TEAM INFORMATION

The Trojan Horsemen’s performance will be a “Salute to The Armed Forces of the United States” including a formation aerobatic demonstration routine choreographed to patriotic music.  They will recognize all 5 branches of the armed forces and pay tribute to those veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom with a missing man formation. 

The Trojan Horsemen’s patriotic Salute to the Armed Forces also supports the Veterans Airlift Command whose purpose is to provide air transportation for medical and other compassionate purposes to wounded warriors, veterans, and their families through a national network of volunteer aircraft owners and pilots.  For more information please visit www.veteransairlift.org.

The Trojan Horsemen team is the only 6 ship T-28 Warbird Formation & Aerobatic Demo Team in the world.

 The “Trojan Horsemen” name was derived from the teams’ North American T-28 Trojan aircraft and the Trojan Horse from Greek mythology used to conquer Troy.   

Their T-28 Trojan aircraft sport authentic US Air Force and US Navy paint schemes and markings to compliment the patriotic theme. 

The 10-member team consists of former military fighter pilots, instructors, airline pilots, and experienced civilian air show pilots with over 200 years combined experience.

T-28 AIRCRAFT INFO

Following WWII, the US Air Force called upon North American Aircraft to develop the next generation of high performance advanced trainer as a successor to the T-6/SNJ Texan.  North American earned this distinction by producing legendary aircraft such as the T-6 Texan, P-51 Mustang, B-25 Mitchell, and later the F-86 and F-100.  The result was the T-28 Trojan series, the most advanced propeller driven military aircraft that had been produced. 

The A model with an 800 HP engine was used by the US Air Force from 1950 to 1956 as a trainer and various other roles, and it replaced the Mustang fighter in reserve units.  In 1952, the U.S. Navy contracted with NAA to build a B model version with a 1425 HP engine and other improvements.  In addition to the B, the T-28C equipped with a tail hook and smaller diameter prop was also built for the Navy for carrier landings.  In 1959, several hundred A models were shipped to France to be modified with the larger R-1820 engine and armament to be used in combat in Algeria.  These aircraft were designated as T-28F or Fennec.  The U.S. also modified A, B and C models into the T-28D to be used in combat in southeast Asia in the 60’s and 70’s, including Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.  Along with the Skyraider, the AT-28 was used extensively for ground attack and close air support.  Ordinance included two 50 cal machine guns, fragmentation bombs and rockets.

The T-28 has a top speed of 343 knots and cruises at speeds from 180 - 250 knots.  The solo pilots reach speeds of 250-300 knots during the routine.  Max weight for the C model is 9000 lbs and the service ceiling is 37,000 ft.  It has a climb rate of over 3000 fpm and can out-turn and out-climb a P-51 Mustang.

TROJAN HORSEMEM  -  TEAM MEMBER BIOS 

Jack “Skids” Mitchard - #6 Solo Acro and Alternate Formation Lead #1

Jack Mitchard is a retired Navy Commander who flew F-4 Phantoms and F-14 Tomcats during active duty, and later as a Naval Reservist.  He accumulated over 2400 hours of tactical fighter time including 400 carrier arrested landings at sea.  His tours of duty included the VF-101 “Diamondbacks” on the USS Independence and USS America, VF-101 at NAS Oceana as an F-14 Instructor and check pilot, and with VF-1486 in the Navy Reserves.  As a student Naval Aviator, Jack flew the T-28 at NAS Whiting Field.  He is currently a Boeing 737 Captain and check airman for US Air, and has served as T-28 formation lead at the Oshkosh and Sun-N-Fun warbird airshows.  In addition to T-28’s, Jack has also owned a PT-17 Stearman and an SNJ-4.

Walt “Smokey” Fricke - Formation Lead #1 and Alternate Wing #3

Walt soloed on his 16th birthday and had been flying all his adult life.  He flew hundreds of combat missions as a helicopter pilot with the 68th Assault Helicopter Wing in Vietnam and received 21 Air medals, the Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, and a Purple Heart.  When not flying his T-28, Walt flies a collection of his other classic and warbird aircraft including a Beech Staggerwing and a 1944 Gruman Widgeon Amphibian.  Walt is founder and CEO of the Veterans Airlift Command that provides air transportation to veterans and their families.  For more info on VAC, look him up after the show.

Jeff “Kazie”Clark - Formation lead #1 and Alternate Wing #3

Jeff Clark has been flying for over 15 years with over 2200 hours flight time.  He holds a commercial license with seaplane and glider ratings.  Jeff has flown in numerous airshows and produces the airshow at his home airport near Chicago.  His longest flight was in a Cessna 421 from Salzburg, Austria to Chicago.

Jim Stitt  - Wing #4 Slot  & Alternate Lead #1

Jim Stitt is the team’s managing member.  He has been flying for over 25 years, holds a Commercial license, and is an FAA certified flight instructor with instrument, multi-engine and rotorcraft ratings.  He is qualified as a formation leader, has flown in numerous airshows, and is the past President of the Cincinnati Warbirds EAA Squadron 18 based at Lunken Airport.  He owns a broadcast consulting engineering business.

Paul Walters - Wing #2

Paul was flying his family’s Piper Cub before he got a driver’s license.  He now has over 5000 hours and holds single-engine, multi-engine and glider ratings.  He has owned 17 airplanes over the years, many of which were classics that he rebuilt.  His T-28 has over 2000 hours of actual combat time in southeast Asia, and received 6 hits during a mission in 1965.  Paul’s son Joe is Captain in the Wisconsin Air National guard flying F-16’s having served 2 tours of duty in Iraq.

Ralph “SkyDoc” Glasser - #5 Lead Solo - Acro

Ralph Glasser, MD is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at SIU School of Medicine in Springfield, Il.  As a commercial pilot, he has been flying since 1980 and operating his T-28 since 1989 accumulating 3500 hours of flight time.  He is also an accomplished sky diver with 1300 jumps and 15 hours of free-fall time.  Dr Glasser holds a low level aerobatic waiver and is qualified as a formation leader.  He has performed at many airshows and served as T-28 formation lead for the last 2 years at the Oshkosh warbird airshows.

Gordon “Gordo” Richardson II -  #6 Opposing Solo Acro

Gordo hails from Houston Texas.  He has been flying most of his life, soloing a Bellanca Citabria on his 16th birthday and appearing in his first airshow at 18.  He has performed formation and aerobatics at airshows for many years in his T-6 Texan and T-28 Trojan, and stays current in a Bonanza, J-3 Cub and Super Cub on floats.

Art Nalls - #5 or #6 Opposing Solo Acro

Art graduated from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis and entered the Marine Corps where he was assigned to VMA-231 in Cherry Point to fly the AV8-A Harrier.  After several shipboard deployments above the Artic Circle, below the equator and a complete global circumnavigation, Art was selected to attend the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards where he flew the new AV8-B Harrier II and the A4 Skyhawk.  During these test flights he accumulated over 6 hours of single engine jet time WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.  He says “other than the space shuttle, it is probably the fastest glider training available”.  Art was then assigned to NAS Patuxent River flying the AV-8B Harrier until he retired from the Marine Corps as a Lt Col.  In addition to the T-28, he now regularly flies his L-39, YAK-3, YAK-52, YAK-9, and a 1939 Piper L-4 with a 65HP engine.