T-28 Armament kit - bought! | FerrariChat

T-28 Armament kit - bought!

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by snj5, Feb 1, 2008.

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  1. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    Russ Turner
    #1 snj5, Feb 1, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Well, I have obviously lost my mind. I negotiated a price on an original T-28 armament kit with:

    two .50 caliber gun pods
    two bomb racks
    two 3 x 2.25" rocket rails
    armament switch panel

    While I will never own a Corsair or the like, this will be the most fun T-28A ever...
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  2. boffin218

    boffin218 Formula Junior

    Oct 8, 2005
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    Tonight's toast: "Here's to _never_ being cut off in the pattern again!"
     
  3. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    You're absolutely crazy -- in the nicest possible way :)
     
  4. rfking

    rfking Formula Junior

    Nov 16, 2003
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    I love it!

    First Class!

    Hope to get a ride some time this year - Roy
     
  5. Der Meister

    Der Meister Formula Junior

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    cant wait to see them on the plane!
     
  6. rob lay

    rob lay Administrator
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    I've wondered what the rules are for that. Mark had a T-6 for sale with gun pods. It said you need a special license to have those installed? Is it any way legal to load up and take out to your own land and shoot up the pasture? I've heard no way a civilian can have hot guns on a plane, but I don't know.
     
  7. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    You need special licenses and permissions to carry LIVE ordinance on an airplane, which post 9-11 are basically impossible.

    The key difference between outfitting a T-6 with DISPLAY gun pods and the T-28 with THESE gun pods is that basically the T-6 is a STANDARD certificated aircraft and all T-28s are EXPERIMENTAL certificated aircraft. (the reason you DO NOT see T-28s at warbird dogfight schools). With standard certification, any variance from the original FAA type certificate (which did not include armament) technically needs FAA approval with a form 337 or something like an STC to be legal. Experimental aircraft simply need an A&P approval with appropriate airworthiness documentation. In addition - in this instance, these are OEM NAA T-28 parts and just have to be installed I/O the original factory manual to comply with the engineering requirements.
    Most other aircraft display armament are not oem but adapted or replica and require more hoops, which makes this T-28 deal so appealing. And, they are very easy to install or remove (basically four HONKIN' bolts per pod).

    OBTW - the addition of gun pods is said to cost about 10 knots at cruise power settings.

    Unlike Rob, I'll never afford a P-51, but I can have the most fun T-28A anywhere! :)
     
  8. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    Talking fun reminds me of the celebration that Boeing held for the 50th anniversary of the B-17. All sorts of aircraft were invited and one of the best was a B-25 from Wyoming that was outfitted with four caliber 50 package guns plus a nose gun. The package guns were acetylene powered and fired almost like a real Cal.50. When they arrived a bunch of very high level Boeing execs were on the ramp and wanted to hear the guns fire when we parked the B-25. The B-25 crew was a real bunch of jokers and they told the execs to stand very close and dead center to the nose so they could get the full effect of the fake guns when they fired. When they were in position the crew " fired" the nose gun which was a powerful water gun and thoroughly wet down the bunch of Boeing big wheels standing there in their linen summer suits. I wet myself down laughing.
    That B-25 crew let me ride with them and they had a load of beach balls in the bomb bay with which they bombed a bunch of fishermen in Lake Washington.
    Hilarious.
     
  9. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    Similar to switches story, in my old days many local airshows had hit the target competitions with folks dropping bags of flour out of everything from Cubs up to hit a bullseye on the ground. At one show a surprise last pass was made by a TBM who approached at high speed, opened the bombay releasing 100 nerf balls on the target field away from the crowd. It was cool beyond belief to see in person as then all the kids at the airshow ran out to grab them as souvenirs once the Avenger left. What fun!

    Dropping things from planes is clearly mentioned in the FARs... :)

    As for a war story, when North Korea first invaded the south, the south's initial repulse included flying T-6s over the approaching army and dropping grenades from the back seat. I read this story on a plaque with a ROKAF T-6 that participated on display at the Air Park Museum in Seoul.
     
  10. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    My late brother-in-law flew T-6 spotter missions during the Korean thing, marking targets with smoke rockets. He said that the T-6 could take tremendous damage and still hold together.

