Collector now has own Trojan workhorse

PETER Vause says he should have learnt his lesson the last time he was invited by Brett Emeny to go up for a ride in a Warbird aircraft.

The first time was back in 2004, when Mr Emeny suggested Mr Vause join him in his Yak52. Mr Vause loved the aircraft so much he promptly went out and bought one.

Fast forward 14 years and it has happened again.

This time Mr Emeny took Mr Vause up in his North American T28C Trojan, and now a few months later Mr Vause is the proud owner of his own Trojan, a T28B, which has just arrived at his base in New Plymouth.

Both pilots are no strangers to Warbirds Over Wanaka; they are integral members of the Yak52 display team, and have also performed individual displays at the airshow over the years.

Now they will ready a T28 routine for the next airshow.

‘‘I love flying at Wanaka and have wonderful memories of some great displays over the years. Hopefully we’ll be able to show off the two Trojans displaying together at Wanaka in 2020,’’ Mr Vause said.

The T28 Trojan was produced during the 1950s and was first used as a military trainer aircraft by the United States Air Force and United States Navy.

During the 1960s, the T28 was successfully employed as a counterinsurgency aircraft, primarily during the Vietnam War.

IMAGE: SUPPLIED New purchase . . . A recent acquisition of a T28 Trojan — just the third one of its kind in the country — by pilot Peter Vause may lead to a display at Warbirds Over Wanaka in 2020 with fellow T28 owner Brett Emeny.