AIDC T-CH-1 (Chung-Tsing)

History

The Air Force of the Republic of China (Taiwan) once managed a fleet of North American T-28 "Troy" two-seat propeller trainers to introduce a new generation of military pilots. The original design first flew in 1949 and production spanned from 1950 to 1957, by which time 1,948 prototypes had been produced and used by various global operators.

Based on this successful acrobatic design, the Taiwanese developed a slightly more advanced form that eventually became the indigenous AIDC military trainer "T-CH-1".

The origins of the T-28 in the T-CH-1 are obvious, including the deep fuselage, low monoplane wing and straight tail. The cockpit sits two people in a row under a light-framed canopy, with a good view from the cockpit. The landing gear is a tricycle arrangement and is fully retractable.

Such is the versatility of the aircraft, the same airframe is used for the basic trainer/light attack form, the reconnaissance version ("R-CH-1") and the weapons trainer ("A-CH-1"). Powered by a 1,450-horsepower Avco Lycoming T53-L-701 turboprop engine, performance specifications include a top speed of 370 mph, a cruising speed of 195 mph, a range of up to 1,250 miles, and a service ceiling of up to 32,000 feet.

The first prototype flew for the first time on November 23, 1973, followed by the second prototype in 1974. It went so well that the Air Force ordered 50 of these prototypes and delivered them along with two prototypes from 1976 to 1981, all 52 of which were produced on the line.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes