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EAA and the Warbirds of America will
celebrate the 60th anniversary of the North American T-28 Trojan at
AirVenture Oshkosh 2009. Several special activities are being
coordinated to commemorate the milestone, said Bill Fischer, executive
director of the EAA Warbirds of America.
"We're working with the North
American Trainer Association (NATA) and T-28 groups to put together an
exciting program," Fischer said. "Those who own and operate
T-28s, veterans who trained in them, and those who simply admire these
airplanes are invited to participate."
As jets replaced piston aircraft
following World War II, the Air Force needed to upgrade its trainers.
The venerable T-6 Texans had a conventional landing gear (tail wheel)
and was not suited to train pilots advancing to tricycle-geared jets.
In September 1949, the XT-28 prototype
made its maiden flight and soon T-28As were rolling off the assembly
line to succeed T-6s as training aircraft for the U.S. Nearly 1,200
"A" models, powered by 800 hp Wright R-1300 engines, were
produced between 1950-1958.
In the early 1950s, the Navy began
training its pilots with T-28Bs, which had higher horsepower ((1,425)
Wright R1820 engines, a three-blade prop, and other modifications for
higher performance. The C-model, which got structural modifications and
a tail hook, was produced from 1955-57. B and C models were in use by
the Navy up until 1984.
T-28s also saw combat as the French
"Fennec" in the 1950s and in Southeast Asia by the U.S. Air
Force in the early 1960s - with the "D" model - modified T-28A
airframes with Wright R1820s and hard points on the wings for weapons
stores.
There are currently between 250 and 300
T-28s being flown today in several countries, including Australia,
Canada, France, New Zealand, and the United States. The FAA aircraft
registry database currently lists 372 T-28s of all variants (A, B, C,
etc).
Special events associated with the T-28
anniversary will be announced as they are confirmed on www.AirVenture.org.
T-28B Specifications:
Engine: 1,425-hp Wright Cyclone R-1820-86
Empty Weight: 6,424 lbs.
MTOW: 8,500 lbs.
Wing Span: 40ft. 1in.
Length: 33 ft.
Height: 12 ft.
Maximum Speed: 343 mph
Service Ceiling: 35,500 ft.
Range: 1,060 nm
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