I agree with you, John O. The T-38 paint scheme was the most beautiful and striking of all the jets the Thunderbirds have flown. The F-16 is awesome, to be sure, but the T-38 in that paint scheme just exuded grace, class, beauty and power. A lovely, lovely jet. I know when USAF switched to the F-16 they went back to the traditional T-bird scheme, but in my opinion they should've retained the T-38 scheme. So nice.
I also grew up watching the 'birds in the T-38...still my favorite paint scheme of all...with those big numbers 1 thru 6 on the tails (the F-16's numbers are tiny and on the lower scoop near the front). I was a kid who wanted to fly like that and do rolls amongst the clouds. My Dad encouraged me and told me to work hard and stay in school and to follow my dreams. I ended up with 2,400 hours in that aircraft, ha ha, though none as a thunderbird.
This and the F-5 are some of the sexiest planes to ever cross the skies. Sure, there are faster and more advanced, but none had the charisma of the T-38 or F-5. JMHO.
I watched them at Mather AFB in 1976 on our national bicentennial, those guys set the bar for flying from then on for me. I also bought their planes when they crashed in the 1980's in honor of them.
At 1:54 the front pilot is Roger Parrish. He was a Major or Lt Col at the time. I met him when the T-Birds performed at an airshow near my university. I knew his sister. She was a student there and a member of the Angel Flight, a sister sorority to the university's AFROTC cadets' Arnold Air Society. Parrish later became the commander of the Thunderbirds.
The first time I ever saw the Thunderbirds (.....or even heard of them )....was in the early 1980s. I think I'd seen the Blue Angels 2 or 3 times prior to that.....but I fell in love with the T-38. I've seen them in their F-16s a couple of times......most recently yesterday at the Reno Air Races, but I wish they were still in those sleek little jets.
in about 1974...[still a kid]...viewed a T38/ T-bird video while at WPAFB....it was a great mini-movie....it had a insrtumental only hit of the day...something like songbird? or something for background music. it was perfectly filmed, the music was perfect and i was a kid. if anybody can help me find the complete video, PLEASE help me find it...it would realy be appreciated..
@@mkosidlak The Thunderbirds of my youth were epitomized by the years of the T-38 and flew their routine to Love's Theme - still one of my all-time favorite songs due to the Thunderbird memories!!!. Yes, I saw the earlier F-4 routines of both the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angles, but the 'economy' year's planes where the Thunderbirds flew the T-38 and Blues flew the A-4 were better shows in that the show was closer to the spectators. The F-4 took literally miles to turn around! The later F-16 and FA-18? Again, to big and noisy...
growing up in Reading Pa the thunderbirds and the blue angels flew every year at the Reading Air Show but these Thunderbird T-38s are the thunderbirds I rembember growing up as a kid sitting on the hill at my grandparents house there house was only 1 mile away from the airport and the the thunderbirds were so close you could see the pilots in the cockpits once and a while when returning from there show to land they could see us and they would rock there wings one of my fondest memories.
Brings back great memories of my Family going to the Air Show at Offutt AFB, Bellevue, Nebraska! One year they would host the Thunderbirds and the next year the Blue Angels! Great times for a time on our history when Men were Men and Women were strong but not acting like Men. Miss those days!!
I was privileged to work on the T-38s and especially privileged to be a backup avionics repairman for the Thunderbirds when their regular avionics repairman got sick. This is my favorite modern plane. NASA still uses them to maintain their proficiency!
My stepdad train people to fly that bird. He A-1E pilot in Vietnam. Mean summa a bitch love his Flag. They gave him his own T38. And he trained kidds on the T37. Scary dude even to this day, but he suffered in his dad life. Awesome warrior; dead dad...
I've been told that the T-38 an air force pilot's first ride in a supersonic aircraft. So, she's no slouch! Also, NASA astronauts use this plane. Although the Thunderbird markings are, no doubt, striking, I (almost) prefer NASA's version. The graceful lines of the fuselage aren't broken up as much. The T-38 will always be my favorite Thunderbird. Oh, and the A-4 Skyhawk for the Blue Angels!
I always preferred the T-38 over that of the current. One has beautiful lines, and the paint just screams, the other, is an F16 that has always looked out of place in that livery.
Hello everyone: I am looking for a demonstration video called “Talons for Thunderbirds” shown at Wright-Patterson AFB Museum in the ‘70’s. Anyone have a copy??
