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Questions tagged [t-38]

The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer. It was the world's first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced.

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Why is there an area of different density right at the nose of a plane going supersonic?

A normal subsonic enough, but still compressible flow will compress when it gets to the planes nose. But in supersonic flow, there won’t be this compression. There will just be a shockwave which turns ...
Wyatt's user avatar
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What happens when shockwaves interact?

As seen here, there are two T-38's going supersonic. What happens when those shockwaves interact? They seem to dissipate in some places on this photo when they interact. Any source online says that ...
Wyatt's user avatar
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Will air in a shockwave flow outwards?

It's well known that shockwaves extend outward from a plane, as seen in this picture. My question is, does the high-pressure air in the shockwave extend outward? This is hard to explain so I'll let ...
Wyatt's user avatar
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Why do shockwaves extend past the body that created them?

Why do shockwaves extend past the body that created them? As seen in this photo, the shock doesn’t stop in the air the plane is effecting, but continues on. I always assumed it was high pressure air ...
Wyatt's user avatar
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Is the T-38 wing strong enough to carry any weapons?

First, let me just clarify that I'm aware the T-38 doesn't have the necessary hardware to actually support firing weapons -- it doesn't have a fire control radar, for one. In any case, I'm still ...
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What is the location of the CG on the T-38?

Is the Northrop T-38 Talon's CG forward or aft of the center of lift (like the F-16)?
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What astronauts and/or pilots had their "own" T-38 for transportation and practice?

It appears that the T-38 was used as a means of transportation for certain personnel. Astronauts, and certain pilots? It appears it was also used for training in some cases. From some articles ...
AlphaCentauri's user avatar
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What could be the cause of an uncommanded roll at high speed?

I have a problem with a T-38. There is uncommanded roll to the left when the aircraft flies at 250 knots. But as the aircraft speed goes up around 500 knots, the uncommanded roll is now to the right. ...
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What is the difference between a weapons training aircraft and an actual combat aircraft?

From the Wikipedia page on the Northrop T-38 Talon: Most T-38s built were of the T-38A variant, but the USAF also had a small number of aircraft converted for weapons training (designated AT-...
AlphaCentauri's user avatar
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5 answers
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What's the point of using T-38 to instill flight proficiency in Space Shuttle pilots?

As discussed in this Q&A, NASA pilots had to fly 15 hours a month on T-38 to maintain flight proficiency. NASA Dryden's T-38 Talon trainer jet in flight over the main base complex at Edwards Air ...
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What is this trio of fins at the back of a T-38?

On a T-38 Talon on static display at a museum, I spotted a trio of aerodynamically shaped devices located aft of the vertical tail and between the engine aftbodies fore of the nozzles, as shown in the ...
UnrecognizedFallingObject's user avatar
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What would prohibit a T-38 Talon from being certified in the Acrobatic category?

The definition of the acrobatic category in FAR 23.3 reads as follows: (c) The acrobatic category is limited to airplanes that have a seating configuration, excluding pilot seats, of nine or less, ...
UnrecognizedFallingObject's user avatar
12 votes
1 answer
4k views

Does NASA use T-38's to train all crew members of a space flight as pilots?

Did all NASA flight crew recruits learn to fly when preparing for Space Shuttle missions? Obviously, the pilot — and I am guessing the commander, too — would be USAF / USN / USMC pilots, but what ...
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