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T-38A operated by the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. In the 1980s, T-38s were used mostly as safety/photo chase for F-15 and F-16 test missions. Sometimes used as radar targets for airborne radar test missions. September 1982, formation proficiency mission. Canopies fogged during climb out! December 1984, safety chase proficiency mission against our F-4E. Maintaining photo position while we simulate a dive bomb attack on a Superior Valley Range target. Close aboard over the Sierra Nevada foothills west of Owens Valley and China Lake Naval Weapons Center. May 1985 on the Edwards ramp Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester

T-38A operated by the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. In the 1980s, T-38s were used mostly as safety/photo chase for F-15 and F-16 test missions. Sometimes used as radar targets for airborne radar test missions. On the Nellis AFB transient ramp, September 1980 Edwards AFB, May 1985 Edwards AFB, February 1989 Edwards AFB, October 1991 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester

USAF Test Pilot School (TPS) T-38As. The USAF TPS was part of the 6510th Test Wing (now the 412th Test Wing), Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. When I went through the school, 1981-82, the T-38 was used in the aircraft performance phase of the curriculum along with the A-37B and KC-135. The T-38 was also used as a proficiency aircraft. TPS Talons were distinguished from the general test support T-38s by their flight test nose probes. 63-8135, May 1985 ...and in September 1992 The ED tail codes were added in 1987-88. Air Force Systems Command was merged with Air Force Logistics Command in 1992 to form Air Force Materiel Command, hence the Systems Command shield was replaced with the Materiel Command shield on the tail. 68-8153, May 1985 ...and September 1992 88-8154, September 1982. Photos by one of my fellow engineers, Jan Schofield. I'm in the rear cockpit of '154. ,,,May 1985 ...October 1991 ...September 1992 68-8205, May 1985 ...September 1992 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester

T-38A 70-1574, operated by the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. December 1983. Rather plain, The blue tail band with white Xs represents the 6510th Test Wing. July 1984, Air Force Systems Command badge added to the tail. February 1989. Tail codes added 1987/88, Air Force Flight Test Center badge added on the spine about the same time. Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester

T-38s of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing out of Beale AFB on various base transient ramps... 60-0578, George AFB, October 1990 64-133270, Edwards AFB, December 1981 64-13301, Nellis AFB, November 1980 64-13302, Edwards AFB, March 1984 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester

T-38A operated by the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. In the 1980s, T-38s were used mostly as safety/photo chase for F-15 and F-16 test missions. Sometimes used as radar targets for airborne radar test missions. May 1985 At this time, '825 was designated the personal mount of Major General Peet Odgers, Commander of the Air Force Flight Test Center January 1990 Thanks for looking, Sven Old Viper Tester

T-38A 67-14856, 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. A test support aircraft used for safety and photo chase missions. Served occasionally as a radar target. May 1985 Formation proficiency mission, April 1989 Thanks for looking, Sven

T-38A 70-1579, operated by the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. On the Edwards AFB main ramp, May 1985. Loose formation while returning to Edwards AFB after playing targets for an F-15 radar test mission, May 1985. That's the Boron mine in the background. Power Approach configuration, May 1985. On the Edwards main ramp, October 1991. Baggage pod on the centerline. Name on the forward canopy rail is "Brig Gen Roy D. Bridges", commander of the AF Flight Test Center at the time. Name on the rear canopy rail is "Maj Brett Vance", the general's executive officer. On the Edwards main ramp, September 1992. The AF Systems Command shield replaced with the AF Materiel Command shield following the merger of Logistics and Systems Commands. Thanks for looking, Sven