+rajshekhar rao: Agree. This is a training jet only. Perfect for flight shows By the way: I don't understand why the upload a video with really bad quality in "HD." And the "music" is worse than bad!
In those days, when i was twelve, their was no military censorship. We saw everything. It was an innocent of tv. We were proud, even though our higher ups were assholes, the thrill of being an American - not a "civilian" was breathtaking. Espcially as a little league player. The little girls always wanted to meet us "boys from the Base". We were aLeague set apart by our warrior fathers. We walked through the base with Impunity. We did not pay for anything, because every cop knew who we were & li
I like the T-38 it's sleek and sexy , just right for demonstrations . The Phantom while being a great warbird is just too much airplane for those tight moves .
I wonder if this is the team/year that the Thunderbirds had the terrible accident when the leader miscalculated and flew the team into the ground? I was in the USAF at this time but I've been out a long time now.
It is NOT the same team, the crash that killed all four pilots Major Norm Lowry, III, leader; Captain Willie Mays, left wing; Captain Joseph "Pete" Peterson, right wing, ; and Captain Mark E. Melancon, slot, was in 1982. None of the 1974 team in this video were involved. It was determined the lead aircraft suffered a jammed stabilizer, which caused the crash. Due to the tight formation the other 3 pilots followed the leader into the ground. It was a sad day for Nellis AFB and the Thunderbirds!
The diamond was practicing the line-abreast loop when the leader's jet malfunctioned. All four crashed; 2, 3, & 4, looking sideways at 1, never saw it coming.
People, not even Aviators acknowledge or understand what the T38 did for the bird that reigns fire from the sky. Without the T38; you would not have the pilot skill or the dynamic to build the warthog--a machinegun built around a plane. Atrue Killer
That crash happened in 1982 , I read the flight leader read maps wrong are something but they where in F-16 by then , terrible thing that happened that day
Doug Phillips Jan 1982 team was practicing a line abrest loop out west at i can't remember AFB base when team leader had a malfunction in rear conrtol surface while in loop and #2, #3 #4 follow the #1 in to what you know as aviation history.
the fatal 4 aircraft crash did happen in 1982.after the crash the team took some time off.it was later in 1982 when they were reformed that they got the f16.also heard that getting the f16 was already on the cards for them anyway before the crash happened.
I know it happened out in the desert so it could've been Nellis AFB, in Nevada or Edwards AFB in California. I believe they were in NV. From what I remember hearing, it was not that the flight leader reading the maps wrong but that one of the instruments malfunctioned, not sure if the altimeter or the artificial horizon but the other flyers don't really look at their instruments, they look at the plane next to them, therefore none of the other pilots were able to notice on their instruments that the ground was approaching way to fast and no one was able to pull out of the loop. All four planes plowed into the desert floor and not much was left to recover. I was in the Air Force at the time and it was all the talk, but honestly, I never did read the official report however, this is just from memory.
The early '70s saw the emergence of electronic music, with the invention of the Moog synthesizer, used by artists like Mike Quattro, and albums like "Switched On Bach."
Probably not back to the T-38. In a few years the USAF will have retired the aging Talon and replaced it with the new T-7A (aka the Red Hawk) for pilot training.
the t38 took away from THE THUNDERBIRD mystic. They need to be flying FIGHTER JETS not trainers, AT LEAST 'NOT IN AMERICA" i grew up and saw the t 38 . You can go from an F 4 to a T 38 .. its like going from a Muscle car to 4 cylinder chevette
+ProudBirther The T-38 is a great bit of engineering! I don't think there's a fighter today with a roll rate of 720's a second. It was the launch platform of the F-5 and F-20. I'm partial having flown it, but it's a proud part of American aeronautical engineering!
Gerard Moran I agree the T-38 is an Excellent Plane. But as a little kid at Air Shows the T-38 did not HAVE THE SAME AWESOMENESS of the four Phantoms flying in Formation or doing High Speed Passes. I understand it was a President Carter// Save Energy Movement that created the change. Thanks for your Service !!
I can find no reference of the T-Birds flying F-105 Thunderchief's in the early 1960's. I saw them fly, I think it was 64 or 65 at Randolph AFB in Texas, best air show airplane ever. They flew the Big Thud for less than a full season due to mishaps .
