Flying

[Dave Downs (LT Ducky)]

Keith, you know the T-28 saw combat in Vietnam and Laos?

At the risk of turning this topic into 'Keith and Dave's I-flew-in-a-neater-airplane-than-you-did' , here's another picture. (pic by Ron Henry)

I'm in the front seat.

There is a rather sad story attached to this aircraft. The picture was taken at 'SKY WARRIORS', a company in Atlanta USA, that gave instruction in Air Combat Manuvering (ACM). The planes, T-34's, were equipped with lasers, and if you 'hit' your opponents aircraft, the smoke generator would kick in, designating a hit. The safety/instructor pilots were all military fighter types.

On 19 April 1999, the airplane pictured lost the right wing while engaged in ACM; both occupants died (parachutes were standard equipment). This accident gounded/restricted the entire US civilian T-34 fleet until the cause of the accident was determined (metal fatigue).

I flew with them 3 times, an exceptionally well-run organization, and some of the best flying I've ever done.