Military · Northrop
Northrop T-38 Talon T38
The Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer and the world's first supersonic trainer. It has trained US Air Force pilots since 1961.
T-38 Talons airborne over the US now
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of all airborne aircraftplus — on the ground
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T-38 Talons in the air over the last 24 hours
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Specifications
- ICAO code
- T38
- First flight
- 1959
- Typical cruise
- 450 kt / 518 mph
- Service ceiling
- 50,000 ft
- Range
- 950 nm / 1,093 mi
- Capacity
- 2 crew
- Length
- 14.1 m / 46 ft
- Wingspan
- 7.7 m / 25 ft
Engines: 2 x GE J85 afterburning turbojets. Family: T-38 / F-5. Figures are typical published values, rounded; real performance depends on variant, weight and conditions.
What it does in US skies
T-38s train USAF pilots at bases such as Columbus, Laughlin, Vance and Sheppard, and serve as adversary aircraft. NASA uses them to keep astronauts flight-proficient.
Main US operators: US Air Force, NASA.
How to recognize a T-38 Talon
- Small, slender, pointed fuselage with tandem two-seat canopy
- Short, thin, straight-ish wings
- Two engine exhausts side by side at the tail
- Often painted white or gloss black; NASA T-38s are white with blue
How it looks on a flight tracker
Fast and variable: can climb above FL400 and exceed 450 knots, or fly low-level training routes. NASA aircraft may appear with NASA callsigns; Air Force trainers often show limited details.
History
The T-38 first flew in April 1959 and entered service in 1961. Nearly 1,200 were built, and the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk is being introduced to replace it.
Where T-38 Talons are right now
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What is the ICAO code for the Northrop T-38 Talon?
The ICAO aircraft type designator for the Northrop T-38 Talon is T38. Flight trackers and flight plans use this four-character code.
How fast does the T-38 Talon fly?
The Northrop T-38 Talon typically cruises at about 450 knots true airspeed (about 518 mph). Ground speed on a tracker varies with the wind.
How high can the T-38 Talon fly?
Its service ceiling is about 50,000 ft.