KIT:

Monogram 1/48 T-28B Trojan

KIT #

 5100

PRICE:

 ?

DECALS:

 one option

REVIEWER:

Scott Van Aken

NOTES:

 1975 boxing

HISTORY

The T-28 was originally designed to replace the T-6 trainer. It was first flown on September 24, 1949, and entered production in 1950. The U.S. Air Force version (T-28A) was powered by an 800 hp. engine, whereas the later U.S. Navy versions (T-28B and -C) were powered by a 1,425 hp. engine. The T-28B was purely a land based aircraft and the one that student pilots flew when graduating from the T-34B. To perform carrier landing and takeoffs, the T-28C, which had an arrestor hook fitted into a cut away rear fuselage, was used. When production ended in 1957, a total of 1,948 of these three versions had been built. A few Navy T-28Bs eventually went into the Air Force inventory and a few others were turned over to the U.S. Army.

In 1962, the Air Force began a program to modify more than 200 T-28As as T-28D "Nomad" tactical fighter-bombers for counter-insurgency warfare in Vietnam. Equipped with the larger 1,425 hp. engines and many other changes, the T-28Ds eventually proved to be an effective close air support weapon against enemy ground forces. The South Vietnamese Air Force (VNAF) used a number of USAF-supplied T-28Bs in a similar role until the -Ds became available. Other users of the T-28 were France which used re-engined T-28As as the 'Fennec' COIN aircraft in Algeria.
 

THE KIT

Originally issued in 1956 (according to the instructions) this 1975 boxing is in very good condition with little flash, crisp molding and minimal other glitches. Yes, there are ejector pin marks on most of the parts and several of the thicker bits have some sink areas, but for a kit of this age, it is is great shape.

As one expects from the 50's design, there are functional features. In this case it is retractable landing gear and an opening rear canopy. The retractable gear means that wheel wells are non-existent. It also means that there are little tabs on the gear doors and wheel wells. Cockpit detail isn't bad with a semi-well detailed tub complete with rear seat and control stick. The front seat and stick are molded in with the pilot, so some scratch-building will be needed for a bare front seat. The seat itself seems a touch narrow to me. Instruments are provided as decals. Probably the biggest difficulty will be finding room for nose weight. This model is tail heavy to the max and the last time I build one I but a LOT of weight into it. A clear support bar is provided for those who don't want to mess with the weight issue.

Instructions are very nice drawings that show the 15 construction steps, including the use of rubber bands to hold parts and a hot knife to make sure the wheels can roll! A section at the beginning of the instructions has color information in it, all provided in generic color terms. Decals are for a single aircraft from VA-122 in white and international orange, the standard T-28 color scheme. Decals are well printed, but mine have not aged well so aftermarket ones will be sought.

Thankfully, Aeromaster has a pair of T-28 sheets and Black Box has a Navy T-28 cockpit set that includes the T-28C mods for those wanting to do that version.

CONCLUSIONS

Unless one of the Czech companies does an updated version, this is the one that you'll have to use. It has rivets, it has raised panel lines and it also looks very much like a T-28 when you are done. Take a trip back to your youth with this one!

Andrew (????? I wish people would leave last names for my fading memory!) has provided a bunch of information on the T-28 that you might find of interest.

Monogram Kit Information

Kit PA-14   released in 1956 T-28B US Navy Trainer
    - This kit had and arrestor hook and operating landing gear.
Decals were for:
US Navy ATU-801  KE 123 Bu No 137721


Kit PA-121   released in 1965 as a  T-28D Fighter Bomber
    - This kit deleted the arrestor hook and added wing gun pods, napalm
pack and 250 lb. bombs.
Decals were for:

- USAF COIN Fighter  - minimal starts & bars markings Bu No 140040
- South Vietnam AF 516th FS  coded LT- 21208

Kit 6805   released in 1965 – 1968 in the Blue Monogram- Mattel box  which
was a reissue of the earlier Monogram PA-121 kit.
    - This kit had the same contents as PA-121.

