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Posted

Ok, since I've been back from SUPTFC and had a great time, I've been obsessed with the T-38. Are there any 1:72 models of T-38s? Maybe some good books on the Talon? Patches?

 

Ever since I've last Tuesday, I've been obsessed with the T-38 like no other aircraft, I ever have been with before. I've got a Squadron Print of a T-38 from the 50th FTS, but I'm wanting more.

 

Any help would be appreciated.

Posted

To paraphrase The Road Warrior:

 

"You wanna know about the T-38? You talk to me."

 

 

To get you started:

 

Don Logan's book "Northrop T-38 Talon - A Pictorial History." - http://www.amazon.com/Northrops-T-38-TALON...523&sr=1-13

 

Warbird Tech Series F-5/F-20/T-38 - http://www.amazon.com/Northrop-F-5-F-20-T-.../ref=pd_sim_b_1

 

The Nasa Northrop T-38: Photographic Art from an Astronaut Pilot - http://www.amazon.com/Nasa-Northrop-T-38-P...0603&sr=1-1

 

Willy Peters Uncovering the NORTHROP (A)T-38 A/C TALON - http://www.amazon.com/NORTHROP-T-38-TALON-..._pr_product_top

 

 

Except for the NASA one (which looks sweeet), I have all the rest...the Don Logan book in particular having a lot of pictures of paint schemes you probably won't see ANYWHERE else.

 

There are no good 1/72 scale models of the T-38 available. Hasagawa made one a long time ago, and was one of their first models...but sadly, it's a really a misshapen F-5B. It's pretty bad, and the Chinese/Korean copies made since then are from the same mold and are just as bad. There is a 1/48 scale model around (Italari) which is better, though the cockpit is badly bare and the nose is too flat. Also, I think the scale is slightly off (like a 1/50th in actuality).

 

 

I have a few patches, though no spares of some of the unique ones. Also, a shameless bit of self promotion: http://www.talonhours.com.

 

FC

Posted (edited)
There are no good 1/72 scale models of the T-38 available.

 

Not true, Sword makes a pretty good T-38 in 1/72 scale.

Edited by Vampyre
Posted

Well slap my ass and call me Spanky...there is a new model of the T-38 out...2 of them in fact! A 1/48 and 1/72 scale T-38 by Sword...never heard of them til now (I've been out of the plastic model thing for a while).

 

Looking at pictures of completed models, they look better then the models previously mentioned....though they still have problems.

 

Hmmm...may have to go shopping...

 

FC

 

PS Double hmmm...seems like the PMP mod kits are scheduled for a Oct/Nov 09 release....

Posted

Not sure if you knew this, but Don Logan is also a former F-4E/F-111A WSO. He was flying in a Phantom over North Vietnam, when he was shot down in Jul 1972. He lives in Wichita, so getting his books is as simple as a 30 minute drive. He's a great scale modeler also.

 

FC, the Sword kits are nice! As you mentioned, it has some issues, but leaps above the old 1/50 Testors/Fujimi kit.

Posted
Not sure if you knew this, but Don Logan is also a former F-4E/F-111A WSO. He was flying in a Phantom over North Vietnam, when he was shot down in Jul 1972. He lives in Wichita, so getting his books is as simple as a 30 minute drive. He's a great scale modeler also.

 

FC, the Sword kits are nice! As you mentioned, it has some issues, but leaps above the old 1/50 Testors/Fujimi kit.

 

Yep, I actually met him when he did his B-1B book (signed my copy of it). I've also got his YF-17 book, very nice. When I was redoing the F-111s, I found out he had written a book on the F-111, but I couldn't find it at the time...

 

FC

Posted

Thanks for the links to the books there, FC. I'm in need of a new book...or three. I wish the model shop near my town didn't burn down. They might have been able to get those 38s. I'll use ebay, then.

 

Now, when you say you have some patches, FC...

4,000 hours in T-38s? Jeez someone must have started out as a FAIP to rack up that many.

 

I have a couple questions about the T-38 right now actually. Are the T-38s used for IFF Training basic T-38Cs or are they modified in any way? Or even AT-38Cs?

 

And my other question, has a bit of a story to it, but, when I was at Columbus, I got to sit in on a surface attack class for two guys who earned Vipers and one who earned Hogs. Anyway, the civilian instructor mentioned that when they go on range they'd have 100 rounds of 20mm and BDU-33s. Are there T-38s doing basic weapons training?

Posted
Now, when you say you have some patches, FC...

4,000 hours in T-38s? Jeez someone must have started out as a FAIP to rack up that many.

 

I do have some patches, the few I can give away because I have redundant sets include the 87th FTS, 96th FTS, a few others of squadrons that have or are currently flying the T-38.

 

Hours patches of course I can sell...and I can sell them at a discount from what you see on the website (no shipping cost).

 

You wouldn't have to start as a FAIP to get that many hours in a T-38, there still are fairly clever ways to do so. For me, I wasn't a FAIP, but I did a tour as a SUPT instructor when I was young and single after a tour of Bones. But I've also flown T-38s while I was flying B-1Bs, and have flown T-38s in ACC, and fly T-38s as a part time reservist and I have 3000+ hours already. Heck if you do the math, in theory you could hit 4000 hours by 20 years if you only flew 20 flights per month for 10 months out of a year. You start going cross country and the hours REALLY start adding up.

