Craig

Big canopy?

The preproduction birds I flew at Edwards had the original BIG TALL
canopy. Like sitting in a glass circus tent. Was a foot or more over
your head. Flying with it gave you a headache as the big wide prop
blades each threw a big chunk of air back on canopy and gave what was
called a two 'P' vibration. Was like flying inside a bass drum.

Edwards took a three bladed prop off a C-131 and cut down to the
correct diameter to fit the 900 HP engine in 'A'. This stopped the
pounding in the cockpit but Aero Products had made and delivered their
whole contract (500+/- props) which were stored in a warehouse and AF
didn't want to throw away (that money). Alternate solution was to cut
the canopy down (about 6-8 inches as I recall). They should have
dumped the Aero Products and put three bladed props on. Smooth engine,
less pounding in cockpit, no crankshaft breaking at prop hub, etc.

I have between 300-400 hours in 'A' bird. Could have opted for the 'B'
in Panama (605th Air Commando Sq) but figured the A/B-26K would be
more fun. Glide bombing, strafing, rockets, etc. Same configuaration
(K version) they flew on 'trail' in VN.

When Navy bought bird ('B') most of the basic 'bugs had been cleaned
up by AF (

I live just off Memorial Drive between Toll Road (Sam Houston Parkway
ex Westbelt) and Wilcrest. We were pretty well out west when we bought
(1972) but now they are tearing the houses down to get the land and
building million dollar homes around us (makes my 3000 sq ft with pool
look like the poor boy on the block ( I-10 is being expanded to
10-12 lanes (just started) over the next 5 years. Will be just as
crowded when finished as it is now )

The T-28 was one of the first A/C designed to minimum structural
criteria to meet specs. Prior A/C through the years had been over
designed as engineers didn't want anything to break. With the design
change (to reduce weight and give better performance) the birds were
designed light and flown. As things broke during test (Edwards), only
those items were beefed up before birds went to units. This ended up
giving you a best weight to performance bird. All (at least military
aircraft) are designed this way now. Of course with computers they are
now better able to design close to optimum weight/strength first time.

Hope some of these rambles about history help those building and
flying homebuilts understand how things went along through the years
since the Wrights.

My grand son is going to make his first 'dual' parachute jump this
afternoon. Waiting to hear how it went.


Big John


----clip----

This one started life as a B model. Had the big engine and the three
blade prop, tall canopy. Had a documented history with the Blue
Angles, but the owner *just had to have* it painted up in Lexington
colors and markings...
The bird strike was right between ribs 3 and 4 or 4 and 5 on the right
wing. Never could figure out how it got through the prop without
touching it....Only thing we couldn't fix at the time was the phenolic
tube that ran out the wing in front of the spar. Last time I saw the
airplane, and that's been a few years, you could still get a whiff of
stench in the cockpit after it had been closed up for a few days.

BTW..what part of Astro city are you in? I lived out where Beltway 8
is now. West Belt road was the western city limit when we moved there
in '65.

Craig C.