Northrop T-38A
Northrop T-38A Talon
The T-38 Talon has been training U.S. Air Force pilots since 1961. It was developed to replace the T-33 as the main jet trainer for the Air Force. The first Talon flew in 1959 and they began appearing in service in 1961. In all 1,189 T-38As were built between 1960 and 1972. The upgraded T-38C Talon remains in service with the U.S. Air Force as a trainer, with the U.S. Navy as an adversary aircraft in the Top Gun program, and with NASA.
Service History:
Built by Northrop Aircraft, Hawthorne, California and delivered to the USAF on April 2, 1962.
April 1962 To 3560th Maintenance Support Group, Webb AFB, Texas.
August 1963 To 3560th Pilot Training Wing, Webb AFB, Texas.
November 1972 To San Antonio Air Logistics Center, Kelly AFB, Texas.
July 1976 To Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona for storage.
1977-1978 To Taiwan for advanced pilot training.
April 1981 Dropped from inventory as surplus.
June 1982 Loaned to Pima Air & Space Museum by the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
| Wingspan | 25 ft 3 in. |
Wingspan |
| Length | 46 ft 4 in. |
Length |
| Height | 12 ft 10 in. |
Height |
| Weight | 11,761 lbs (loaded) |
Weight |
| Max. Speed | 805 MPH |
Maximum Speed |
| Service Ceiling | 45,000 ft |
Service Ceiling |
| Range | 860 miles |
Range |
| Engines | Two General Electric J85-GE-5A turbojets with 3,850 pounds of thrust |
Engines |
| Crew | 2 |
Crew |
Manufacturer
Northrop
Markings
3560th Pilot Training Wing, Webb AFB, Texas, 1963
Designation
T-38A
Serial Number
61-0854