Modelling the T-28 Trojan in 1:72nd scale

Aircraft Modelling How To's - Modelling the T-28 Trojan

An aircraft with a long and varied history, the T-28 has nonetheless only been produced as an injection-moulded kit in 1:72nd scale by one manufacturer - Heller, Although the resulting model is a reasonably good approximation of the original, the kit represents a French-operated Fennec. Originally released a number of years ago, like several other of Heller's smaller aircraft models the kit was recently re-released and is currently listed in the manufacturer's 1994 catalogue. It includes two markings options, one for a French-operated Fennec and the other for an aircraft in South Vietnamese Air Force markings. The kit mouldings are actually all Fennec, and feature the large air intake just ahead of the windscreen plus the rollover frame between the two cockpits that were hallmarks of this version, in addition to underwing pylons including the huge mounting near the main undercarriage bays - although no gun pods are included in the kit to put onto this big inner pylon!


The kit can be made 'straight from the box' as a French operated Fennec, but if you want to make virtually any version of the aircraft other than the French version it is necessary to remove the large air intake immediately ahead of the windscreen, and most trainer Trojans did not carry the rollover frame. If you want to make the South Vietnamese option on the kit's decal sheet, you should remove the air intake and rollower frame and add armoured backs/headrests for the crew seats. However, I wanted to make a classic US Navy-operated model from the kit, and it is a comparatively straightforward conversion to build the model as a T-28C with a tailhook. A colourful set of specialist markings was produced some years ago by MicroScale (now SuperScale) for US Navy Trojans and this was used for my model, although there are several faults with this sheet as noted later, I also decided to drop the flaps on my model, as most Trojans when left to stand on the ground can be noted with flaps in the down position. Similarly, I also modelled the speed brake 'down'. An excellent cockpit detail set is available for the Heller kit in the Airwaves range of etched brass specialist products, and reference is made to this later. Those modelling the T-28 of any version are recommended to arm themselves with the very useful Squadron/Signal "In Action' title on the type: the cover picture on this issue, incidentally, is of the exact aircraft that my completed model resembles.