Decals were for:

- USAF COIN Fighter  - minimal starts & bars markings Bu No 140040
- South Vietnam AF 516th FS  coded LT- 21208

Kit 5100  released  in 1975 as a T-28B Trojan US Navy Training Plane

- Instructions were adapted from the earlier Monogram releases to reflect
the new aircraft markings.
- NO apparent changes to the mould

Decals were for one aircraft:

- Trainer from VT-122 Tail code NJ7707  # Black 235  Bu No 137707

Apparently you  need to look out for the use of the Navy prop which was
modified in the T-28C model to a shorter and more paddle shaped blade in
order to accommodate carrier landing where the front oleo compressed and the
propeller could strike the carrier deck, hence the change from the T-28A/B.
Thus, the T-28D uses the wrong prop and there is no after market props
(yet??) to fix this.  There are no two bladed props either to allow a T-28A
version? The last release by Monogram as a Classic Kit release may have the
two bladed prop?


Available Decals:

Microscale 48-109 has three aircraft on its sheet.

1. US Navy T-28C Bu No 140068   VT-5 Trainer   Black 519  Colors: Overall
white with red orange     panels    and nose art (gaping mouth with teeth
and eyes).
2. USMC  T-28B Bu No 138231  Quantico  based Tail Code 8231  Colors: Overall
white with red orange panels
3. T-28B US Navy  Bu No 137663

Microscale 48-111 has four aircraft on its sheet.

1. T-28B US Navy Bi-Centenial Markings VT-2  Bu No 138155
2. T-28D USAF  1st S.O.W.  No. 55-1480
3. T-28B US Navy ATU-800  Bu No 137691
4. T-28B  US Army  at Edwards Air Force Base as a Helicopter Chase Plane 
No. 137702

AeroMaster
AeroMaster Decals  AMD 48-613 and AMD 48-614. I found Aeromaster decals
replicated several of the ones on the two old Microscale/Superscale sheets,
ie 1. US Navy T-28C Bu No 140068   VT-5 Trainer   Black 519;  T-28B US Navy
ATU-800  Bu No 137691 and  T-28D USAF  1st S.O.W.  No. 55-1480 . They are
great sheets none the less and many folks do not have the old
Microscale-Superscale releases.

AeroMaster
Decal 48-613

1.   Bureau number 140068, a T-28C belonging to VT-5 and wearing the 2S tail
code of NAS Saufley. The aircraft is in the Training Command high visibility
finish of overall gloss red and white with yellow cat’s eyes and mouth on
the cowling and a red and white striped rudder.

2.   T-28B, Bureau number 137691 of ATU-800. The machine is finished in
another Training Command scheme of overall yellow with orange bands to the
wings and fuselage. It also sports an olive drab anti-glare panel. The
placement guide advises that the aircraft was assigned to ATU-800 whilst the
decal and the side-view show it as “ATUB00”.

3.   DT-28, Bureau number 138335 of an unnamed squadron. This aircraft is
finished the bright drone/target tug scheme of engine grey/red and yellow.

Decal 48-614

Bureau number 140052, a T-28C of VT27. Finish is the Training Command high
visibility scheme of overall gloss red and white with a white chevron on the
fin and rudder.

T-28C, Bureau number 40528 of an unnamed unit. Finish is overall gloss
yellow with an olive drab anti-glare panel and with a black SB tail code.

T-28D USAF  this machine, T-28D 51-480 of the Air Commandos is  finished in
the South East Asia scheme of FS 34079 dark green, FS34102 mid green, FS
30219 tan (the placement sheet lists the tan as FS32079), and FS36622 light
grey. . Markings are discreet but include white tail codes/serials, Tactical
Air Command shields for the tail and unit shields (?) for the engine
cowling. The shields are provided as one piece decals as well as two-part
decals to address any register problems that may arise. The ejection seat
warning triangles are also provided as two-part decals. A cord-wise red band
for the fin and rudder round out the markings for this machine.

DT-28B, Bureau number 137652. The markings depict it when it was assigned to
the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School. The machine is painted overall white with
the forward part of the fin, outer thirds of the tops and bottoms of the
wings and cowling/forward fuselage in red.

