Northrop T-38

Northrop T-38 Talon
T-38 at Edwards AFB
Type:	Jet trainer
Design country:	United States
Manufacturer:	Northrop Corporation
First flight:	March 10, 1959
Commissioning:	March 17, 1961
Production time:	1961 to 1972
Number of pieces:	1,187

The Northrop T-38 Talon is a supersonic jet trainer for military pilots built by the US manufacturer Northrop Corporation . She was the world's first supersonic trainer and is still in service, but is slated to be replaced in the United States Air Force by the winner of the TX program .

history

A T-38A Talon approaching Andrews AFB

The T-38 was developed in the mid-1950s as a trainer variant of the Lightweight Fighter project (N-156 project), which later became the F-5 Freedom Fighter . Although the United States Air Force had no need for a small fighter at the time, it was interested in the trainer variant as a replacement for the Lockheed T-33 , which had been used for training until then. The first three prototypes flew on March 10, 1959 under the designation YT-38 . These had their rollout in August 1958, but the first flight was delayed due to delivery problems with the engines. The first series machines were then delivered in 1961 after the step-by-step installation and testing of more powerful engines and went into active service on March 17 of the same year. When production ceased in 1972, 1,187 T-38 machines had been built. An estimated 55,000 military pilots have been trained on these machines since their inception. The T-38 had a very advanced configuration for training aircraft at the time, with wings relatively small in span and low sweep. To achieve supersonic capability, the fuselage was tapered in the wing area according to the so-called area rule . A low-lying horizontal stabilizer ensures safe flying even at a higher angle of attack (especially important for training tasks). On the engine side, the T-38 benefited from developments for cruise missiles, so that it could be equipped with two very reliable and economical engines. The pitot air intakes for the turbo engines are located in front of the wing roots and are inclined slightly forward to improve their high angle of attack properties. The large, spacious cockpit is ideal for training purposes. Even today, the front student position with its favorable all-round view can be described as exemplary. The rear seat offers the flight instructor a good overview of the work of his student and at the same time the possibility to fly the T-38 himself without major restrictions. Two Martin-Baker US16T-1 ejection seats were installed for safety . Since women have been allowed to take part in combat missions since the 1990s, it became necessary to adapt the ejection seats to their average lower weight and size, as the T-6A trainers had to be converted for this reason. The large thrust-to-weight ratio earned the T-38 its nickname "White Rocket". In 1962, the T-38 set four rate-of-climb records.

Most of the T-38 belonged to the AT-38 variant, but the Air Force had also converted a small number of aircraft for weapons training. These aircraft, designated AT-38B, could carry a gun, missiles or bombs on a pylon below the longitudinal axis. Development of the T-38C started in 2004. The USAF contract was awarded to McDonnell Douglas in 1996; the first flight took place on July 8, 1998. In this variant, the avionics and the cockpit layout have been greatly improved. For this purpose, a GPS / INS , a head-up display, a large central color screen (15 × 20 cm) and a status screen (10 × 13 cm) on the right-hand side were installed. The aim is to make it easier for student pilots to switch to fifth generation aircraft (F-22, Eurofighter). This upgrade was completed in mid-2007. The next series of improvements concerns the engines. The adjustable engine outlets are modified for more thrust at low altitudes. However, this leads to a slightly increased susceptibility of the engines. There are currently around 500 aircraft in service. In addition to the USAF, the air forces of Germany , Portugal , Taiwan and Turkey also fly or have flown the T-38. It is also flown by NASA and Boeing , who use this type as an escort aircraft. Space shuttle pilots used this aircraft to maintain their flying skills. There are also a small number in civilian ownership.

The US Air Force's Thunderbirds aerobatic team also flew the T-38 between 1974 and 1983 , before the increased fuel and maintenance costs led to its replacement by the F-16 Fighting Falcon .

The currently 41 (as of 01.2017) T-38C of the German Air Force carry USAF license plates because they are stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base ( Texas ) in the USA . For more than 20 years, German flight students have received their flying training there within 55 calendar weeks as part of the Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, or ENJJPT for short. The responsibility for the training lies in the hands of the 80th Flying Training Wing of the USAF. The German aircraft have also been brought up to date with the T-38C in order to adapt them to the current state of the art. They are to remain in flight operations until 2020 (60 years after their first flight).

production

Acceptance of the T-38 by the USAF:

version	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	TOTAL
YT-38	2														2
T-38A	1	12	66	144	144	144	142	144	35	92	117	22nd	38		1.101
T-38A Germany								1	45						46
T-38A NASA							4th	13	9	1			4th	4th	35
T-38A US Navy												2	3		5
TOTAL	3	12	66	144	144	144	146	158	89	93	117	24	45	4th	1,189

Users

T-38 from the "NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training School", Sheppard AFB , Texas

 Germany

• Luftwaffe 46 bought

 Portugal

• Força Aérea Portuguesa

 Taiwan

• Republic of China Air Force

 Turkey

• Hava Kuvetleri

 United States

• United States Air Force
• United States Navy
• NASA

Technical specifications

A T-38 Talon from NASA

T-38 Talon on display at the Kennedy Space Center

Parameter	Data
crew	2 (student pilots and instructors)
length	14.10 m
span	7.70 m
height	3.92 m
Wing area	15.79 m²
Empty mass	3266 kg
Takeoff mass	Max. 5670 kg
Top speed	1381 km / h
Service ceiling	15,240 m
Range	1760 km
Engines	Two General Electric J85-5A turbojets with afterburner
thrust	2 × 9.1 kN

Related aircraft

• F-20 Tiger Shark
• F-5 Freedom Fighter

See also

• List of aircraft types

Web links

Commons : T-38 Talon  - album with pictures, videos and audio files

• FAS Military Analysis Network T-38 Talon (English)
• Brief description of the T-38 on the Air Force website

literature

• FlugRevue 5/2008, pp. 67-70, Northrop T-38 Talon

Individual evidence

1. ↑ http://www.luftwaffe.de/portal/a/luftwaffe/waff/schu/t38a
2. ^ The History and Developments of Martin Baker America. (PDF; 54 kB) Martin-Baker Aircraft Company , July 4, 2012, p. 8 f , archived from the original on March 27, 2014 ; accessed on March 27, 2014 (English).  
3. ↑ Stefan Schmitt: So close to heaven. How modern ejection seats achieve technical masterpieces . In: time knowledge . No. 1 , December 10, 2008, p. 68–71 : “The moment the tube in the backrest and the one on the cockpit floor are separated, the thrust suddenly decreases. This was a problem for the engineers for a long time: if they used a propellant charge that was too weak, the pilot could not get out of the aircraft safely. If it was too strong, they risked spinal injuries. The problem worsened when the first women boarded fighter jets. After all, an ejection seat has since then had to be able to bring their, on average, more delicate bodies to safety just as undamaged as those of a much heavier and significantly larger man. "
4. ↑ Statistical Digest of the USAF 1959, pp. 68 f .; 1960, p. 62 f .; 1961, p. 70 f .; 1962, p. 72 f .; 1963, p. 71 f .; 1964, p. 58 f .; 1965, pp. 60 f .; 1966, p. 115 f .; 1967, p. 122 f .; 1968, p. 132 f .; 1969, p. 111 f .; 1970, p. 107 f .; 1971, p. 102 f.