U.S. Air Force Northrop T-38 Talon supersonic trainer

DESIGN BRIEF

The Northrop T-38A Talon supersonic trainer became operational on 17 March 1961. An offshoot
of the private venture Northrop N-156 lightweight fighter design that began in 1954, the T-38 traces
its origin to the related N-156T trainer proposal. After two years of R&D by Northrop, the trainer
received USAF support in 1956 when construction of three prototypes were authorized. Eventually
seven test YT-38s and a static test airframe were constructed. The first prototype (58-1191) flew for
the first time on 10 April 1959.

More than a thousand Talons were produced, attaining a rate of production as high as 12 aircraft per month by the mid-1960s. Most of these aircraft were produced for the U.S. Air Force as T-38As, but several sub-
sequent variants have appeared such as the AT-38A; T-38B; AT-38B and glass cockpit-equipped T-38C.
These variants have been derived through modification of T-38A airframes. The Talon has equipped many
U.S. Air Force Flying Training Wings (FTW), and pilots from most NATO countries train on the Talon at
Sheppard, AFB, TX., under the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program.

Click each photo below for large version


T-38A 59-7078 Air Training Command at Pease AFB,
NH 3 August 1974.

T-38As of the Thunderbirds at Westover ARB., MA 19 June 1980.

T-38A 63-8111 at Westover AFB, MA., 16 May 1964.

T-38B 63-8153 452FLTS/412TW at Edwards AFB, CA 2003.

AT-38B 67-14842 88FTS/80FTW
Sheppard AFB, TX at Nellis AFB, NV November, 2006.

T-38A 68-80150 7CTS/49FW at Nellis AFB, NV., November, 2006

T-38A Tbirds #8 at Pease AFB, NH 25 August 1984.

T-38 on final, Nellis AFB, NV., November 2006.

AT-38A 61-0898 433TFTS/479TTW
at Plattsburgh AFB, NY 8 September 1988.

T-38C 64-13302 452d FLTS at Edawrds AFB, CA., October, 2003.
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