of the T-33 served with the 197th Fighter Squadron of the Arizona Air National Guard from 1953 to 1961. We were privileged to operate this remarkable aircraft for three years before it was sold to a local owner. Fortunately, we still have the opportunity to fly her on occasion.
Soon after, we began searching for another aircraft that had shaped Arizona’s aviation legacy. This time, we had one important requirement: the aircraft needed a smaller logistical footprint than the T-33. Our search led us to the iconic Cessna T-37B “Tweet.” The T-37 served at Williams Air Force Base, east of Phoenix, from 1961 until the base closed in 1993. Over more than five decades of service, the Tweet trained over 80,000 pilots, becoming one of the most recognizable jet trainers in United States Air Force history. Yet acquiring one presented a major challenge. No B-model Tweets existed in civilian hands anywhere in the world. When the Air Force retired the aircraft in 2009, those not transferred to foreign governments were placed in long-term storage at the world-famous Boneyard at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona. Of the 1,269 T-37 aircraft built, only 41 B-models remain in storage today.
Obtaining one would require something extraordinary. In the summer of 2023, we began working with members of Congress to request the transfer of five surplus Tweets. Our original plan was to restore one aircraft to flight while using the others as a source of spare parts. After more than two years of collaboration with both houses of Congress, our request was included in the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). In December 2025, the bill was signed into law by the President.
Today, we are working with the United States Air Force to secure these aircraft. As the project has evolved, so has our vision. Our goal is now to restore two T-37B aircraft to airworthy condition, ensuring that this historic trainer can once again be seen—and heard—in the skies.
The work ahead will not be simple. These aircraft have been in storage for nearly twenty years and will require significant restoration. From the beginning, this has been a community-driven effort, supported by volunteers, donors, and aviation enthusiasts who believe these aircraft deserve to be preserved.
Follow our progress here and on social media as we document the restoration, share stories, and celebrate the enduring legacy of the mighty Tweet.