The T-38 remains the most beautiful jet fighter ever in my book. ❤ When I was a kid on Long Island NY, I would go to Fairchild Republic to watch them takeoff.
I had a friend who was a crew chief on the T-38 Thunderbirds and has since passed away. This reminds me that there may be footage of him out there somewhere.
Interestingly enough, if I’m not mistaken the Thunderbirds used them until 1983 where they switched to the F-16. While the Blue Angles didn’t switch to the F-18 until 1986
I was flying T-38s in pilot training at Williams AFB near Phoenix back in 1980-81. While I was shooting some touch & go landings, I heard the advance guy come into our overhead pattern and make his exaggerated, over-the-top radio call announcing "THUNDERBIRD SEVEN on initial..." Several of my instructors went on to fly with the team years later and during my stint at FedEx, I even flew DC-10s with the #5 solo pilot in this video, Kirk Brimmer!