Also recommended is the Mike West LSM -28 Trojan Update set:

Flaps $10.00
Wheels $5.00
Wheel Wells $12.00
Forward Fuselage details $8.00
Shipping US $4.00 Foreign $8.00

Lone Star models
13511 Greywood Dr.
Sugar Land Texas 77478

A review of this set shows:

Included are:
- Main and nose wheel bays. Good detail!
- Main and nose spoke  wheels. The mains have disk drums included.
- Left and Right flaps with detail in the flap bays as the T-28 flaps slid
down and out a bit.
- 2 exhaust area panels which include drilled out exhausts and open cowl
vents immediately above the exhausts. It will be just a matter of removing
the Monogram panel and replacing it with the Lonestar product as the kit
panel lines have been followed.
- Lastly, he's included an intake which replaces the one on the kit
cowl/engine piece.


T-28 Versions and Differences and Specific Version Modeling Notes

 T-28A USAF Pilot Training  ( 1194 produced)
- Two-bladed Aero Products  10’ Propeller with small almost flat prop hub
- Early versions had a Roll-over pylon and High Canopy
- Late versions deleted the roll-over pylon and lowered canopy by 4 inches
- 800HP Wright R-1300-A Engine with TWO exhaust stacks
- Oil cooler intake starts at edge of engine cowling
- Rear seat beacon light is visible (see Squadron In Action #1089 pg. 11, 12
photo)
- Carried .50 caliber mg wing pod or Mk. 51 Mod 4 Bomb Pack
- Note – rear seat had a canvas cover for instrument flying
- Large spoked nose wheel and taxi light on landing gear strut

 T-28B Navy Pilot Training (489 produced between 1954 – 1955) for
primary, basic and instrument.
- Three-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller of 10’ 1” (with 6 inch prop hub
dome)
- 1,425 HP Wright Cyclone R-1820-9HD Engine with THREE exhaust stacks
- Deeper more rounded cowling for larger engine
- Shorter Oil Cooler intake
- Speed brake under fuselage behind landing gear area (see Squadron In
Action #1089 pg. 21)
- Smaller nose wheel (no spokes) hub (see Squadron In Action #1089 pg. 17
drawing)
- Note – rear seat had a canvas cover for instrument flying
- Occasional transparent green plastic inserted inside canopy as a sun-shade
(see Squadron In Action #1089 pg. 21 photo
- Surplus T-28B’s were turned over to the USAF and later to the VNAF in the
1960’s

 T-28BD Navy Drone Controller (6 produced)
    -

 T-28C Navy Carrier Training  (299 produced between 1955 – 1957) for
carrier and advanced training
- Reduced size Three-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller of 9’ 4” (with 6
inch prop hub dome)
- Tail hook added, tail skid moved forward, cut-down rudder and rear
fuselage
- If underwing gun pods or bombs are installed a pair of cowling strakes are
installed to aid in stall and spin recovery by providing front-lift to the
aircraft.
-  Increased  landing gear oleo travel
- 72 T-28A’s were converted tot he “C” standard configuration in N.A.
aviation Columbus, Ohio.
-

 T-28D USAF Counter Insurgency


 T-28D-5 USAF Counter Insurgency


 T-28D-5 Group II USAF Counter Insurgency


 T-28D-10 USAF Counter Insurgency


 T-28K Brazilian modification of Fennec


 T-28S Fennec French Counter Insurgency


 YAT-28E Unsuccessful Test & Evaluation Aircraft (two built)


 RT-28B  Photo Recon  ( see Squadron In Action #1089 pg. 23 drawing
and photo)

The best T-28 references:

1. T-28 Trojan Steve Ginter Naval Fighters # 5
2. Specialty Press  SP461  Fianl Tour of Duty by Robert Genat -greta color
detail photos
3. Squadron T-28 Trojan In Action # 1089
 

If you would like your product reviewed fairly and fairly quickly by a site that has over 200,000 visitors a month, please contact me or see other details in the Note to Contributors.

Back to the Main Page

Back to the Previews Index Page