There are a great many aircraft that, over time, come to be known as classic designs. It may be rooted in a contribution to technological advancement in aviation or a pivotal role in conflict. A classic aircraft is often eclipsed by newer types in a span of a decade or two and relegated to memory and the history books. Occasionally a design is recognized as a "classic" for its ability to defy the odds and remain in service in its intended role for many decades. In the world of military aviation, dominated by combat types, the Northrop T-38 Talon is just such an aircraft. Flying for the first time in 1959, the T-38 was the world's first supersonic trainer and entered United States Air Force service with Air Training Command in 1961. The type continues in the same role today, over 60 years later.
Although the USAF has employed the vast majority of Talons, the T-38 has made, and continues to make, a major contribution to aviation research and space exploration through its use by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. That US government organization received its first T-38 in 1964 and the type is most often associated with NASA's crewed space programs since that time. Here, we take a look at a NASA T-38N preserved at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Included is T-38 background information, including NASA use, as well as airframe, engine, and NASA-specific T-38 details.
This e-booklet was published in 2013 and was the final portion of the Aviation Miscellany No. 3 volume. It is free to view at the PlanePixelBooks Publications blog linked below.
