T-28 Training

The T-28 started as a trainer, served as a counter insurgency fighter, and finished its USAF service as a trainer. During the Vietnam War it was the first line fighter for Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia at one time or another.

All pictures are thumbnail. Click on them to get a full-size picture.

Det. 1 56th SOWg Barracks.

This T-28 picture and the one following were furnished by Larry Ashley, a former Det 1 member.

Detachment 1 of the 56^th Air Commando Wing ran the pilot training school for the Royal Laotian Air Force at Udorn RTAFB. By 1973 when I returned, we were conducting pilot, forward air control. and maintenance training for the Khmer and Lao. In the Winter of 73-74, we were transferred to MACTHAI and became USMACTHAI/TLD. It stood for Training and Logistics Detachment. Our callsign was "Tiger".

The T-28 below is one assigned to the 605 Special Operations Squadron, Howard AFB, CZ. We were getting live ordance training on Viequez Island.

T-28 Dropping Napalm, Vieques Isl., PR

In 1970 Canal Zone bases T-28D-5s were replaced by A-37Bs. Before being replaced, the T-28 had actually served as primary air defence fighter to protect the Panama Canal! The legend on the following patch reads, "Any Time, Any Place".