Hey guys,
Happy Holidays to everyone! Well, I just got a new F-5B model kit for Christmas from my brother. He knew I was looking for a 1/48 NASA T-38 to build, but there aren’t that many out there. I’ve head that the F-5B is almost identical to the T-38. So what are the actual differences between the F-5B and a NASA T-38?
[8D]
The second paragraph on this page should explain:
Here’s some images of the F-5B:
This shot should give you a good idea of the wing planform with the wing root extension just aft of the intake. It also shows the wing leading edge flaps as well as the drag chute housing above the exhausts.
This shot shows the shape of the intake splitter plate.
Here’s some T-38’s:
This shot shows the wing planform very clearly as well as the lack of leading edge flaps.
This shot shows the shape of the intake splitter plate.
This shot shows the lack of a drag chute housing on the white jet. The blue jet has something in this area but it’s not a chute housing. More than likely it’s an antenna of some sort.
Also, I don’t believe that the T-38’s wings are plumbed for tip tanks or for missile rails, so you’ll never see them on a T-38. There may be other differences not illustrated in these photos or on that page linked above, but I wouldn’t know offhand what they might be.
Fade to Black…
Sword has a 1/48 t-38 kit, maybe that’s a better starting point for your NASA t-38 model?
The F-5B was derived from the T-38 so there are similarities, but there were significant differences as pointed out above. The Sword 1/48 T-38 would be a better choice than the Classic Airframes F-5B, although the CA is a better kit in most respects.
Regards, Rick
Thanks for the info guys, that really helps! I had thought about getting the Sword kit at some point, but since I have this one… well, I guess its been a while since I’ve done a conversion. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
[:D]
[quote]
Originally posted by BlackWolf3945 Take 2
:
It also shows the … drag chute housing above the exhausts.
This photo is of an F-5B in the Norwegian Air Force. They have drag chutes on all of their jets due to the problem of stopping them on icy runways. When they first ordered F-16s in late 1970s or early 1980s, they insisted that they have drag chutes. This was the first time F-16s had chutes.
the large scoop just in front of and above the stab appears to be a chaff/flare dispenser that would not be on T-38s. The same is true of the bulge on the side of the fin, which appears to be an ECM antenna of some sort. These things would only be on a combat aircraft [alien]
Quite true, but that’s an irrelevant point since all F-5’s have drag chute housings, not just Norwegian jets…
Also quite true, but also quite irrelevant as an F-16 looks nothing like an F-5 or a T-38… [;)]
Sheesh, I guess you got me… What was I thinking in picking this poor example for comparison, what with all the little extras added on… [:p]
Anything else? [;)]
Fade to Black…
There was an article about five years ago in FSm where a fellow converted an Esci 1/72 F-5B to a T-38. Quite an informative article too.
As for the differences, beyond what has been pointed out already. The T-38 had somewhat lighter landing gear and narrower wheels than the F-5 line. I think the only exception to this is the AT-38 variant.
I’ll have to rifle through my old FSMs to find that artical Upnorth, you wouldn’t happen to know what issue would you?
I’m afrraid I don’t rememebr the issue, caine.
Your best bet for a quick answer would be to e-mail FSM’s editors to find out.
I might also add that the intakes on the T-38 are smaller than the F-5 intakes, in addition to the other differences noted above. Plus, the afterburners have a curved ‘plate’ connecting them on the top… it’s quite a distinctive feature from the rear of the aircraft. I’ll try to get to the Pima Air Museum tomorrow and get some detail shots of the intakes and the exhausts (hopefully, they still have the plate on the exhausts). Hope this helps!
That plate is not totally unique to the T-38. I remember when Canada still had F-5s, A and B models. Most, if not all of them had the mentioned curved plate stradling the burners across the top.
I went out to the Pima Air Museum today and shot a bunch of detail shots of both intakes and some fuselage detail shots. Their T-38 still has the curved baffle plate, even though the paint scheme it is in (Holloman AT-38 LIFT program) is incorrect for this bird. As far as I could tell, it can pass for a currently operational T-38. They also have an F-5B on display; I took ‘comparison shots’ of it’s intakes as well. The major downer with these museum aircraft is that they’ve covered the windows ‘to protect the interiors from sunlight’ [:(] and the intakes/exhausts are blanked off (lot of the airplanes out here are minus engines) [BH] . Each pic is between 225 and 250KB, and a pixel size of 1280 x 960. I can email them or put them on a website… in fact, I’m seriously considering starting a website (yet another) for detail shots of aircraft…