Latest off the build machine Fujimis 1/48 T-38A or more precisely Fujimis F-5A in t-38 Clothing.. Not the most accurate out there, but I got this years ago when there wasn't anything else available. I want to do this as a simple slap and dash to prove to myself that I could still build a model and not take a year to complete.😜 Wasn't going to be anything spectacular, just straight from the box as had been created by the modelling gods. Well that didn't last long, I start to look at the cockpit anddd... there no front office. just two barcoloungers of dubious quality. SO I added a couple of Quickboost seats, made some side consoles out of plasticard and instrument panels out of some scrap resin pieces. I did add some extra bits to fill out the empty spaces left over in the office. I wanted to go with the older international orange High Vis scheme because I wanted to have this done when I finished the Great white Beast so it would have a proper chase plane but wasn't to happen. I did use the stock decals. originally they were yellowed pretty heavily but I stuck them in a UV lamp oven to bake for an hour as an experiment to see if it was faster than taping to the window for a few weeks. gratefully it only took a hour to bleach them out enough to be usable. probably could have stood another hour but I'll remember that for the future. They did curl a bit at first but after a day flattened out. I gave them a couple of coats of lacquer just in case. There was a date stamped on the back Jan 1984! SO this model had been around for a day or two. The biggest blunder I had trough it all was at the very end In attaching the canopy to the fuselage the canopy cracked in a few places, not much I could do to fix. At a later date I may try to make a master of it and Vacuform a new one, we'll see. Not much on the underneath except the glaring sight saying "This is an F-5 you FOOL!" So there you have it, not quite a silk purse, but neither is it a sows ear. It was an enjoyable brief interlude. I now return you back to your regularly scheduled program" Celebrity Death Match. Tonight's contestants Beyonce vs. the Olsen Twins

T-38A operated by the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. T-38s were used mostly as safety/photo chase for F-15 and F-16 test missions. Sometimes used as radar targets for airborne radar test missions. December 1983 January 1985 May 1985 February 1989 I really do wish someone would do a real T-38A/C in 1/72 scale. Hasegawa and other have marketed F-5Bs as T-38s. The Sword T-38 is close, but still has some F-5 details. Thanks for looking, Sven

My first completion of 2019. The Wolfpack T-38A Talon completed as an aircraft of the 64 FWS, 57 FWW in 1975. In the early days of DACT, the 57 FWW used the Talon to simulate early Soviet jets like the Mig-17 and to a lesser extent Mig 21. The decals came from Caracel. As usual with me, a couple of mess ups. Caracel note this as an AT-38. In effect, the only real difference in this scale would be a Gunsight. I have a few decent pictures of the T-38A in this scheme, including one of this very aircraft. For some reason, in my head, I got them mixed up and referenced a different aircraft and believed that the one I was modelling was a standard T-38A. In fact it looks on closer inspection that Caracel were right. oh well - no gunsight on mine! The Wolfpack kit is not too bad but is another of those good in parts efforts - fit is generally OK but the surface detail is very fine and runs out to nothing in places. One tip if you want this kit is to go for the 'Holloman AFB" boxing which includes a few extra goodies in PE, resin seats and metal pitot which are all excellent. I did use part of an Eduard set which I was given for the cockpit. The Caracel decals worked with no problem but I do have a couple of issues - why provide decals for an aircraft that no kit exists (without conversion) - then I wouldn't have been so confused and I believe they based the decals on an early scheme which had no names on the canopy rail and no 57FWW badge on the intake - bothe of which appeared later. Anyway - it is what it is. I hope you like it. Cheers Malcolm

T-38A 65-10363 of Detachment 6, Air Force Logistics Command. On the Edwards AFB transient ramp, November 1981. Det 6 was responsible for depot maintenance on SR-71s. Based at Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale California. This Talon was used as a hack and safety chase aircraft. Fündekals made a sheet on NASA T-38s in 1/48 scale that included this scheme even though it is an ex-NASA jet. Thanks for looking, Sven

T-38A 68-8158, operated by the 6512th Test Squadron, 6510th Test Wing, Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB. Formation proficiency mission, August 1984. Modified downwind, extending for a formation landing. Edwards main base below. On approach to landing over the dry lake. Formation landing. May 1985. Air Force Systems Command (AFSC) shield added on the tail. '158 as the Test Center Commander's bird, Brig Gen Roy D. Bridges - even the equipment storage box is marked - September 1992. Air Force Logistics Command and AFSC had just merged to form Air Force Materiel Command, the shield that now appears on the tail. In another month or so, the USAF Chief of Staff wanted all 4-digit unit designations abolished, so the 6512th Test squadron became the 445th Flight Test Squadron, and the 6510th Test Wing became the 412th Test Wing. Thanks for looking, Sven

