North American T-28 Trojan

T-28B and T-28C Trojan Aircraft

Danny Richer and his T-28B Trojan
LearnToFly.ca Editor, Geoff McKay receives the VIP tour from T-28B Trojan owner Danny Richer.

Danny Richer was at the Brantford Charity Air Show in Brantford, Ontario. Danny is the proud owner pilot of a North American Aviation (NAA) T-28B Trojan Aircraft. Danny’s vintage T-28B Trojan is an absolutely incredible aircraft!

Military Trainer
The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a piston engine military trainer aircraft. The NAA T-28 Trojan was used by both the United States Air Force (USAF) and also the United States Navy beginning in the 1950s. The T-28 Trojan was used as a Primary Trainer by the USAF, US Navy, and US Marine Corps through the 1950′s and 1960′s. The primary function of the T-28 was for the purpose of training student naval aviators.

Two Seat Tandem
The T-28 Trojan is a Two-Seat, Tandem Aircraft. Danny’s Trojan was built in 1956 and it was used by the Navy as a Trainer.

Very Solid Aircraft
Danny comments that “the T-28B was built as a very solid aircraft, and therefore will last a very long time”. The aircraft weight is about 8,500 pounds with two on board and fuel. It will cruise on average at about 200 knots, and it has a VNE of about 347 mph. The aircraft consumes fuel at the rate of 50 – 75 gallons per hour. The aircraft is rated for Plus 6 G’s and Minus 4 G’s.

Aerobatics
Danny Richer is an experienced Aerobatic pilot, and he will pull positive 4 G’s in his T-28B Trojan during loops and other aerobatic manoeuvres such as Cuban Eights.

Huge Flaps
Danny Richer and Geoff McKay stand in front of the huge, solid, T-28B Trojan. You can see the Huge Flaps in the background, and the wing height is incredible. Climbing into the cockpit of the T-28 requires several retractable “foot holds” or “steps” built into the fuselage to assist the pilot in mounting the wing and finally climbing into the cockpit. Once you are nestled into the cockpit, you really begin to sense the massive size of this trainer that is capable of aerobatic manoeuvres.

Paint Scheme
Behind Danny’s head, you can see the dark coloured stripe travelling from the engine exhaust and towards the back of the airplane across the top of the wing. This dark stripe is common on the T-28 Trojans to help camouflage the greasy residue that spews from the huge 1,425 hp (1,063 kW) Wright R-1820-9 Radial Engine that cranks the large 3-blade propeller.

Well into the 1980′s
The North American T-28B Trojan was a 1950′s military trainer that was extremely popular and reliable. The Trojan aircraft were used well into the 1980′s to train military pilots. Retired in the mid 80′s, this vintage aircraft is an impressive and awesome airplane to experience.

Interview with Danny Richer about his North American T-28B Trojan

Danny Richer with LearnToFly.ca Editor Geoff McKay at the Brantford Charity Air Show

Danny talks with Geoff about his vintage North American Aviation (NAA) T-28B Trojan Aircraft.

T-28B vs. T-28C
The North American T-28 Trojan was released with several different variants including the T-28B and T-28C models.

Geoff McKay meets up with Alfred Beam of Fort Erie, Ontario to view his North American T-28C Trojan model.

Alfred Beam and his T-28C
Alf flew his vintage T-28C at the Battle of Britain Midland Air Show in July 2010. Alf’s T-28C Trojan was a huge hit at the air show, and the crowd loved his vintage Navy Trainer.

Tail-hook
Alf explains the primary difference between the T-28B and the T-28C is the Tail-hook on the T-28C model. The Tail-hook was used for Air Craft Carrier Landings. In addition to the Tail-hook, the T-28C model also has a slightly shortened propeller blade. The T-28C became the primary trainer for the US Navy with the need to train Navy Pilots for Carrier landings.

Alfred Beam at the Controls
Alf is at the controls of his beautiful T-28C Trojan as he prepares to take-off before the crowd of spectators in Midland. There were no Air Craft Carriers nearby, but Alf’s meticulously restored aircraft has the necessary Tail-hook (C-Model) just in case!

50 Hours
Since acquiring his T-28C, Alf has accumulated about 50 hours of flight time as Pilot in Command (PIC) of this aircraft. His air show performance was really fantastic, and it was a very, very, windy day. Many of the pilots had difficulty with the strong cross-wind, but Alfred Beam executed a text-book take-off and landing as he perfectly corrected for the excessively windy conditions.

Navy Blue
The Navy Blue colour scheme of Alfred Beam’s T-28C Trojan is ideal for this Navy Trainer. With the C-Model being the US Navy’s preferred model of choice, the Navy colours suit the aircraft perfectly.

Intimidating Size
When you are up close to a North American T-28 Trojan, you are immediately impressed with the sheer size of this trainer aircraft. You can see how large, solid and rugged the huge T-28 really is.

Air Show Match Up
The next time you are at an Air Show, look for the North American Aviation (NAA) T-28 Trojan. Perhaps you will be lucky enough to see both Danny Richer with his T-28B and Alfred Beam with his T-28C at the same air show event.

Canadian Pilots
Danny Richer and Alfred Beam are both Canadian pilots, and they own and fly magnificent aircraft representing important parts of Aviation history.

Watch for these Canadian owned Aircraft and their talented pilots.