NORTHROP T-38 TALON
T-38 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | Northrop Aircraft Inc., Hawthorne, California, USA (In 1959, became Northrop Corp., Aircraft Group) |
| Model: | N-156 |
| Designation: | T-38 |
| Names: | Talon; Talon II (T-38C) |
| First official flight: | (N-156T) 10/04/1959 |
| Factory production period: | 1958 - 1972 |
| Primary service period: | 1961 - present |
| Last official flight: | Still in service |
T-38 VARIANTS
| 1959 | N-156T | N-156T Prototype | 3 | |
| 1959 | N-156T | YT-38 | 4 | Total: 0007 |
| 1960 | N-156T | T-38A | 1183 | Total: 1183 |
|
Grand Total: 1190 |
T-38 PRODUCTION
Development began as the company funded Northrop Model
N-156,
proposed in two versions as the N-156F (F-5 Freedom Fighter) and
N-156T (T-38 Talon).
N-156T
Prototype twin-engined, tandem
2-seater jet trainer. Later redesignated
as YT-38, then YT-38A.
Produced 1958 - 1959
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 58-1191, 58-1192 | N-5101, 5102 | |
|
58-1193 - Static test airframe. |
N-5100 | Total: 0003 |
YT-38
As N-156T, engine upgrade.
Later upgraded to T-38A standard.
Produced 1959
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 58-1194 / 58-1197 | N-5103 / 5106 |
Total: 0004 |
T-38A
As YT-38, engine upgrade,
minor changes.
Produced 1959 - 1972
Northrop Hawthorne, California (NO)
| 59-1594 / 59-1606 | N-5107 / 5119 | |
| 60-0547 / 60-0596 | N-5120 / 5169 | |
| 61-0804 / 61-0947 | N-5170 / 5313 | |
| 62-3609 / 62-3752 | N-5314 / 5457 | |
| 63-8111 / 63-8247 | N-5458 / 5594 | |
| 64-13166 / 64-13305 | N-5595 / 5734 | |
| 65-10316 / 65-10475 | N-5735 / 5894 | |
| 66-4320 / 66-4389 | mixed N-5895 to 6020 | |
| 66-8349 / 66-8404 | mixed N-5905 to 5989 | |
| 67-14825 / 67-14859 | mixed T-6021 to 6055 | |
| 67-14915 / 67-14958 | T-6056 / 6099 | |
|
68-8095 / 68-8217 - 5 to US Navy as BuNo. 158197 / 158201. |
T-6100 / 6222 | |
| 69-7073 / 69-7088 | T-6223 / 6238 | |
| 70-1549 / 70-1591 | mixed T-6239 to 6283 | |
| 70-1949 / 70-1956 | mixed T-6280 to 6289 | Total: 1183 |
| 9 additional airframes cancelled. | ||
|
Grand Total: 1190 |
T-38 CONERSIONS
USAF
| T-38A(N) | 34 | T-38A, NASA astronaut trainers. |
| AT-38A | 1 | T-38A(60-0576), prototype attack trainer, gun-pod fitted. |
| GT-38A | 13 | T-38A, ground instructional conversions. |
| NT-38A | 2 | T-38A, permanent conversions for tests. |
| T-38B | 132 | T-38A, armed attack trainer with weapons stores. Unofficial designation: AT-38B. |
| (GAT-38B) | 6 | T-38B, ground instructional conversions. |
| T-38C | 509 | Talon II T-38A, 2003, life-extension program, avionics upgrade. Conversions by The Boeing Co., Arizona. |
US Navy
| DT-38A | 18 | T-38A, drone director conversions. |
| QT-38A | 1+ | T-38A, radio-controlled drone conversions. |
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- T-38's in military service with Portugal, South Korea, Taiwan,
Turkey and West Germany.
- Around four on the civil market as Warbirds.