Not usually seen outside of the Sacramento, California area, this T-38, USAF s/n 60-0551, belongs to the flight test section of the Sacramento Air Logistics Center (SM-ALC). It's a unique markings make it one that I'd like to replicate if I ever get those Sword T-38s off the Shelf of Doom. Pics taken on the Edwards AFB transient ramp in August 1983. That ventral red stripe runs all the way back to the exhaust fairing. As the tail logo indicates, the SM-ALC flight test unit concerned itself with F-111 testing, Sacramento being the USAF Logistics Center for the F-111. The 2874th Test Squadron (later the 337th Test Squadron) also operated F-111s 67-0050 and 68-0175 in standard camouflage with similar tail marking. Thanks for looking, Sven

Hi Guys, While working on my P-51´s I thought I need something different and I started to paint the superb Academy F-4 pilots. Looking thru my stash, my eyes spotted the nice looking T-38A from Trumpeter in 1/48. It took only a few seconds to check the fit of the two guys in the new cockpit. A new projekt was born! More pictures can be found here: http://petesmancave.blogspot.de/p/trumpeter-t-38a-talon.html Hope you like! Pete

Trumpeter is to release a 1/48th Northrop T-38A Talon kit in January 2014 - ref.2852. Source: http://www.cybermodeler.com/special/2012_acft_scale.shtml V.P.

Technically this is not 100% done given I still need to add the photoetched seatbelts, the mirrors and the navigation lights. But I won't be able to get back to it for a couple weeks (deep into finishing up an Eagle Transporter right now for a convention), so I felt it was decent enough to post it as is. I took on this project as a quickie build to get my modeling mojo back. Lately I didn't feel like working on much of anything as the long projects just seemed to get longer with not much reward to show for it. I also recently picked up Trumpeter's NASA T-38C kit and while it is a good kit, it still needed some modifications and I didn't feel comfortable with doing the work just yet. What I needed was an out of the box build. So, I ended up with this to help my creativity and help me get a handle on what was needed for when I tackle the NASA T-38N I want to build later. I know, the Wolfpack kit is better. But this one fit together very well and looks good. The canopies are the biggest issue, but their shape problems aren't as noticeable with the canopies open all things considered. The rest of the model captures the classic T-38 lines rather nicely and I am more than happy with the results. Tamiya Fine White primer was used and over that I sprayed on Gunze Mr Base White 1000 as a base coat. Before adding the gloss coat of Tamiya Pure White spray TS-26, I used a mechanical pencil to draw on the panel lines and a Sakura Pigma Micron black pen with a .005 tip to accent the control surface splits as a form of pre-shading. It worked reasonably well as you can see it far away, but it is visible up close. The markings I used came from SuperScale sheet 48-905 and I selected this scheme because my local club was having a SAC contest at the next meeting. I finished it for the meeting and it took first place. T-38s were used by the 9th SRW as both proficiency trainers and chase planes and they looked good in the yellow striped livery they wore in the late 1980s. But, the decal sheet I used had some problems as the colors weren't quite right for the yellow, the stripe shape was off and even the USAF titles and national insignias weren't right. So I ended up having to use some proper lettering from other sheets. The national insignias came from a Testors F-5A kit. The decal instructions also had some errors, meaning I had to really scramble for references (which are surprisingly few for these specific planes). But I think I pulled it off. All the markings went down just fine with Microsol. Even the candy stripe decal on the pitot tube isn't quite right as it is too skinny. But, live and learn for next time. One thing I am very happy with though is the off-white coloring of the windscreen border. I know, it should be inside, not outside. But, application of a little 0.7 mm Aizu tape (same as Tamiya, just cut into finer widths) represented it nicely. I brushed on a little thin white glue to keep it from curling up with age. I was going to paint it in a pale tan coloring, but the yellow coloring of the tape looked close enough and I kept it as is. Now I'm on a T-38/ F-5 kick, so expect a few more builds of Northrop's nimble birds in the not too distant future, starting with a NASA T-38 or two.