The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twin jet supersonic jet trainer designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Northrop Corporation. It was the world's first supersonic trainer as well as the most produced.

The T-38 can be traced back to 1952 and Northrop's N-102 Fang and N-156 fighter aircraft projects. During the mid-1950s, Northrop officials decided to adapt the N-156 to suit a recently issued general operating requirement by the United States Air Force (USAF) for a supersonic trainer to replace the Lockheed T-33. The bid was successful, in no small part on its lower lifecycle cost comparisons to competing aircraft, and the company received an initial order to build three prototypes. The first of these, designated YT-38, made its maiden flight on April 10th, 1959. The T-38 was introduced to USAF service on March 17th, 1961.

The USAF is the largest operator of the T-38. Additional operators of the T-38 include NASA and the United States Navy. U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland, is the principal US Navy operator. Other T-38s were previously used by the US Navy for dissimilar air combat training until replaced by the similar Northrop F-5 Tiger II. Pilots of other NATO nations have commonly flown the T-38 during joint training programs with American pilots. The T-38 remains in service as of 2023 with several air forces. As of 2023, the T-38 has been in service for over 60 years with the USAF, its original operator. In September 2018, USAF announced the replacement of the Talon by the Boeing-Saab T-7 Red Hawk with phaseout to begin in 2023.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of a USAF Northrop T-38 Talon jet trainer that was attached to the 49th Fighter Wing, then deployed to Holloman AFB, New Mexico, during 2011. Sold Out!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 4-1/4-inches
Length: 7-3/4-inches

Release Date: October 2018

Historical Account: "Remote Control" - The 49th Wing is a remotely piloted vehicle wing of the United States Air Force. It is assigned to Twelfth Air Force, Air Combat Command. It is stationed at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico. The wing has a proud history of service in the Korean War, Vietnam War, Operation Desert Storm and NATO-led Operation Allied Force over Kosovo.

The wing provides combat-ready Airmen training MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators. It deploys combat-ready and mission-support forces supporting Air Expeditionary Force operations, peacetime contingencies; provides host base support to over 4,600 personnel, including hosting the 54th Fighter Group's F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot training mission, the 96th Test Group's high-speed test track mission, and the German Air Force Flying Training Unit.