Nice Surprise at the Minneapolis Intl' Airport Today T-38

Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:05 am

Was at Flemming Field and then to the KMSP airport today, got this T-38 taking off.

Check out the Super Large photos here:

http://photo.paulkrumrei.com/GalleryFil ... to=6452029

Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:07 am

It's out of Williams, but whats up with the greyish blue paint? special markings that flip-flop the usual white overall?
It is danged attractive I must say

Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:58 am

Apparently the T-38 is assigned to Whiteman AFB, Mo, as a trainer to help keep B-2 pilots hours up to date, as there are not enough B-2's to go around, they put in pilot hours on the T-38's. Probably flies a bit differently!! :shock:

Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:06 am

More like "Heck of a lot cheaper ..." is why T-38s are actively used for general proficiency - and chase duties. B-52 and KC-135 bases used them for a very short while in their ACE program (Accelerated Copilot Enrichment), but the T-37 was the usual mount. IIRC, sometime in the mid-90s they got rid of the ACE/T-37/T-38 proficiency program entirely, 'cept for the B-2 and a few other programs.

Actually, WM stands for .... see illustration below ... :lol:

Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:23 am

The guys at Beale and the F117 squadron at Holloman had theirs too.

There are only a few white T38s left. I think the Edwards T38s are still in the old scheme.

We've been seeing the two tone greys, solid greys and blacks for years here in Houston.

Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:24 am

Holedigger is correct, that's a Whiteman AFB bird.

Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:56 am

Guess the 'WM' on the tail gave it away? :lol:

Thu Apr 23, 2009 9:43 am

RickH wrote:There are only a few white T38s left. I think the Edwards T38s are still in the old scheme.

We've been seeing the two tone greys, solid greys and blacks for years here in Houston.

What are you talking about RickH - I bet you see white T-38s every time you go to EFD.........

Thu Apr 23, 2009 1:01 pm

Yeah, but the EFD 38's aren't solid white!

The HO (Holloman) T-38's are/were F-117 black, and the WM based ones are B-2 gray.

At Holloman you would often see a 38 flying on the wing of a 117. I was told they were instructor pilots, since they couldn't fly in the same ship with the pilot they were instructing.

Fri Apr 24, 2009 9:08 pm

And, April 13 was the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the White Rocket.

http://www.globenewswire.com/news.html?d=162962

Regardless of the color, that little honey will scoot.

Ken