The Cessna T-41 Mescalero is a military version of the popular Cessna 172 used by the United States Air Forceand Army as well as the armed forces of various other countries as a pilot training aircraft.

Design and development
In 1964, the US Air Force decided to use the off-the-shelf Cessna 172 as a lead-in aircraft for student pilots rather than starting them out in the T-37 jet aircraft. The USAF ordered 237 T-41As from Cessna The first USAF class (67-A) of students began training on the T-41 from the civilian airport in Big Springs, TX in August of 1965.

The T-41B was the US Army version, with a 210 hp (160 kW) Continental IO-360 and constant-speed propeller in place of the 145 hp (108 kW) Continental O-300 and 7654 fixed-pitch propeller used in the 172 and the T-41A.

In 1968, the US Air Force acquired 52 more powerful T-41Cs, which used 210 hp (160 kW) Continental IO-360 and a fixed pitch climb propeller, for use at the Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs.
 
In 1996, the aircraft were further upgraded to the T-41D, which included an upgrade in avionics and to a constant-speed propeller.

Beginning in 1993, the United States Air Force replaced much of the T-41 fleet with the Slingsby T-3A Firefly for the flight screening role, and for aerobatictraining, which was outside the design capabilities of the T-41. The T-3A fleet was indefinitely grounded in 1997 and scrapped in 2006 following a series of fatal accidents at the United States Air Force Academy.

The Air Force now trains through a civilian contract with DOSS Aviation known as Initial Military Flight Screening which makes use of the Diamond DA20.

Three T-41s remain at the Air Force Academy in order to support certain academic classes as well as the USAFA Flying Team.

A number of air forces, including Saudi Arabia and Singapore, purchased various civilian models of the Cessna 172 for use in the military training, transport and liaison roles. While similar to the T-41, these aircraft were not T-41s and were powered by the standard 172 powerplants available in the model year purchased. These included the 145 hp (108 kW) Continental O-300 in pre-1968 aircraft and the 150 and 160 hp (120 kW) Lycoming O-320 in later 172s.

Variants
T-41A
United States Air Force version of the Cessna 172F for undergraduate pilot training, powered by 145 hp Continental O-300, 211 built.

T-41B
United States Army version of the Cessna R172E for training and liaison duties, powered by 210 hp Continental IO-360, 255 built.

T-41C
A version of the T-41B for use by the USAF Academy, powered by 210 hp Continental IO-360,52 built.

T-41D
A version of the T-41B for export under the Military Aid Program with 28V electrical system and simplified equipment, powered by 210 hp Continental IO-360, 238 built.