A Big Surprise

Just before lunch last Monday (5/20/19), I heard a strange aircraft noise over my office building.  I didn't know what it was, so I took a look on my FlightRadar app and I got a really nice surprise.  It turned out to be a T-38 Talon.

After work, I decided to head over to Willow Run because that is where she was headed.  I saw that she was still parked there, so of course I had to get a couple pictures of it.  This is not an aircraft that I normally see in person.

I was not happy with the angle that I had, so I decided to look for a better angle.  I saw an executive terminal and I figured that I would go in and ask.  The worse they could say was, "No".  So I went in and they let me take pictures as long as I stayed in the terminal.  I was fine with that.

In the mid 1950's, the Air Force put forth a requirement for a new training aircraft to replace the T-33s they were using at the time.  Northrup put forth their light fighter design.  It was pitted against the F-100 Super Sabre.  The Super Sabre was not considered as an ideal candidate because of some issues it had at the time.  Northrup was awarded the contract and it became the T-38 Talon.

The new aircraft first flew in 1959 and became operational in 1961.  It serves the US Air Force as the only supersonic trainer in the world.  Other countries use high subsonic aircraft.  At one time, this aircraft was used for the Thunderbirds.

NASA operates a fleet of 32 of these aircraft and they are used as astronaut trainers and chase planes.  Eventually these aircraft will be retired.