Northrop T-38 Talon

I flew the T-38 at Williams AFB and Randolph AFB where I was the squadron commander for two years. With over 7000 hours of single-engine time, I consider the T-38 the most enjoyable flying aircraft I've ever flown, including the F-51 and F-86. It is completely honest, stalls like a Piper Cub except the descent rate is higher.

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The T-38 was my favorite in a 22 year USAF flying career (including ANG). Instructed in the early-70's at Craig AFB in AL. Everything happened too fast for students trying to learn how to land this jet. It was particularly difficult for them given its pitch sensitivity in the flare (going from 155 KIAS + fuel to 130 + fuel at touchdown). The airplane would have been much more stable at 145 (with speedbrakes down to keep the engines spooled up for go-around). I think this was the way the Thunderbirds landed it. In any case ATC wanted that extra 10 knots for safety. I took most of my students on their first flight to 50,000+ ft just so they could say they'd been there (most would never see it again in their flying career). If the engines were not quite at spec I'd have to lower some flaps to get that last couple thousand feet out of the jet. My favorite demo for a student having trouble with throttle technique in the patten was to set the throttles at 86-87% (depending on fuel) on initial and not adjust them again until I started reducing power as we got to the overrun on final (in those days we used a 3.5 degree visual glideslope with an aimpoint in the middle of the overrun). Using 86-87% power required a little bit more aggressive pitchout and the airspeeds throughout the pattern ran slighly high but well within acceptable limits and bled down to computed just before the final power reduction. It certainly was an effective way to show that varying the power between idle and 100% was not only unacceptable technique but also unnecessary to fly a precise pattern. Great airplane and more fun to fly than anything I've flown since.

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Thinking about safety of the airplane for student pilot training... I learned to fly the T-38 at Webb AFB (now closed), at Big Spring, Texas, in 1964. While on one of my night solo flights, the AHRS gyro went bonkers, with the attitude indicator pitching and rolling around erratically. It made me feel sick to my stomach just watching it! I finally was able to turn the AI off, and started looking around. There were about as many lights on the ground (west Texas) as stars in the sky! At that time the T-38 had a Turn & Slip indicator (which could be used with the air data instruments: altitude, airspeed, vertical velocity for attitude control. [Since that time the T & S indicator has been replaced by the "peanut gage", a 2-inch self-contained AI.] I got the airplane somewhat under control and headed back to base, requesting a straight in approach, and then used Big Spring's oil refinery (well lit up) as my primary attitude indicator. I really didn't want to see red lights flashing on the end of the runway, so didn't declare an emergency. No one knows but me how good it felt to be back on terrafirma after landing!

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T-38 Instructor with over 3000 hours IP Laughlin AFB 1970-74 As student took her up solo 52,800. All ok except don't try a victory roll up there. Engines quit as advertised. Also restart as advertised. Roll Rate fantastic. Smooth but a little sensitive for student formation. Blew left engine completely out of a T-38 at Carswell AFB, Ft. Worth 1973. Landed hot but controlled. Found out most of my boat tail was gone but still flying.

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The T-38 is one of my favorite airplanes. Initial climb rate was 56,000 fpm with afterburners lit. It easily went supersonic. Rolled in excess of 720 degrees per minute. I flew it as an IP between 1979-1984. Also flew the Holloman version and the F-5 in the Euro-Nato track. Great airplanes. There only downside is that they developed a hard to detect sink rate which was fatal in the final turn for many pilots especially student pilots. Watch the green donut and you were fine. All approaches were power on so as to stay on the upside of the power curve. I fly for the airlines now but I sure do miss these military aircraft.

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I was a member of the RCAF, and did a tour from 1970 to 1973 as an IP /flight examiner in Laredo Tx. I loved flying the T-38. It was a pleasure to fly, except for the times when you had an Iranian trying to do a formation rejoin with 100 kts of overtake.
The only two altitudes a pilot had to remember for flying cross country, were 39,000 and 41,000 ft, and you never had to worry about a delay on the ground because nobody else was flying up there except for the occasional Learjet. I had a great time and made friends that I am still in contact with after 40 years.

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I flew it in pilot tng in 63 and as an IP in 72. It was a great high performance bird, excellent preparation for students going to fighters. Only had one emergency, engine blew at high altitude, brought it home easily on one.

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Flew the T-38 with 3510th FTS at Randolph AFB as a Naval Exchange pilot in 60's. (I followed Lyle Shelton who made quite an impression there-a hard act to follow) But, what a wonderful aircraft!! It's hard to believe the "talon" is still around and going strong!!!

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I was a T-38 IP at the Instrument Flight Center at Randolph AFB. It was fun to fly.

