While this is not an aircraft in Aces High, nor would we have any use for it, but since thousands of military, both Air Force and Navy, Marine and Coast Guard trained in this great aircraft, and there are probably some in this game that trained on this bird, I thought it might be of interest to look at. Designed to replace the World War II era T-6 trainer, the T-28 possessed higher performance than its forerunner and was easier to maintain. Also, the Trojan's tricycle landing gear taught pilots to take off and land in the same fashion as the high-performance aircraft they were training to fly.The first T-28 flew in September 1949, and the T-28A entered production in 1950. An 800-hp engine powered the U.S. Air Force version (T-28A) while the later U.S. Navy versions (T-28B and C) were powered by a 1,425-hp engine. When production ended, North American had built a total of 1,948 T-28s. Beginning in 1962 the USAF modified more than 200 T-28As as tactical fighter-bombers for counterinsurgency warfare. Equipped with 1,425-hp engines, these airplanes (redesignated the T-28D "Nomad") were effective weapons for close air support against enemy troops in Southeast Asia. The USAF replaced the T-28 as a primary trainer in the mid-1950s with the piston-engined Beech T-34 Mentor and jet-powered Cessna T-37. Trojans, however, continued to be flown by the Air National Guard until the late 1950s, and by the U.S. Navy into the 1980s.
The Air Force's T-28A
The U.S. Navy version of this aircraft was the T-28B, with a slightly larger engine, but was basically the same aircraft.
This is a pic of a restored T-28B which is privately owned.
The T-28 was a good trainer, had a lot of dihedral in the wings, good power, R-1300, was a very good instrument trainer. I had the pleasure of doing my advance and instrument training in this bird and enjoyed every minute of the time I had in it.
The durability of this aircraft was proved to me one night in Florida, as I was scheduled to take my first night cross country flight from Graham to Mcdill, to Jacksonville, to Moody at Valdosta and return. Tallahassee was reporting 8K broken, Tampa, 5k, 10k overcast with light rain showers. Orlando, Jacksonville, both with 15k scatted, 25k high cirrus. Gosh, this is going to be a snap, and try out my brand new instrument citation.
First leg over the gulf, with a touch and go at Mcdill. After takeoff, I had filed for 11,000, thinking that would put above the cloud layer at 8k, but after entering clouds if I remember right around 6 or 7k, was IFR for sure all the way to Mcdill. Shot the approach, departed on 2nd leg to Orlando, Daytona Beach, then to Jax Naval air station. After climbing out I finally broke on top at 11K and I then notice to the Northwest, a LOT of lightening in the distance. After leaving Daytona VOR, and turning to the North, the lightening was getting closer and more pronounced towards my intended path of flight. Poof, I am back in the clouds, and talking to Jax center about weather. Suggested I fly 060 for a few minutes to go around TS directly in my path. OK, then he turned me back 330 and cleared me to Naval Tacan at Jacksonville and that was the last thing I hear on the radio the rest of the flight. Nav was OK, so had to make sure and fly my filed route, so as to not run into anyone. Everything OK until about 1/2 way between Jax and Moultrie VOR, then heavy, heavy rain and hard jolts of turbulence and was having difficulty holding heading, so just decided to forget heading and keep it right side up and when I get thru, I will re=establish my VOR track. After about 10 min's of shark raving mad bumps and up-drafts and down-drafts, I broke out into to clear air. First thing I noticed was vehicle traffic on my right and I am thinking, I-10 should be on my left, so cross checked everything, returned to my VOR track and finally figured out that was traffic on I-75 which was East of Moultrie and lo and behold, there was Moody AFB on my left, right where it was supposed to be. Rest of flight, pc of cake, but after that, never worried about pulling a wing off that T-28A Trojan. Great Aircraft!!
