PZ T-28 Maiden today

I know the T-28 is post WWII, but I think it fits here better than the other forums.

With some Christmas money I received, I bought a PZ T-28 just a few days after Christmas. I have been flying a few of the FT foamies since about Thanksgiving, as well as my boy's Gamma Pro that I got him for Christmas. I have also been experimenting with a design of my own, that has flown a few times, but never very well. The simulator time has also been very helpful. After being out of the hobby for almost 30 years, the simulator has been wonderful!! A lot of crashes, but no $$$$ out of my wallet. Plus, it got me re-accustomed to the sticks and how a plane responds.

Long story short, I hadn't managed to muster up the courage to fly the T-28 until today. In hindsight, it was a bit silly to wait this long. I have been buddy boxing my 9 year old on the Gamma Pro and didn't even realize that the Gamma Pro is probably harder to fly than the T-28:confused:

After some brief taxi tests and a nose wheel adjustment I put it in the air. I was expecting it to require more constant input, but it flew so stable. It's definitely a low wing warbird, but handles very predictably and is quite precise in it's attitude changes. It also few very well right around half throttle. After some very minor trim input, it was tracking very well and went wherever it was pointed. I had previously dialed in a fair amount of expo and reduced the throws on the ailerons, but in hindsight, this was probably unnecessary. The plane was very predictable and did every single thing I told it to do. The only thing I didn't like was the roll rate, but this was self induced since I had reduced the aileron throws. Big giant loops were very easy and it does great coordinated turns. I didn't get too carried away since I really am still fairly novice, but the T-28 is really a great plane. It might not be an ideal first plane, but without too much stick time, I think it's very manageable as a second plane, or even a first if you have someone that can buddy box with you.

I wish planes would have been this easy to fly when I was a kid... I made too many balls of balsa bits and covering back then, and my first foamy ended up being more epoxy than foam before I ever really had a successful flight. It ended up so heavy, my little OS .10 couldn't haul it around anymore.

Here's a very bad video of my take-off and a little bit of the flight (ran out of memory on the SD card). Since my wife's camera couldn't really keep the plane in focus, most of the time you are stuck looking at my fat head (sorry).... Also, the audio is TERRIBLE, so don't have your speakers very loud. I might actually have to buy a decent video camera if I want flight videos.

http://s961.beta.photobucket.com/user/roversgonemad/media/RC%20Planes/Parkzone%20T-28/DSCN1852.mp4.html

DSCN6169_zps869bb547.jpg
 
Last edited:

themajik1

Monkey/Bear Poker
Mentor
Yes, the T28 is my go to bird when I have been away from the field for awhile. For a low wing plane, IMHO, its the best 2nd plane to have when going from 3 to 4 channel. Glad your experience was so good and Keep Flying!!!:applause:
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
I thoroughly enjoyed my T28 while it lived... My wife and I saw it at SEFF, she turned to me and said she thought I should get that plane. So when they were available for sale, I knew at least one airplane purchase I would be able to make without getting in trouble...
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
I thoroughly enjoyed my T28 while it lived... My wife and I saw it at SEFF, she turned to me and said she thought I should get that plane. So when they were available for sale, I knew at least one airplane purchase I would be able to make without getting in trouble...

Given her newest toy (insert your own gutter minded comment here), I say a new airplane purchase is completely in order!
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
I can't buy anymore planes, until I get rid of at least a half dozen of the ones I have now.
 
Three more batteries through the T-28 today!! What a great plane!!! Also buddy boxed my 9 year old on his Gamma, but he wasn't very focused today, so I didn't spend too much time holding the switch. However, one of the teenage neighbor kids came by while we were flying and I let him run a whole battery through the Gamma on the buddy box. Might have a new member of the hobby!

I did get a little more adventurous today, some inverted, lots of loops, and whole bunch of aileron rolls!! Right now, this is all happening at a fairly high altitude:D

My first landing was a little bumpy, but the other two were great. Unfortunately, the wife only got the first landing on the camera:(
 
Last edited:
A couple videos to show why I like the T-28 so much. I will apologize in advance for the video quality. My wife was struggling to keep the plane in the frame. I thought about mounting it on an empty rifle stock, but then we fly right in front of the local elementary school, so that might not be the best idea.... This is our first ever functional digital video camera (found on craigslist, so I hope it's not stolen:black_eyed: )

A take off with my boy's Gamma Pro. Of course, this video needs a caveat in the form of an excuse. I am used to flying four channel, so having the rudder on the right stick is mildly disorienting;) I actually can get it off the ground better when I have the aileron wing on it and am taking off with the tail wheel on the left stick.


A take off with the T-28. Notice how straight it tracks!

 
So the T-28 take-off was pretty good, but here's the first landing from Saturday... The other two landings were actually pretty good, it's a bummer they didn't get recorded. By this time, the wife was pretty tired of running the camera. She's a pretty good sport, so I don't want to push things too much;) That R2 unit might be helpful in the landings;)

 
Not as good of weather as last time, but I still went out and put a couple batteries through the T-28. It was foggy most of the day, and then it remained overcast and gray the rest of the time. By 1700 I couldn't take it anymore and had to go fly. Thank goodness for the orange nose and wingtips, it made it visible against the nearly white sky. Fortunately, only a very slight breeze. I absolutely love this plane. Based on my experience from 30 years ago, this "warbird" is MUCH easier to fly than any of the trainers of the day! I am getting pretty good at using the wingtip brakes when taxiing:p:black_eyed: