Is there a way to prove that the T-38C is a "fighter" aircraft or can be termed so?

Question

I need detailed info please. (For a paper)

Answer 1

the t-38 is a trainer for fighter pilots. Thats what the (T) designation stand for and to my knowledege it has never been used for anything other. there was a F-20 tigershark that was used as a fighter for a short time and some countries still use today that looks like a T-38.

Answer 2

No.  Never was, never will be.  The F-117 was never a fighter, and it still has a better chance of taking out an enemy aircraft (via guided bombs) than a T-38C ever would.  Unless maybe you intend to ram something not very maneuverable.  Hmmmmmm, on second thought, you might be able to classify it as a Chinese fighter.

Answer 3

T indicates that it is a trainer aircraft, as is the fact that it has two seats. But, the T38 is derived from the F5, which was a fighter built for export. So the T38 is the trainer version of a fighter. That said, it isn't a fighter. Never was, never will be.

Answer 4

The Talon is a jet Trainer and never been used as a Jet Fighter, The Air Force has been training pilots in the T-38 since 1961. However last May Air Force officials have indefinitely suspended training flights in T-38C Talon fighter jets after two fatal crashes occurred within eight days of each other.

The 25th Flying Training Squadron at Vance Air Force Base in Enid uses T-38-C Talons to teach students in Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training courses.

The 3rd Fighter Training Squadron teaches graduates fighter fundamentals in the aircraft.

General Characteristics

Primary Function: Advanced jet pilot trainer

Builder: Northrop Corp.

Power Plant: Two General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojet engines with afterburners

Thrust: 2,050 pounds dry thrust; 2,900 with afterburners

Thrust (with PMP): 2,200 pounds dry thrust; 3,300 with afterburners

Length: 46 feet, 4 inches (14 meters)

Height: 12 feet, 10 inches (3.8 meters)

Wingspan: 25 feet, 3 inches (7.6 meters)

Speed: 812 mph (Mach 1.08 at sea level)

Ceiling: Above 55,000 feet (16,764 meters)

Maximum Takeoff Weight: 12,093 pounds (5,485 kilograms)

Range: 1,093 miles

Armament: T-38A/C: none; AT-38B: provisions for practice bomb dispenser

Unit Cost: $756,000 (1961 constant dollars)

Crew: Two, student and instructor

Date Deployed: March 1961

Inventory: Active force, 546; ANG, 0; Reserve 0

Answer 5

I think all fighters start with F. Like F-16. and bombers start with B. Experimental start with X. I don't know what T is for.

Answer 6

The "T" designates that the aircraft is a miltary trainer. And that is exactly what the USAF uses the T-38 Talon as. See link below for a good, in-depth description. You could call it a fighter trainer, ... but it's not really designated as a fighter itself.

Answer 7

It's name is 'T-38C', where T stands for Trainer. Fighter aircraft have F in front of their name where F stands for Fighter. So the T-38C is actually a trainer aircraft and not a fighter, although it's basic airframe was used for the light combat aircraft F-5 Freedom Fighter family.

Answer 8

She has all what is needed from a fighter, except the weaponry. These Talons have all the attributes of fighters, and were fitted out with replicas of fighter cockpits. They were used for conversion to fighters and flew like one. You can say, "the T-38C was nearly a fighter".

Answer 9

strap a  gun to it. and you just proved that one's a fighter.

Answer 10

The F5 was also used as the frame for the YF20, a superior aircraft to the F16.  Also the F5 was derived from the T38 not the other way round.  The T38 was designed to introduce pilots to the somewhat difficult to fly Century Series of Fighters.  Anyway, the AT38 doesn't have room for a firecontrol system, other than maybe a Lead-Computing Optical Sight (LCOS), which is a step up in capability from the sight mounted in the C-model.  Sort of a super reflector sight.  The nose is too small to house a radome of any useful size other than a range-only-radar, to tie into the LCOS mentioned above.  Not really the generator power for any other sensors or ECM equipment come to think of it.  So delivery of LGBs and ASMs is not really there.

There are no real hardpoints, other than the centerline tank.  So one MIGHT fit a couple heaters on the wingtips, and a gun pod on the centerline.  (Of course, one could wire a 172 to carry a heater).  In terms of maneuverability, it's ability to sustain G is typical of its era-1960s.  Any decent fighter built after 1970's going to blow it out of the sky.  Frankly in the environment of the early 21 Century not very combat worthy.

Answer 11

While the T38 has never been deployed as a fighter, in the early 60's an armed variant was developed as a low cost fighter to supply to US allies with limited budgets.  The first versions of this fighter, the F5A and F5B,  were  virtual clones of the T38, only mounting a gun and wing tip Sidewinder missiles. The F5A was a true single seat fighter, the F5B was a 2 seat version that was used for operational training.  The US used the F5 in aggressor training  squadrons.

     Later versions of the F5 were equipped with larger, more fuel efficient engines. Again, there were single seat and two seat versions, the F5E and F5F.

    

    The F5 was used as the basis for the YF17, which lost a competition with F16 to become the standard lightweight fighter for the US and Allies.   The YF17 design was reworked into a twin engine design, with a raised cockpit, heavier landing gear, and an arresting hook.  This design became the F18.

   So while the T38 was never a fighter, a lot of it's offspring certainly qualify.

Answer 12

While the T-38C has the capacity to be used as either an air superiority fighter or a ground attack fighter based on the fact that it can mount armament and avionics for either of these roles, and on the fact that it has been used to train pilots for similar roles, it has never to my knowledge been used as one.

HOWEVER, for the purpose of exports the fact that it "could" be used as a fighter if so armed and deployed means that its sale "could" be blocked to regimes hostile to the US.

For example, I'm certain that the US would have no problems selling them to Taiwan to use as a fighter or a trainer because Taiwan is a friendly nation, but Washington would block their sales to China even as a trainer as China is a military competitor.

Of course, IF this is some bet that you have with a mate over this being a fighter I'd say that you have lost the bet and should give in gracefully. The T-38C is neither used as, nor clasified as, a fighter aircraft.

Answer 13

since the T38 talon is based on the F5 lightweight fighter, it can be used as a two seat fighter if needed, as F5 avionics can be installed easily. the question though becomes why? the F16 is superior to the F5 and the T38, and does come in a 2 seat version.

Answer 14

Actually the T-38 was derived from the F5. They are basically the same airframe. The T38 was used as the USAF Thunderbird for a  few years.

Sorry Jim, but the T38 was a variant if the F5, as the aircraft design started out as a fighter. It's possible the T38 rolled off the production line first, but it was still not the initial design.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northrop_F-...