Images from a very special collection taken by the late Col Pay of Scone NSW of recoveries of North American T-28 aircraft from Thong Hi Hin AB, Xieng Khouang, Laos have been shared with Warbirds Online.
In 1988 Col Pay and Noel Vinson formed a syndicate which pioneered the recovery of Warbird aircraft from former battlefields in Southeast Asia. There were in the 1980s many derelict and abandoned aircraft scattered throughout southeast Asia, as a result of the aftermath of conflicts in Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. Most of these aircraft were by then obsolete and abandoned awaiting scrapping or sale having been replaced or being unable to be maintained. However, there was a strong interest these Warbirds, given that they were generally in reasonable condition and capable of restoration to flight.
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- T-28 0 17493 Brown Australia
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- T-28 402
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- North American T-28 406
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- T-28 3403 to Australia to Guido Zuccoli
The T-28, particularly in T-28D guise, is a very spirited and agile Warbird and even today relatively inexpensive to acquire and operate when compared to aircraft such as the P51 Mustang with similar performance. In the 1980’s a Warbird such as this was a very viable project to acquire and restore.
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- T-28 3403 now VH ZUK with Lynette Zuccoli
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- T-28 3403 now VH ZUK with Lynette Zuccoli
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- T-28 engine in Thailand
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- T-28 3408 now VH-AVC Shaun K Browne Sydney
Col Pay was an experienced importer of Warbirds and had recovered many other aircraft including Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs and Cessna A-37 Dragonflys as well as restoring a Supermarine Spitfire, Curtiss P40 Kittyhawk and his legendary CAC Mustang A68-107. It was then no surprise that he saw the acquisition and importation of the T-28s as very attractive.
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- T28 to Australia 3410 Bruce Andrews
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- North American T-28 to Australia to Pike
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- North American T-28 unknown to USA
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- T-28 3405 to Australia to Pike
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- T-28 to Australia to Vinson
In the end, the epic operation saw the acquisition of 16 T-28Ds located at Thong Hi Hin Air Force Base, at Xieng Khouang, in Laos. Once the aircraft were acquired the journey had only just begun as the aircraft were then dismantled and trucked to Bangkok in Thailand and in December 1988 most of the T-28s were shipped to Australia from whence they were allocated to new owners, including the late Guido Zuccoli. Most aircraft remain in Australia to this day as flying Warbirds with a few of the T-28’s being shipped direct to the USA.
Warbirds Online extends out thanks to Ross Pay, Col Pays’ son for allowing us to access to these priceless historic images.
© John Parker 2022