I agree with you, John O. The T-38 paint scheme was the most beautiful and striking of all the jets the Thunderbirds have flown. The F-16 is awesome, to be sure, but the T-38 in that paint scheme just exuded grace, class, beauty and power. A lovely, lovely jet. I know when USAF switched to the F-16 they went back to the traditional T-bird scheme, but in my opinion they should've retained the T-38 scheme. So nice.
I agree too.🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷🇱🇷
T-38's were outstanding. Saw them around 81 at the Dayton Air Show and will never forget.
2:44 My dad, J. Zachem, on the right, was the Flight Chief during the change from F4s to T38s. I'm so glad I found this recording. ❤❤
Man that plane is beautiful!
The 16s are just missing something. Maybe the numbers 🤔🤔🤔🤔
I also grew up watching the 'birds in the T-38...still my favorite paint scheme of all...with those big numbers 1 thru 6 on the tails (the F-16's numbers are tiny and on the lower scoop near the front).
I was a kid who wanted to fly like that and do rolls amongst the clouds. My Dad encouraged me and told me to work hard and stay in school and to follow my dreams.
I ended up with 2,400 hours in that aircraft, ha ha, though none as a thunderbird.
I miss the T-38 that the best looking plane ever and so is the paint skeme.The spirit of 76.I miss those times.
This and the F-5 are some of the sexiest planes to ever cross the skies. Sure, there are faster and more advanced, but none had the charisma of the T-38 or F-5. JMHO.
I watched them at Mather AFB in 1976 on our national bicentennial, those guys set the bar for flying from then on for me. I also bought their planes when they crashed in the 1980's in honor of them.
of all the great planes we,ve had in the t-bird role....for me the T in T-38 stood for Thunderbird
Music in this is absolutely legendary! Also the T38 is a gem
With its futuristic looks it's hard to believe it was made 47 years ago !
At 1:54 the front pilot is Roger Parrish. He was a Major or Lt Col at the time. I met him when the T-Birds performed at an airshow near my university. I knew his sister. She was a student there and a member of the Angel Flight, a sister sorority to the university's AFROTC cadets' Arnold Air Society. Parrish later became the commander of the Thunderbirds.
The first time I ever saw the Thunderbirds (.....or even heard of them )....was in the early 1980s. I think I'd seen the Blue Angels 2 or 3 times prior to that.....but I fell in love with the T-38. I've seen them in their F-16s a couple of times......most recently yesterday at the Reno Air Races, but I wish they were still in those sleek little jets.
in about 1974...[still a kid]...viewed a T38/ T-bird video while at WPAFB....it was a great mini-movie....it had a insrtumental only hit of the day...something like songbird? or something for background music. it was perfectly filmed, the music was perfect and i was a kid. if anybody can help me find the complete video, PLEASE help me find it...it would realy be appreciated..
Love Unlimited Orchestra ~ Love's Theme
@@mkosidlak The Thunderbirds of my youth were epitomized by the years of the T-38 and flew their routine to Love's Theme - still one of my all-time favorite songs due to the Thunderbird memories!!!. Yes, I saw the earlier F-4 routines of both the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angles, but the 'economy' year's planes where the Thunderbirds flew the T-38 and Blues flew the A-4 were better shows in that the show was closer to the spectators. The F-4 took literally miles to turn around! The later F-16 and FA-18? Again, to big and noisy...
I loved the 38 over the 16... Yes? Can't wait for the or 35s in the distant future
We once went to an air show and The Thunderbirds were supposed to be there in their F-16s, but weather had them cancel.
growing up in Reading Pa the thunderbirds and the blue angels flew every year at the Reading Air Show but these Thunderbird T-38s are the thunderbirds I rembember growing up as a kid sitting on the hill at my grandparents house there house was only 1 mile away from the airport and the the thunderbirds were so close you could see the pilots in the cockpits once and a while when returning from there show to land they could see us and they would rock there wings one of my fondest memories.
Brings back great memories of my Family going to the Air Show at Offutt AFB, Bellevue, Nebraska! One year they would host the Thunderbirds and the next year the Blue Angels! Great times for a time on our history when Men were Men and Women were strong but not acting like Men. Miss those days!!
T-38 and F-5 love them !
Great vid but the music made me want to jump into my AMC Pacer and drive off a cliff while jamming to the BeeGees.
