T-28D's In Laos

[MIflyer]

The Ravens.

 

[special ed]

These were the T-28D-5 aircraft inspired by the French Fennec conversions of T-28s. A high school friend was mechanic in Laos on these. Many stories of V.N. action.

Edit: There were also B-26s in Laos at the same time.

 

[cvairwerks]

If you haven't yet, you need to read "The Ravens" By Christopher Robbins...A now retired co-worker was an L-19 mechanic at Lima 33...

 

[MIflyer]

A friend of mine flew with the 606th. They got in a brand spanking new B-26K and when they turned it back over to the USAF it weren't so brand new any more.

In addition to the gray paint job the 606th had a unique camo scheme. It was like SE Asia scheme but the tan was replaced by dark brown rather similar to WWII RAF Dark Earth and the belly was painted black.

Some of the T-28D's had .50 cal gun pods hung on bomb pylons and others had more faired-in .50 cal wing gun installations like the one in the photo. The T-28A was desigend to be fitted with .50 cal guns for target practice and I guess maybe the early D models retained the original installations.

Note the ARN-6 antenna behind the rear cockpit. I do not recall seeing that before.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[nuuumannn]

In addition to the gray paint job the 606th had a unique camo scheme. It was like SE Asia scheme but the tan was replaced by dark brown rather similar to WWII RAF Dark Earth and the belly was painted black.

Back in the 1990s a bunch of T-28s from those parts arrived in Australia and I took a piccie of one tucked away in a hangar at Bankstown Airport in that scheme. If I find it I'll post it.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Several weeks ago after I got back from putting around the local area, I noticed at my local airport there was a large gathering. There is a large Laotian and Cambodian community not far from where I live and there was a ceremony for Retiring Army Colonel who was a Laotian refugee. I think he was in the army aviation and had some connection with the Laotian Air Force. Anyway, three privately owned T-28s showed up. There is also a plan to build a memorial honoring Laotian T-28 pilots.

 

[tyrodtom]

When I was stationed at Nakhon Phanom , Thailand in 67-68, I'd see the T-28s sitting on the apron , but I remember them as being all black, no gray underside.
I think they just come to NKP to have major maintenance performed, because I never saw them bombed up, just sitting with empty racks.

You'd see black aircraft flying out during broad daylight, probably going back to Laos.
They took their Raven nickname seriously , some of the pilots worn black flight suits.
Black aircraft, black flight suits, hot hot sun, had to be miserable.
Some of the pilots were westerners, bigger guys, but most looked small physiques, Laotian or Thai.

We were told they were CIA. But there was also a lot of BS floating around, never knew what to believe .

One time the apron got buzzed by a diamond of black T-28s, the back guy of the formation was upside down.
I wasn't privy to whatever the repercussions were to that stunt, If they really were CIA , then likely nothing .
I was driving a truck pulling a trailer loaded with napalm bombs to the flight line when this happened, with my attention divided, I about put it all in a ditch.

 

[emu27]

Some of the T-28D's had .50 cal gun pods hung on bomb pylons and others had more faired-in .50 cal wing gun installations like the one in the photo. The T-28A was desigend to be fitted with .50 cal guns for target practice and I guess maybe the early D models retained the original installations

Flew the B and C models, which were capable of having armaments fitted. Three stations under each wing capable of 500 lbs inboard, 250 on the centre, 150 outboard. 50 cal gun pod on each inboard station, all stations could carry AN-M1A2 bomb cluster, AN-M28A2 bomb cluster, AN-M30A1 GP bomb, AERO 4B with practice bombs, AERO 6A1 each with 7 2.75 rockets, 5 inch HV rockets, improvised napalm using 100 lb bomb body.

The D model I assume was the USAF A models converted from the 800 HP with the 1,425 HP Cyclone engine.

 

[MIflyer]

A friend of mine who flew C models in Laos still calls them C models. I do not know if they were ever redesignated as D models when they got the armament, since they did not need the engine change. The T-28A gun package only carried 100 rounds which seems like far too little. You see both the gun pods and the faired in guns on combat T-28's, and according to the T-28BCD manual the D also had a 315 round package that fitted right to the wing.

 

[special ed]

A friend who was an aviation mechanic in Laos always emphasises they are D-5s as opposed to simply T-28D. They did begin life a A models.

 

[MIflyer]

I did not know it could carry a minigun pod, but then I have never seen a picture of one so equipped.