NASA T-38 Talon

The Northrop T-38 Talon is a twin-engine, supersonic jet trainer flown by NASA since the 1960s for astronaut proficiency and chase-plane missions. American Aero Services carried out a comprehensive restoration—refinishing the airframe in authentic NASA livery, servicing systems, and preserving cockpit details—to return this iconic trainer to museum-quality condition.

NASA T-38 Talon American Aero was contracted to paint and mount a T-38 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Complex in Florida

Transport to American Aero In the early morning hours American Aero preped the T-38 for transpot to its facility 35 miles away

Transport to American Aero

Repairs and paint After arriving the T-38 was preped for a reguvination of the same paint scheme it arrived in. Corrosion was removed and treated for preperation of new paint and markings

Paint and markings

NASA markings After the base paint was applied the NASA decals and markings were applied

T-38 canopies The canopies are plexi glass and needed to be treated, a decision was made to give the aircraft a look as if it was traveling fast with “heat” going over the glass

Fabricating the mount The customer wanted the T-38 to have a climbing, turning look after mounting. American Aero designed a mount that would give this effect and attached it to the structure of the aircraft. Structural steel plate was used and CNC cut for assembly

Mount to aircraft The mount was designed to pick up exsisting structure of the airframe, then NDT inspected after fabrication and painted.

Delivery for mounting After the paint was complete and the mount was fabricated, the T-38 was delivered back to the Visitors Complex for assembly

Mounting post The contractor hired for the park side of the project erected the post

Mounting lift Once the T-38 was positioned at the mounting pole, a two crane lift was used to bring the plane to its correct height and angle

Positioning and mounting of the aircraft The mounting frame on the T-38 was mated to the mounting post