facts win discussions for your enlightenment the Navy Aircraft were T 28 C for carrier famil, though they did not operate off carriers just the land based training strips
Absolutely right Bob Hoover did most of the T 28 test flying which included in test some limited carrier ops to prove the aircraft could operate within the ground training strips and be true to carrier ops.
Facts win discussions. Must have been a parallel universe then that I and thousands of USN students made carrier qualifications on the mighty Lexington in the T-28C. Arrested landings, but no catapault take off, as you noted T28D. Take off was a canopy open, full flap, stand on the brakes, run up to 30", and on the wave from the launch officer, off brakes and full power. Called a 'free take off', and a procedure used by the S-2 Tracker and others from time to time. Every USN/Coast Guard/Marine/Foriegn student who went through the T-28 stream carrier qualified. Foriegn students included about 40 Australians, a number who lurk here.