Loved the T-38's they were so clean and sleek
T-38 and T-33 gorgeous planes.. 👌
Nice plane! Great video.
Beautiful plane!... and it would be an honour to be in a team like this.. lucky for some! 🇺🇸👍
I think that P-38 is use a a trainer for the USAF today. This aircraft has a good performance.
1964 Moody GA, i love working on them
I was privileged to work on the T-38s and especially privileged to be a backup avionics repairman for the Thunderbirds when their regular avionics repairman got sick. This is my favorite modern plane. NASA still uses them to maintain their proficiency!
Wayne Bach the USAF still has many of them flying today.
@@martinrps13 Yes, as a training plane. I still see them out of Randoph AFB in San Antonio.
what a beautiful aircraft!
The T-38 was sleek looking jet
I loved flying the T-38! Hate to see her go!
My stepdad train people to fly that bird. He A-1E pilot in Vietnam. Mean summa a bitch love his Flag. They gave him his own T38. And he trained kidds on the T37. Scary dude even to this day, but he suffered in his dad life. Awesome warrior; dead dad...
I've been told that the T-38 an air force pilot's first ride in a supersonic aircraft. So, she's no slouch! Also, NASA astronauts use this plane. Although the Thunderbird markings are, no doubt, striking, I (almost) prefer NASA's version. The graceful lines of the fuselage aren't broken up as much. The T-38 will always be my favorite Thunderbird. Oh, and the A-4 Skyhawk for the Blue Angels!
It is such an easy airplane to fly.
This is like "watching" a camel album.
I always preferred the T-38 over that of the current. One has beautiful lines, and the paint just screams, the other, is an F16 that has always looked out of place in that livery.
Hello everyone: I am looking for a demonstration video called “Talons for Thunderbirds” shown at Wright-Patterson AFB Museum in the ‘70’s. Anyone have a copy??
If you get this - it had Love Unlimited Orchestra ~ Love's Theme as the background... Look me up...
awesome jet
+rajshekhar rao: Agree. This is a training jet only. Perfect for flight shows
By the way: I don't understand why the upload a video with really bad quality in "HD."
And the "music" is worse than bad!
In those days, when i was twelve, their was no military censorship. We saw everything. It was an innocent of tv. We were proud, even though our higher ups were assholes, the thrill of being an American - not a "civilian" was breathtaking. Espcially as a little league player. The little girls always wanted to meet us "boys from the Base". We were aLeague set apart by our warrior fathers. We walked through the base with Impunity. We did not pay for anything, because every cop knew who we were & li
I like the T-38 it's sleek and sexy , just right for demonstrations . The Phantom while being a great warbird is just too much airplane for those tight moves .
It's the Camaro of jets .
I wonder if this is the team/year that the Thunderbirds had the terrible accident when the leader miscalculated and flew the team into the ground? I was in the USAF at this time but I've been out a long time now.
Yes it is
He didnt miscalculate, number one had a control malfunction and couldnts pull out of the dive, by the timenhe realized it it was too late.
It is NOT the same team, the crash that killed all four pilots Major Norm Lowry, III, leader; Captain Willie Mays, left wing; Captain Joseph "Pete" Peterson, right wing, ; and Captain Mark E. Melancon, slot, was in 1982. None of the 1974 team in this video were involved. It was determined the lead aircraft suffered a jammed stabilizer, which caused the crash. Due to the tight formation the other 3 pilots followed the leader into the ground. It was a sad day for Nellis AFB and the Thunderbirds!
The diamond was practicing the line-abreast loop when the leader's jet malfunctioned. All four crashed; 2, 3, & 4, looking sideways at 1, never saw it coming.
Present day where i stay in Columbus Mississippi , the columbus air Force base use t38s talons today
Can anyone see the thunderbirds going back to the t-38 talon since it was fuel efficient
People, not even Aviators acknowledge or understand what the T38 did for the bird that reigns fire from the sky. Without the T38; you would not have the pilot skill or the dynamic to build the warthog--a machinegun built around a plane. Atrue Killer
2:56 sounds like super mario song :)
Nice plane in all but why can this vid be put in 1080p
It was filmed onto tape, not digitally. not sure if that is possible.
