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Description
| Notes: LOW-WING, supersonic jet trainer (2 CREW) . | ||
| Manufacturer: | Northrop | |
| Base model: | T-38 | |
| Designation: | T-38 | |
| Version: | A | |
| Nickname: | Talon | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1948-Present | |
| Basic role: | Trainer | |
Specifications
| Length: | 46' 4" | 14.1 m | |
| Height: | 12' 10" | 3.9 m | |
| Wingspan: | 25' 3" | 7.7 m | |
| Wingarea: | 170.0 sq ft | 15.7 sq m | |
| Empty Weight: | 7,164 lb | 3,248 kg | |
| Gross Weight: | 11,759 lb | 5,333 kg | |
| Max Weight: | 12,093 lb | 5,484 kg | |
Propulsion
| No. of Engines: | 2 | ||
| Powerplant: | General Electric J85-GE-5A (A/B 3,850Lb | ||
| Thrust (each): | 2,680 lb | 1,215 kg | |
Performance
| Range: | 1,093 miles | 1,760 km | |
| Cruise Speed: | 578 mph | 930 km/h | 502 kt |
| Max Speed: | 812 mph | 1,307 km/h | 706 kt |
| Climb: | 30,000 ft/min | 9,143 m/min | |
| Ceiling: | 53,600 ft | 16,336 m | |
Operators (Past and Present)
| USAF | 9th RW | Beale AFB | CA |
| USAF | 12th FTW | Randolph AFB | TX |
| USAF | 14th FTW | Columbus AFB | MS |
| USAF | 47th FTW | Laughlin AFB | TX |
| USAF | 49th FW | Holloman AFB | NM |
| USAF | 64th FTW | Reese AFB | TX |
| USAF | 71st FTW | Vance AFB | OK |
| USAF | 80th FTW | Sheppard AFB | TX |
| USAF | 509th BW | Whiteman AFB | MO |
| USAF | Sacramento ALC | McClellan AFB | CA |
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Air Force Flight Test Center Museum | Edwards AFB | California |
| Blackbird Airpark | Palmdale | California |
| Columbus AFB | Columbus AFB | Mississippi |
| Edward F. Beale Museum | Beale AFB | California |
| Kelly Field Heritage Museum | Kelly AFB | Texas |
| Laughlin AFB | Laughlin AFB | Texas |
| Maxwell AFB Air Park | Maxwell AFB | Alabama |
| Pima Air & Space Museum | Tucson | Arizona |
| Prairie Aviation Museum | Bloomington | Illinois |
| Randolph AFB | Randolph AFB | Texas |
| Reese AFB | Reese AFB | Texas |
| Sheppard AFB Air Park | Sheppard AFB | Texas |
| USAF Academy | USAF Academy | Colorado |
| USAF History and Traditions Museum | San Antonio | Texas |
| United States Air Force Museum | Wright-Patterson | Ohio |
| Vance AFB | Vance AFB | Oklahoma |
T-38A on display
Air Force Flight Test Center Museum | Blackbird Airpark | Columbus AFB | ||
Maxwell AFB Air Park | Pima Air & Space Museum | Prairie Aviation Museum | Reese AFB | |
Sheppard AFB Air Park | USAF Academy |
Recent comments by our visitors
| Jim Johnson Olympia, WA | Flew T-38s during UPT, 68-H at Laughlin AFB, and C-141s and C-130's afterward. All great military hardware, but the T-38 was the most fun, most motivating aircraft. I'm sorry to see the AF asking American airframers to submit on foreign trainers "to save money" on the T-X project, for a new fast jet trainer to replace the aging T-38 fleet. Why would any American student want to get into aeronautical engineering these days? Who wants to train for our 5th and 6th gen fighters on old British or current Russian designs? October 2012. 10/21/2012 @ 19:34 [ref: 67327] |
| Gerald McMasters Lubbock, TX | The 2 T-38s on trucks have been returned to the US after use by the South Korean Air Force. They are probably on their way to the "boneyard" at Tucson. The serials are correct; just add a 6 in front, ie, one is a 62 and the other is a 63 serial. 08/15/2012 @ 15:04 [ref: 65684] |
| Tom Cocks , NC | Please add to the (List of Operators) USAF Base
Webb AFB, Big Spring, Texas Now Closed. Class 70-07 I wish it were possible to do all over again. Tom Cocks 03/24/2012 @ 05:48 [ref: 54423] |
| D. Howerton Dyersburg, TN | The Talon was an absolute HOOT! to fly. The pilot can actually see out BOTH sides of the cockpit, and it wasn't nicknamed "The White Rocket" for nothing! Cinch that seatbelt and shoulder harness down good'n tight buckaroo, light the fire, and go Suuuppppeeerrr Sooonnniiiccc! Hurry up and calculate landing speed on downwind...let's see...how many pounds of fuel...hurry, hurry...140's close enough...gear down, flaps set, AOA...runway...ramp...life support shop...debrief...O Club...another beer bartender. I logged about 90 T-38 hours in fixed-wing transition training at Sheppard AFB, TX (3-6/1980). The OAT was 116 degrees on the day of my final checkride. The OAT was 117 when I left Texas the next day. What I want to know is why there are so many Talon accidents by astronauts? Check it out, dude. 11/07/2011 @ 13:17 [ref: 50025] |
| Kyle Straub Annapolis, MD | I see some who were at Willie. Anyone know Col. Lee Walters (Ret.)? Lee was an UPT IP UPT Williams? He now resides in COS. 08/26/2011 @ 17:12 [ref: 48216] |
| Brenner Donohue Manor, TX | Williams A.F.Base should certainly be on your list.
