T-34

eetrojan

eetrojan

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Weather permitting, a friend of mine and ex-military aviator is taking me up in a T-34 trainer tomorrow afternoon. What's it like? Anybody here with some experience?
 
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Weather permitting, a friend of mine and ex-military aviator is taking me up in a T-34 trainer tomorrow afternoon. What's it like? Anybody here with some experience?
Click to expand...

I have a little over 200 hours in a T-34B, but it's been a while back.

Basically a two seat Debonair, not overly powered, flies like most other Beech products.
 
This is the only T34 I know...

t34_1944858_tank.jpg


How do you fly such a thing ? :dunno:

:)
 
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Never flew the Mentor (or the "TorMentor") but you should be struck by the visibility, how solid it feels on the controls, and the "military" feel to the cockpit. Sitting on centerline, stick, rudder pedals set far apart. Enjoy it! I've always wanted to fly a T-34 (piston model, I got my wish in primary and flew the T-6 instead of the turbine T-34)
 
Depends on your frame of reference, I suppose. But it is a very nice flying light airplane - all ball bearing flight controls, responsive to the touch and finger tip light. The pilot seat do not move fore and aft, one adjusts the rudder pedals instead. In the military style, three axis trim is on the left as is the throttle quadrant. Stick in the right hand as it should be. With its original O-470 power plant, it quite under-powered and takes forever to climb to 3000ft. It rolls beautifully, loops, on the other hand, require diving a bit to get sufficient speed...some 35kts above its cruise speed of 125ish (at 25 squared). A complete kiddy car to fly. Been quite a while since I flew one - it rented for $17hr...wet, if that's any indication of how long ago. My biggest complaint about T-34s is the outrageous price they seem to fetch. One could easily buy a gorgeous B-58 Baron, equipped with a fancy panel and low time engines for the same money. Have fun!
 
Went up in a couple of T-34s. Had an incitive ride years ago when recruiters had T-34s at their disposal. Got sick but had a blast. Years later did the laser dogfighting out of Atlanta before they closed up shop. Fun planes but you can get more bang for the buck by going up in an RV or Glasair. Even when I went up in a Mustang I thought a Glasair III would provide just as much a thrill. Of course the primary reason was to ride in a piece of history. In that respect, it was well worth the price.
 
I went from a Champ to a T-34 years ago in a military flying club. I found it a fun, easy to fly solid airplane.

Paul
Salome, AZ
 
You don't even want to know what you could rent one of those for back in the Military Aero Clubs - seemed like a lot back then.
 
Thanks all. Our flight was cut short (prop governor stopped working), but great fun and felt historic.

It definitely felt a bit underpowered as we climbed out from 1700 feet on a hot day.

Here are a few photos:

T-34-Outside.jpg


T34-Landing.jpg


T-34-Inside.jpg


T-34-Throttle.jpg
 
I did unusual attitude training in T-34s back in 2003. It's essentially a tandem Bonanza with a stick. Flies nice, does acro easily.
 
Looks like the aero club that's at RIV in those photos.
 
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