@@jamessailors157 its a joke because the vid is no where near 1080p
That crash happened in 1982 , I read the flight leader read maps wrong are something but they where in F-16 by then , terrible thing that happened that day
Doug Phillips Jan 1982 team was practicing a line abrest loop out west at i can't remember AFB base when team leader had a malfunction in rear conrtol surface while in loop and #2, #3 #4 follow the #1 in to what you know as aviation history.
the fatal 4 aircraft crash did happen in 1982.after the crash the team took some time off.it was later in 1982 when they were reformed that they got the f16.also heard that getting the f16 was already on the cards for them anyway before the crash happened.
+monkeybubbles unfortunate but history says you are correct that sped up the process in opinon
I know it happened out in the desert so it could've been Nellis AFB, in Nevada or Edwards AFB in California. I believe they were in NV. From what I remember hearing, it was not that the flight leader reading the maps wrong but that one of the instruments malfunctioned, not sure if the altimeter or the artificial horizon but the other flyers don't really look at their instruments, they look at the plane next to them, therefore none of the other pilots were able to notice on their instruments that the ground was approaching way to fast and no one was able to pull out of the loop. All four planes plowed into the desert floor and not much was left to recover. I was in the Air Force at the time and it was all the talk, but honestly, I never did read the official report however, this is just from memory.
Creech Nevada.Then known as Indian Springs. If you know where to look you can still see the scars on the hillside.
What on earth ever made people think this was good music???
The early '70s saw the emergence of electronic music, with the invention of the Moog synthesizer, used by artists like Mike Quattro, and albums like "Switched On Bach."
What about 6?
During the F-4 / T-38 era, they had only a single solo. With the F-16 they brought back #6 for the opposing solo.
Didn’t they use the F-15?
The blue Traxxas Rustler No, never.
The Navy's Blue Angels use the 15
@@MonteD1 The F-15 is a USAF jet. The Navy uses F-18s.
@@c17nav yep. I must have been sleeping when I posted that.
What's with 70's porn music at the 1:42 mark?
I wonder if they'll go back to it here in 2022, with the horrible fuel issues and economy.
Probably not back to the T-38. In a few years the USAF will have retired the aging Talon and replaced it with the new T-7A (aka the Red Hawk) for pilot training.
@@c17nav thanks for the info!
یاد تیم اکرجت تاج طلایی بخیر
... am I the only one thinking that isn't a T-38. A T-38 looks like an F-5. That don't look like an F-5. That looks like a T-45 Goshawk
The F-5 was based on the T-38 airframe. The T-45 was not based on either one.
the t38 took away from THE THUNDERBIRD mystic. They need to be flying FIGHTER JETS not trainers, AT LEAST 'NOT IN AMERICA" i grew up and saw the t 38 .
You can go from an F 4 to a T 38 .. its like going from a Muscle car to 4 cylinder chevette
+ProudBirther The T-38 is a great bit of engineering! I don't think there's a fighter today with a roll rate of 720's a second. It was the launch platform of the F-5 and F-20. I'm partial having flown it, but it's a proud part of American aeronautical engineering!
Gerard Moran
I agree the T-38 is an Excellent Plane. But as a little kid at Air Shows the T-38 did not HAVE THE SAME AWESOMENESS of the four Phantoms flying in Formation or doing High Speed Passes.
I understand it was a President Carter// Save Energy Movement that created the change.
Thanks for your Service !!
T38 is a great nimble aircraft. Remember the slow lumbering mammoth F105 thunderchief! You go solo in the T38 then give your expert pilot opinion.
@@gerardmoran9560 There will be thousands of former T-38 jockeys' eyes misting up when the Talon is retired and replaced by the T-7A Red Hawk.
@@c17nav I'll be one of them!
EPIC!! Goofy 1970's Americans :) But awesome video
I can find no reference of the T-Birds flying F-105 Thunderchief's in the early 1960's.
I saw them fly, I think it was 64 or 65 at Randolph AFB in Texas, best air show airplane ever. They flew the Big Thud for less than a full season due to mishaps .
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Except for the intro screen, the rest of the video looks like a badly videotaped copy of a 16 mm recruiting film.
(RIP) + Capt. Pete Peterson USAF read poem High Flight
why would they cover up the sound of the jets with that crappy music? UGH
Please induce more propaganda/nationalism, this video rally needs it
Spooky kinda of watching this. Especially diamond. Actual footage of crash was destroyed by a order from a general
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