It was called air training command base then. I worked as an engine specialist on t-38's from their arrival at Williams until 1966 the 38 was very easy to work on. my fastest engine change was 5 minutes. I had the pleasure to fly one and it was very smooth, I will never forget it. I still have a set of orders sending me to Nellis A.F.B. to replace the left engine in t-38 # 63-8215. It have thrown a turbine bucket out the side of the craft. 63-8215 was from Moody A.F.B in Valdosta Georgia so maybe Moody should be added to your list also. 09/13/2010 @ 13:15 [ref: 29971] |
| Charles Bretana Portland, OR | Love the aircraft. I only flew it in UPT (class 73-02 @ Williams), but that generated many very fond memories. Went on to spend the rest of my career in Phantoms, but always remember the T-39 as being a blast to fly... maneuverable, powerful, just plain fun. It could easily cruise over 40k, (the Phantom kinda liked to stay around 30,000 or below). One of my memories is from a cross country mission, doing a night penetration to Hamiltpn AFB in marin Cty CA, Northwest heading to the base, over the middle of San Francisco Bay (Oakland Bay Bridge) at night with all the city lights on both sides... 05/21/2010 @ 09:27 [ref: 26297] |
| Michael Rathgeber Mesa, AZ | I had the pleasure of being an instrument specialist at Williams AFB from 1973 until 1978. The T-38 was a very easy aircraft to work on. We had about 118 T-38A's at the time. It is amazing to realize most of those aircraft are still flying as T-38C's. Please add Williams as one of the former T-38 bases. It trained about 25% of the Air Force pilots up to it's closure and deserves the recognition. 12/03/2009 @ 18:49 [ref: 25381] |
| Tim Carter Fort Worth, TX | I went through UPT at Reese AFB, Lubbock TX, Class 73-03. Then instructed in the T-38 from '73 to mid '76. Great airplane and several thousand hours later, it's still a favorite. AND I'd like to fly one again just once, so if anyone can help with this I'd be eternally grateful: When I turned 60 (Nov. 08), I set a goal to fly 60 different types of aircraft in the next year. I'm up to 34 so I'm a little behind but still intend to meet my goal. I would dearly love to make a T-38 number 60! If anyone can help find a civilian owned one, or has contacts in the Air Force who could make it happen, or a NASA contact or knows of any other way to make it happen I'd like to hear about it. If anyone is interested I have a website about my goal... my60thyear.com .....Thanks for any help. Tim 07/27/2009 @ 14:45 [ref: 24318] |
| Markus Hoppe Hannover, TX | Hello my name is Markus, curently i am at the german air force academy to become an officer in the german air force. Soon i will get my degree and i will start the training to become a cargo pilot. When i had all this pilot tests in the beginning my body has been massured , my problem is my back is 4 cm to long to become a jet pilot, accually i could fly the german tornado but the doctors told me i am to toll to fly the jet trainer t-38. My back ist from the hip to the shoulders exactly 104 cm long, can someone tell me, is it rearly impossible to fly the t-38 with that back or is this just written in some papers. It would be nice if a pilot from the t-38 could answer this question to me.
Tank you 06/07/2009 @ 06:19 [ref: 24223] |
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