 

I have a couple questions about the T-38 right now actually. Are the T-38s used for IFF Training basic T-38Cs or are they modified in any way? Or even AT-38Cs?

 

Nope, IFF and SUPT T-38Cs are all the same aircraft, software, etc. All T-38s in AETC (T-38As and AT-38Bs) have been converted to this common standard. Only the paint scheme is different.

 

 

And my other question, has a bit of a story to it, but, when I was at Columbus, I got to sit in on a surface attack class for two guys who earned Vipers and one who earned Hogs. Anyway, the civilian instructor mentioned that when they go on range they'd have 100 rounds of 20mm and BDU-33s. Are there T-38s doing basic weapons training?

 

The weapons training is all virtual. Now that the T-38C has a GPS/INS and radar altitmeter, you can either designate or preload a target/targets into the computer and it will show up as a diamond caret in the HUD. When you start your attack run and 'pickle', the computer in the aircraft basically takes all the conditions (wind, temp, alt, aircraft parameters, etc) and calculates where the bombs or gun would have hit in reference to the target. It's sort of like a simulator, except you're still manuvering a real aircraft.

 

I don't particularly agree with this philosophy...there's something visceral about dropping real iron or shooting a real gun that 'trons can't duplicate.

 

FC

Posted
I do have some patches, the few I can give away because I have redundant sets include the 87th FTS, 96th FTS, a few others of squadrons that have or are currently flying the T-38.

 

Hours patches of course I can sell...and I can sell them at a discount from what you see on the website (no shipping cost).

 

Any from the 50th FTS?

 

You wouldn't have to start as a FAIP to get that many hours in a T-38, there still are fairly clever ways to do so. For me, I wasn't a FAIP, but I did a tour as a SUPT instructor when I was young and single after a tour of Bones. But I've also flown T-38s while I was flying B-1Bs, and have flown T-38s in ACC, and fly T-38s as a part time reservist and I have 3000+ hours already. Heck if you do the math, in theory you could hit 4000 hours by 20 years if you only flew 20 flights per month for 10 months out of a year. You start going cross country and the hours REALLY start adding up.

 

I see. Now that I think about it, is it even possible to become a T-38 FAIP? Is being a FAIP a bad thing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The weapons training is all virtual.

FC

 

Is that done during IFF?

Posted (edited)
Turkish T-38 now wear a new paintsheme...

 

Yes a lot of squadrons are getting new paint jobs, camo schemes and tail art. The Talons are being upgraded to T-38C and will have this new paint..

Also the RF-4E's are undergoing an upgrade, coupled with a cool camo. I'm going to try painting a few of these soon, but I'm sure an experienced skinner would do a much better job :good:

Edited by pureblue
Posted
Any from the 50th FTS?

 

No...never was assigned there.

 

Now that I think about it, is it even possible to become a T-38 FAIP? Is being a FAIP a bad thing?

 

Of course it's possible to be a T-38 FAIP, I teach those guys all the time. As far as it being a bad thing, not really. It used to be that being a FAIP tended to put you behind your peers out there in the CAF (Combat Air Force) in terms of upgrades, etc (ie a LT going directly to F-16s from SUPT would have a 3 year jump on a guy who goes directly to a T-38 FAIP slot, because the T-38 FAIP will still have to go through all the same training his F-16 peer did). However, that really isn't true anymore because at some point, about darn near everyone gets pulled out of their weapon system to do something else, either a SUPT tour (what we nickname 'white jet' tours), Air Laison Officer (ALO - ie go play Army) tour, staff, or God forbid, a UAV tour. Because a FAIP has already done his white jet tour, he doesn't normally face that issue. So it all kind of evens out in the end.

 

However, I wouldn't actively try to become a FAIP unless your only other option is a UAV (shudder...).

 

Is that done during IFF?

 

Yes, we touch upon some weapons training in SUPT, but serious study doesn't really occur until IFF.

 

FC

Posted (edited)

Howdy, I love the F-5 and T-38's as well. I am not exactly sure why, they have always interested me. I saw this video on youtube the other day and since it is on topic I figured I would post it here, sorry if this has been posted already, but it is great raw video of a four flight, well, you only see three :)

 

Click below:

 

I have also really loved the slick lines of the F-18, a few months back I was watching some show that my wife calls: "Porn for airplane lovers"

Anyway, the show was on the history of the F-18 and talked about how the design was a direct descendant of the F-5. I took a step back and looked at it again with fresh eyes and it is pretty obvious that it was, though I had never really put any thought into it.

 

Have you seen the "new" Iranian fighter? It is basically a twin tailed F-5... I like the look of it, but have my doubts on the capabilities, well, in comparison to what they tout. I know this is off topic, but I figured if you like the T-38, you might like the picture below.

 

iranianwargames1.jpg

Edited by kdittyr
Posted

That same chart is also in the Don Logan book on the YF-17.

 

It's funny, I have a pic somewhere of my T-38 parked next to a family model Super Hornet. It's interesting to think that in a way, the 2 aircraft are actually 'related' in terms of design.

 

FC

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