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I also worked the AT-38B at Holloman under Paul Snyder Supervisor. I don't think there are too many things I haven't done on that aircraft as far as maintenance is concerned. Started on A models in 1980 and went to holloman in 84 and worked it until it went contract. Went to okinawa 1 1 /2 years and went back to Reese AFB and worked phase docks up until the base was closed. Total years on T-38 = 14 1 /2 years inspecting, rebuilding, rigging, servicing. It was the best experience I ever had to this day , Great Aircraft.

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When you said in the text: "Only export customer was Portugal who received two batches of six Sidewinder-equipped ex-USAF aircraft in 1977 and 1981 to replace F-86 Sabres used in the dedicated air defence role but doubling as advanced pilot trainers." this information is not 100% correct.

Portugal received T-38, not to substitute the Sabres, but to serve as trainer for F-5 Tiger II that Portugal had the intention of buying at that time.

However, Portugal gave up the purchase of Tiger II for financial reasons and ended up for being with T-38....

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On October 3rd, 1973, I had the pleasure of flying a T-38 14072 at SEM (Craig AFB). This was an orientation ride for Air Traffic Controllers working the intensive jet training area in Atlanta ARTC Center. On this date, we did acrobatics, stalls, and exceeded the speed of sound.

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DO NOT PUT INTO SPIN. IT WILL PIN YOU.

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I've seen several pictures of Talons loaded with Minigun pods (centreline pylon), yet, for every specification I've read, they've said no armament carried. Could these be examples of the AT-38B Lead-In Fighter trainer?

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Flew the T38 at Webb AFB in 1964. Says alot about a design you can put a pilot in with 120 hours total flying time and have it be a safe ride. I also heard it's the first aircraft delivered on time and below cost to the USAF.

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I worked on the T-38 at Holloman N.M. as a Phase inspection supervisor.Civil Service.These birds were put thru some rough flying hours in the lead in fighter training program. A very reliable Acft.A reduction in force (RIF ) took me to Patrick A.F.B. working in Transient Alert supporting NASA T-38"s flown by Astronauts , Crippen, Musgrave, Bolten,and many more of the leaders in the Space Shuttle Program. Oh, I downloaded many golf clubs from travel pods.Great Acft.

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I was a T Bird and T-37 instructor at Vance AFB in Enid Oklahoma. I had about 1000 Hrs flying time when selected to fly T-38 and head up the aircraft engineering section in the academic training department.

The T-38 was easy and a joy to fly. It was safe and reliable. It could demonstrate every aerodynamic characteristic a pilot needed to know: Rudder roll, dutch roll, PIO's, Flying behind the power curve, supersonic flight (technically trans-sonic), Supersonic formation flying. The one thing we didn't demonstrate were spins. The T-38 had to be forced into a spin and that was non recoverable. I legislated for an angle of attack indicator the entire time I flew the airplane. It wasn't until I had been out of the Air Force for several years before the powers to be agreed that we needed the AOA. Of course, Edwards had them all along.

Landing the T-38 was easy. All you had to know was an accurate picture of the traffic pattern to touch down along with altitude, airspeed, and vertical velocity for each key point in the pattern. For example: Traffic pattern 1500 feet, speed 280 Knots. Pitch out over end of runway (adjusted for wind)reduce power approximately 5%. Down wind (compensate for cross wind by rolling out early or late). Below 240 Knots on down wind, lower gear reduce power slightly while starting turn to final, lower flaps descending at about 500 FPM and 175 Knots Plus allowance for fuel. Roll out on final approach 500 FT above ground, one mile from end of run way. Maintain 155 Knots plus fuel allowance on final. Maintain the proper picture and adjust power to keep airspeed where it should be. Touch down was nose high (higher than T-33 or T-37) with gentle flair beginning at about 30-40 FT which reduced rate of descent to touch down. Cross wind landings were a "piece of cake". Crab into wind and kick rudder just before touch down to align the nose. The official version was "wing low rudder to keep the nose aligned". This techniqued caused you to land on one wheel which caused undue tire ware.

Up to that point the T-38 was the only training aircraft where you could gain altitude while practicing acrobatics.

It was a fabulous formation flyer because of its variable nozzle afterburner. Whenever you needed a little extra power when you were already at full military power, it was always there.

Instrument flying was also a "piece of cake". The aircraft had an ADI system with pitch and banks steering bars on the attitude indicator for ILS approaches. It was TACAN equipped with what was called a Horizontal Situation Indicator. You always knew where you were.

In all round flying if you literally followed the book, you would never find yourself in a dangerous situation.

T-38 had one draw back. When we flew cross countries there was no space for clothing and golf clubs. That was later solved by the addition of a removeable travel pod.

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Where can I get a good 3 view of the T-38. I would like to design a scale down home project for this aircraft useing 2 360 lbs trust engines. The top speed should be around 320 MPH with a range of about 800 miles.

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