[AlaskaRC] [NATA T-28] Santa and his T-28

[Steven Lingle]

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
T’was the night before Christmas all over the place,
When we were confronted by the old flying ace.
There was icing reported and turbulent air,
He said, "File me a flight plan, I gotta get there".
Outside sat his aircraft already at the gate,
And the old man walked out to his T-28.
"Bad weather's no problem," he silently mumbled,
The prop came to life, and that big Wright rumbled.
 He eased in the throttle, the roar shook the ground,
He taxied on out and turned it around.
He went through the run-up and seemed satisfied,
Then he said to himself, "Tonight I'm in for a ride."
 So he lined it up straight as he poured on the coal,
The airspeed came up as he started to roll.
Up off the runway, he sucked up the gear,
And that mighty 1820 was all you could hear.
 He screamed overhead with a deafening cracks,
Blue flames flying from each of six stacks.
"He pulled up the nose and started to climb,
No ice on that airframe, it didn't have time.
 On top of the weather with the levers all set,
He looked up above him and saw a Bizjet.
"With jet fuel and turbines there just ain't no class,
Give me pistons, and props and lots of avgas!"
Now he was approaching where he wanted to go.
But the weather had covered the runway with ice and snow.
How will he land it? We just have to guess, 
Because the only way in was a full I-L-S.
Then over the outer marker, he started his run,
The ceiling was zero, visibility...none.
Still going two hundred and he felt the need,
For an overhead break to drop his speed.
Over the numbers he zoomed, along like a flash,
Pulled into his break, we all knew he would crash.
Oh, why do they do it on this kind of night??
Then over the threshold, we saw his landing light.
“I'm on a short final with all three down,”
Hope there is enough runway, the T28 doesn’t do well on a go-round.
Then he tied down that Trojan, and they all heard him say, 
"Next year, I'm stickin' with my reindeer and sleigh…". 

Merry Christmas and Best wishes to all T-28ers.
 
 


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