About Our Trojans 

            The Trojan Phlyers own and operate two T-28B aircraft. Both aircraft have Wright Cyclone R1820-86B nine-cylinder radial engines rated at 1425 horsepower. The fully aerobatic aircraft can takeoff in less than 800 feet of runway, climb to 10,000 feet in less than 90 seconds, race level above 335 MPH, and dive faster than 380 MPH. In fact, the T28 can outperform most World War II fighters at low altitude.

            Our aircraft, Bu#138287, with the number “28” painted on the cowling and with Navy markings, is a true warbird, officially registered as an AT28D. The aircraft was built by the North American Aircraft Company in 1953 at Downey, California.  

            Accepted into service with the U.S. Navy on 22 July 1955, this aircraft was originally assigned to NAS North Island, California at the Fleet All Weather Training Unit Pacific (FAWTUPAC). In May 1960, the aircraft was assigned to NAAS Whiting Field, Florida, more specifically to TRARON 3 (VT-3) “Red Knights” at South Whiting Field. It served with VT-3 from May 1960 until July 1964 when it moved to North Whiting Field to fly with TRARON 2 (VT-2) “Doerbirds”, and then to TRARON 6 (VT-6) “Shooters” from January 1965 until July 1968 when the aircraft returned to TRARON 2. The aircraft remained with TRARON 2 until 1969 when it was transferred to the U.S. Air Force and on to Keesler AFB, Mississippi where it flew as a trainer for foreign student pilots from February 1970 until November 1972.

 On 16 November 1972 the aircraft was stricken from U.S. military service, but the plane didn’t stop flying then. Disassembled, crated, and shipped overseas to Udorn, Thailand, the aircraft was reassembled and assigned to Squadron BA.111 of the Khmer Air Force, the “Khmer Republic” where it flew combat missions. In March 1975 the aircraft was reassigned to the US/MACTHAI and in February 1976 it was disassembled once again for shipment to the Philippine Air Force. Apparently the plane and others sat in crates for over a decade before it and others were purchased by an American businessman from Atlanta, Georgia. In February 1990, the Trojan Phlyers purchased the disassembled aircraft and restored it to flying condition… complete with three patched bullet holes from action in Southeast Asia. See information about the aircraft’s restoration on the “Restoration” website page.

Today the aircraft, “28”, flies as the wing aircraft of the formation pair since it is the lightest aircraft with the quickest response.

 

           

            Our aircraft, Bu# 138164, with the number “27” painted on the cowl and with “USAF” markings, was built by the North American Aviation Company in 1953 at Downey, California. The aircraft was accepted into Navy service on 9 November 1954 and stricken from Navy lists in January 1984 after some 29 plus years of military duty.

            During its years of military service, this aircraft served with Attack Squadron 122 (VA-122) “Flying Eagles” at NAS Lemoore, California from June 1968 until February 1969. Then the aircraft flew at NAS Whiting Field, Florida with the “Red Knights” of TRARON 3 from August 1969 until April 1972, and then with the “Shooters” of TRARON 6 from September 1973 until November 1976. In December 1976 the plane was transferred to COMTRAWING 5 at NAS Pensacola, Florida. In June 1978 the T-28 moved to its final duty station, NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, where it flew with TRARON 27 “Boomers” until it retired from service in January 1984. The aircraft retired to the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center (MASDC) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.

            The aircraft was purchased by a private individual and restored to flying condition, and subsequently sold to the Trojan Phlyers Corporation in 2000. The aircraft is the heaviest and most stable of the three Trojan Phlyers’ aircraft, therefore it is normally used as the lead aircraft in the formation demonstration.