Boeing

Historical Snapshot

B-1 Lancer Bomber

The North American Aviation T-28 was a basic trainer that was ordered in three advanced versions, the T-28A for the U.S Air Force and T-28B and T-28C, by the U.S. Navy, with the latter version designed for carrier operation. It was the first trainer designed to transition pilots to using jet aircraft.

Originally, it was powered by a Wright R-1300 engine with a rating of 800 horsepower, a top speed of 285 mph (459 kph) and a service ceiling of 29,000 feet (8839 meters). New versions carried a Wright R-1820 engine with a rating of 1,425 horsepower, a top speed of more than 345 mph (555 kph) and a 37,000-foot (11,278-meter) ceiling.

The T-28B and T-28C could handle accessory kits providing for bombs, rockets and machine guns.

1,194 T-28As were delivered to the U.S. Air Force and the Navy ordered 792 T-28s, 299 of which were T-28Cs that included an arrester hook for carrier landings. Some versions of the T-28 were adapted to more extensive military operations by other countries.

    Technical Specifications

    First flight Sept. 24, 1949
    Span 40.6 feet
    Length 34.3 feet
    Height 12.6 feet
    Weight 8,247 pounds
    Power plant Wright R-1820, 1,425 horsepower
    Speed 346 mph
    Altitude 35,000 feet
    Landing gear Tricycle