T-38 VC images, and other Milviz updates 7 Dec, 2010

Actually...

...it wasn't just NASA using the travel pod, but the whole Air Force-- every unit has pods. It is a common loadout on cross country flights.

Additionally, on a different topic, there were a limited number of USAF T-38Bs that did have provision for centerline SUU gun pods and practice bomb dispensers for use in FLIT-- Flighter Lead In-Training at Holloman AFB in the 60s-90s. But the travel pod was MUCH more common.

So, it's a bummer about only having a clean model.

K
 
Having grown up on and around USAF bases, I can remember seeing T-38's with travel pods as far back as the 1970's. They had 'em, no doubt.
 
Quite magnificent work there. :salute:

Looks so close to real it's incredible! A good high def T-Birds paint seems fitting as well.
 
My apologies on the whole pod thing. I find it odd though they do not reference it in the original T.O. for the bird.. I know in our NATOPS it tells you everything that can be carried at any given station. It doesn't even list a ventral station for the T-38 in its book. So were they just unable to jettison it? Obviously it is probably only a couple hundred pounds, and probably has very little effect on anything critical. At least it will be included though.
 
That looks quite authentic to me...even to the visible wear and tear and gauge placement.
Well done :salute:
 
Small vs. big pod...

....The small pod is the size used on the T-38As (Air Training Command and NASA). The Bigger pods are the jury-rigged ones seen on the AT-38B weapons trainer.

Overall, the small pod is the standard-- so can we please have the small one?

Thanks,

Kent

aka: "The travel pod connoisseur"
 
Interestingly it looks like there aren't any performance data in any manual for any pod available...
 
As I recall we had a few at Vance AFB - you couldn't often take one cross country as the "Wing- King" and others had priority to use it over a line guy. I'm sure it was the smaller type, cobbled together out of old cut up and rewelded napalm canisters. Kind of a tube with obviously welded on end caps. It could be attached to and removed from any T-38A by maintenance.
 
My question though Barfly is this... So the pod is some kind of hobbled together canister from parts and what not, but is that a weapons station on the bottom of the T-38? Or is it some kind hobbled together station that you just attach this pod to and bolt/rivet to the bottom of the airframe somehow?
 
The T-38A "Travel Pod" had an integral pylon that bolted on to the belly of the bird. Every wing had them for cross-country overnight flights. They were standard equipment and not some kind of hobbled together canister. ;)
 
You're right jmig, it wasn't hobbled, it was cobbled, lol jk. There must be some formation pictures somewhere of the bottom of the plane, maybe in an echelon turn, so you can see boltholes or whatever's down there.
 
I agree with JMIG..

...they were/are a standard, bolt on affair, designed specifically as a travel pod. In fact there are two latches, and it slides open like a drawer. See this links to Airliners.net:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/NASA...1336711/&sid=70df51dbe17e14d7be1b21a1f9d38055

And...

http://www.airliners.net/photo/NASA...0929662/&sid=70df51dbe17e14d7be1b21a1f9d38055

This is the standard AF/NASA pod for the T-38A. :jump:

Another quick question: On the main gear retract cycle, will the fuselage gear doors open during extension, then close (and stay closed) once the gear is down? Just wondered...

Kent
 
doors? what doors? KIDDING. yes. they will open and then close just like they do on the real thing. We did the F-5 for AS so we have done this "type" before.

no worries.
 
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