Trojan Phlyers

Early in 2004, the Trojan Phlyers aerobatic team consisting of three Trojan T-28’s took a major hit.  A newly signed off twin engine pilot was taking his family on a first flight out of Hicks Field in Fort Worth, TX.  That pilot managed to physically destroy two of the three T-28’s used by the Trojan Phlyers flight team.  The planes were parked on the ramp.  Normally there would have been all three parked out there, but as luck would have it, this day there was only two parked in the open.     

As of today, the two damages planes are back on the air show circuit.  All three planes have a new paint scheme, one Navy, one Air Force, and one Marine’s.  As did the Phoenix rise from the ashes, so did the T-28’s of the Trojan Phlyers.   The Trojan Phlyer aircraft have Wright Cyclone R1820-86A nine-cylinder radial enginec with 1425 horsepower at full throttle. The aircraft can takeoff on less than 800 feet of runway, climb to 10,000 feet in less than 90 seconds, race level above 335 mph, and dive above 380 mph. In fact, the T-28 can outperform most WWII fighters at low altitude. 

The Trojan Phlyers Aerobatic Team has been around since the mid ninety’s.  Neil Anderson and John Sledge were instrumental in organizing the team, which started as a two ship formation performing team.  After 2000, a third T-28 was added to the group.   

The flight leader is Frank Adams and the wing man is John Sledge, both having 25 to 28,000 flight hours in all types of planes.  The history of these two pilots goes back to 1960, when both entered Navy Flight School.  Both flew fighters in the Marine Corps, including the F-8 Crusader and the F-4 Phantom.  In addition Frank flew the A-4 Skyhawk and John flew the FJ Fury.  Frank and John are Vietnam Veterans, both experiencing heavy fighting over Chu Lai, South Vietnam, North Vietnam, and Laos.  Frank was shot down on his twenty-sixth mission, but was rescued and went on to fly eighty more missions.  The third Trojan is piloted by Chip Lamb who will do a solo performance in conjunction with the other two Trojans.  Chip is an American Airlines pilot and is a Colonel in the Air Force Reserves...he flew F-16s when flying in the USAF, as well as the F4 Phantom. 

Frank and John retired from military duty and began a long career flying for major airlines.  Both pilots flew jets in the military, so the Trojan T-28 is a relative new experience for them.  Frank did fly it during Navy flight training, making his first carrier landing in one. 

Another pilot involved with the Trojan Phlyers is Chris Wood.  Chip Lamb handles the scheduling of the performing team.  Ron Anderson is the mechanic.  The Corporation consists of a dozen or so individuals who participate by working on and flying the T-28’s. 

In 2006, the Trojan Phlyers plan on flying fifteen to twenty air shows.  The home base for them is Texas.  For more information call Chip Lamb at (817) 366-2868 or go to www.fly-low.com and our links page for Trojan Ph