The T-28 was a trainer aircraft produced for the US Air Force by North American Aviation. The T-28 served as the primary jet trainer for the United States from 1949 to 1972, with over 2,000 aircraft produced. It was also used in other countries and served as a combat aircraft in several air forces during the 1950s and 1960s.
The T-28 was used as a training aircraft from 1949 until 1984 when the last T-28 retired from USAF service. In addition to its use in the U.S., it was used extensively in South Vietnam during the early 1960s and then again by anti-communist forces in Laos during the 1970s and 80s.
The first T-28A entered service on July 1, 1950. The aircraft was the first to carry out bombing missions during the Vietnam War and was also used for reconnaissance and ground attack purposes. The T-28A was an important asset for the US in its fight against communism during this period.
This aircraft was used extensively in South Vietnam during the early 1960s. It was used for ground attacks, close air support, and interdiction missions. The T-28 was also used by the South Vietnamese Air Force from 1961 to 1973. In total, over 200 T-28 variants were produced before production ended in 1953.
The Philippine Air Force purchased 30 units and used them extensively, including in the Moro conflict in Mindanao. T-28s were used to support ground troops, bomb targets, and deliver supplies to ground troops.
The T-28 was also used as a combat aircraft by the anti-communist forces in Laos. They were flown by the Air Force of the Royal Laotian Government, and later by the United States Navy’s Top Gun school at Naval Air Station Miramar.
While they were no longer used as front-line fighters, they were still very useful in supporting ground troops with close air support missions and interdiction attacks against enemy positions.
In 1972, a dozen T-28D Trojans were donated to the South Vietnamese Air Force by the United States Navy. They were used as trainers for pilots who were transitioning from training aircraft to combat aircraft. The Philippine Air Force purchased 30 units and used them extensively.
After being retired from active service with the US military, many surplus T-28s continued to serve with other nations’ air forces well into the 1990s. The type continued to be used by the South Vietnamese Air Force until 1975 when it was replaced by the F-5 Freedom Fighter for close air support roles. Many of these aircraft were captured by North Vietnamese forces and sent to Soviet pilots for evaluation and study purposes.
The Philippine Air Force also operated a small number of T-28s until the 1980s, replacing them with OV-10 Broncos in 1974. The Royal Laotian Air Force also utilized T-28s as trainers until 1975 when they were replaced by North American T-6 Texans and Rockwell Sabre jets as part of a deal between Thailand (which had previously withdrawn its military aid) and Laos allowing Thai trainers to remain on Laotian soil after their withdrawal from Vietnam ended that year’s conflict there between communist forces supported by Hanoi against those still loyal to Saigon’s puppet regime based at Hue City prior till 1975 when all fighting ceased due both sides agreed ceasefire could take place without any further bloodshed since neither side wanted anything else than peace talks without guns being shot anymore so they figured let’s just find a compromise so we can get some rest finally!
The T-28 Trojan has had a long and distinguished history, serving in the U.S. Air Force for more than 40 years.
The first T-28A entered service on July 1, 1950, followed by additional models later that year. In all, over 4500 of these aircraft were produced by North American Aviation from 1948 to 1958 (the company merged with Rockwell International in 1967).
The United States used them extensively during the Korean War and they were also deployed during the early 1960s in South Vietnam. From 1961 onwards they were used as combat aircraft by the anti-communist forces in Laos until 1969 when they were replaced with F8 Crusaders which were then themselves replaced with A-37 Dragonflys having longer range and better survivability against ground fire (they also had air refueling capability).