    Russ you have a PM


    Switches
     
  11. planeflyr

    planeflyr Karting

    May 27, 2006
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    I seem to remember that some years ago, maybe 10 to 15, someone imported a pair of MiG-15's from China. He arrived at the dock along with the US Customs agent to perform an arrival inspection and load up the crates on a truck for shipment to his home base for assembly, etc.

    When they opened the crates they found that the Chinese just disassembled the aircraft and packed them up as is. The guns were still installed, live ammunition belts were still present and the breech was closed and ready for activation!

    All were aghast and immediately contacted the BATF, FAA, and any other "alphabet" agencies which had a stake in this.

    The ammunition was removed, the guns were rendered inoperable and the shipment was allowed to continue to it's destination.

    Planeflyr
     
  12. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

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    #12 snj5, Feb 5, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    My two 100lb practice bombs came today frm an Army surplus store (cheap!) in Dallas
    Without sand, they only weigh about 30 pounds a piece. These are blue navy bombs ao will probably re-paint od

    The gunpods and bomb rack fairings are at the painter this week being prettied up.

    I was able to successfully test fit the bombs on the rack mechanisms as shown below.

    There is less of a speed penalty (drag) for the bombs vs. the pods, I believe, although they weigh about the same.

    Need an N-9 gunsight if anyone has a source.
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  13. Spasso

    Spasso F1 World Champ

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    You're my hero!
     
  14. Bob Parks

    Bob Parks F1 Veteran
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    RUSS, I don't think that prop that is laying there by the door is going to work. Specially with those bombs and guns on the airplane. I've got a great big ol' wooden prop off a DH-4 if you want to borrow it.
    Switches
     
  15. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

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    #15 snj5, Feb 12, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  16. airfoil

    airfoil Karting

    Feb 1, 2008
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    Cool is an understatement. I'm not sure I know how to describe the feeling you get when looking at those puppies, and that is VERY unusual for me.
    Probably something like when Wyatt Earp started to walk your way with his hands on his pistol grips; "NEW UNDERWEAR, MAUDIE!"
     
  17. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
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    Kick ass

    That's really cool.

    There doesn't happen to be real guns in those pods, by chance?
     
  18. Der Meister

    Der Meister Formula Junior

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  19. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    The guns and pneumatic charging cylinder are catorgorized "GFE" - Government Furnished Equipment - and were not included in the armament kit. If one could get those pieces (which I won't), they would simply bolt in and the pods would work. Many old airplane guys use replica weapons, but I am not sure yet how far I will go to chase a perfect show pod..

    That all said, I will try to wire the bomb shackles to release from the stick bomb button - it also should be plug and play to some degree, but I am sure some of the harness will be a bit old (and possibly removed) .

    It is a lot of fun - it's much like the O-1 and O-2 guys with their armament packages. What a hoot!
     
  20. planeflyr

    planeflyr Karting

    May 27, 2006
    174
    You may very likely be able to find a separate gun barrel to place into the tube on the pod for realism. Gun barrels for many military machine guns are plentiful as both original equipment and de-milled units. There is no regulatory issue with their purchase either.

    Good luck and happy "hunting".

    Planeflyr
     
  21. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    that sounds good, actually - any suggestions on where to find a barrel?
     
  22. planeflyr

    planeflyr Karting

    May 27, 2006
    174
    Let me know the type of machine gun which the pod is designed to accept and I'll get to work on a source.

    Planeflyr
     
  23. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    M2 .50 cal aircraft
     
  24. planeflyr

    planeflyr Karting

    May 27, 2006
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    Russ,

    Here is a web page for an outfit which supplies .50 BMG parts both fixed and aircraft. This might get you started.

    BMGParts.com / ANM2 M3 Semi Automatic Browning Machine Gun Parts & Accessories

    Beyond that, I'll ask around to some of my shooting buddies. I know a few folks who own/shoot BMG's (Geez! that's gotta cost more than owning an airplane!) and see what I can come up with.

    Planeflyr
     
  25. snj5

    snj5 F1 World Champ

    Feb 22, 2003
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    #25 snj5, Feb 14, 2008
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Thanks!
    I found a place today and ordered two M-2 barrels. An entire replica gun was about $1500K, and would rather spend the money on some other details as the guns are never really seen. The pods do make excellent 'saddlebags' for x-c storage though!

    Still hunting for the correct n-9 gunsight!
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