Thinking about going off the deep end as I'm getting bored with 4 wheels. Curious what your T6 time was like and transition training. Expected annuals?
Had a T-6 from 1990 to 99, put about 125 hours on it. I think I only had about 60 hours tailwheel in a Citabria and less then 400 TT when I bought it. It was a big transition mostly because the weight difference. T-6 Instructors can be difficult to find but I know of a good one in the St Louis area. My annuals were pretty cheap but I have a full time mechanic on my payroll. I can only guess annuals at about 4 to $5,000. T-6's are going up in value at a very steady rate and insurance costs are way up. I would definitely ck with an agent first. I have always been a fan of T-34's, they are one of those airplanes that are really good at everything and a lot more efficient then a T-6. You should try to go to Oshkosh next weekend.
Ok, well I have one under contract. There are probably 12 at my home field, so there is a pretty good support system. I might try and make Oshkosh, but sitting in Hawaii now.
Didn't T-6s have a problem some years ago with wings falling off due to corrosion and/or fatigue? If you look to buy one, have a thorough structural inspection.
Occasionally I know my own limits haha. Maybe one day. Have a few friends with them, one won Reno a few years back. Would prefer to just stare at it and admire it and its sounds.
Very pretty. Dad always said the T-6 was lots of fun to fly, especially in formation. Did not have the huge torque of the fighters that made formation flying tougher.
What's with the powder blue fuselage? Should be AF Medium Blue with a star and no bars in the insignia if it is supposed to look pre war. Another Nit Picker.
Bob- Note the insignia is also post WW-II (added in January 1947 to both AAF and USN aircraft) with a red stripe. Since the AAF became the USAF on 18 September 1947.... I remember this because I was born on the same day as the USAF. Dad was flying P-51Ds at Shaw Field at that time.
Image Unavailable, Please Login A couple weeks ago in Tallulah. The T-6 is a great formation trainer because it’s relatively underpowered. A pilot’s gotta think ahead all the time with respect to his left hand. Pilots get great energy management skills in the T-6. Planes with increased hp are a bit easier to fly in my opinion. But I only speak from T-6 and T-28 experience.
Dad said some of the bomber pilot retreads never could fly decent formation in the P-51D. They were used to counter-rotating props. Probably would have been ok in P-38s, but those were gone pretty much as soon as the war was over.
When I crossunder in the T-28 I always roll the aileron trim a bit while crossing through 6 but rudder stays the same.
