One design study, two jobs
Both aircraft grew out of Northrop's privately funded N-156 study. The trainer branch was the N-156T and the fighter branch was the N-156F.[1] The U.S. Air Force bought the trainer first, so the T-38 Talon reached service before the F-5 found its export customers.[1][4]
Who flew first?
The YT-38 prototype first flew on 10 April 1959 at Edwards Air Force Base, with Northrop test pilot Lew Nelson at the controls.[3] The first F-5 prototype followed in July 1959. The Talon entered Air Force service in March 1961, and 1,187 were built before production ended in 1972.[1][2] About 50,000 military pilots have trained on it.[1]
How to tell them apart
| Feature | T-38 Talon | F-5B / F-5F |
|---|---|---|
| Wing root | Wing meets the fuselage in a straight line | Leading-edge extension curves forward near the root |
| Wingtips | Square tips, no rails | Launch rails for Sidewinder missiles |
| Weapons | Unarmed trainer | Guns and hardpoints on combat versions |
| Engines | Two J85-GE-5 | Two J85, later and stronger models on the F-5F |
When a photo shows a slim two-seat jet, the question is almost always the same one: F-5 or Talon? The quickest check from a photo is the wingtip: a missile rail means an F-5. The wing root is the clincher when the tips are hidden.
Game: T-38 or F-5?
Each diagram shows one wing from above, with the fuselage on the left. Use the wing root and wingtip to decide.
Diagram, not to scale
Keep exploring
See where both aircraft sit on the family tree, or test your eye with Identify an F-5.
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