Northrop T-38N Talon

Northrop T-38N Talon. . , In the mid-1950s, the Northrop Corporation began working on a small supersonic fighter that could operate from the U.S. Navy's escort carriers. However, the Navy soon stopped using these outdated ships in favor of larger supercarriers, and it no longer needed the small fighter. Nations allied with the United States during the height of the Cold War (1941-1991) wanted the latest in military equipment, so Northrop continued developing a lightweight fighter for this export market. At the same time, the U.S. Air Force wanted a new supersonic jet trainer. Northrop demonstrated that a smaller design, using two small jet engines, was more economical than the larger types produced by other manufacturers. The resulting T-38A Talon met the needs of the export market and the U.S. Air Force. It went into service in 1961 and still serves today., The Talon proved to be reliable and highly maneuverable. It was adopted by the Air Demonstration Squadron of the U.S. Air Force, better known as the Thunderbirds. Between 1974 and 1981, Talons flown by the Thunderbirds thrilled millions of air show enthusiasts around the world., The Talon was the primary training jet at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. It has also been used by the air forces of Germany, Portugal, Turkey and the Republic of China., NASA has used the Talon since the beginning of the manned spaceflight programs in the early 1960s, primarily for astronaut proficiency training, aerial photograph and crew transport. The Talon was also used as a flight-test chase plane., The display and restoration of this aircraft has been made possible by the generous support of Charles and Nathalie de Gunzburg.,

Length: 46 feet 4 inches (14.1 m) , Wingspan: 25 feet 3 inches (7.7 m) , Height: 12 feet 10 inches (3.9 m) , Empty Weight: 7,200 pounds (3,265 kg) , Max Weight: 12,500 pounds (5,670 kg) , Top Speed: 858 miles per hour (1,381 kph) , Ceiling: 50,000 feet (15,240 m) , Crew: Two , Armament: None

, [Captions:] , The Talon on display is pictured here. It was used as a flight-test chase plane during the crucial Approach and Landing Tests carried out in 1977 by the space shuttle orbiter Enterprise, also on display here at the Intrepid Museum., The U.S. Air Force Talons from the 560th Flying Training Squadron based at Randolph Air Force Base in Texas practice formation maneuvers. The Air Force has used the Talon for pilot training since 1961.