T-38 given new life, new home Published June 11, 2014 By Airman 1st Class Robert L. McIlrath 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- A T-38 Talon is in the process of being restored here and is scheduled to be displayed inside the newly expanded Wichita Falls Municipal Airport terminal by August 2014. The T-38 Talon is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles because of its design, economy of operations, ease of maintenance, high performance and exceptional safety record. The T-38 first flew in 1959 and is Air Education and Training Command's primary aircraft for joint specialized undergraduate pilot training and the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program. One hundred percent of the restoration is being done by volunteers from several different career fields on the weekends and will consist of parts combined from damaged T-38's to repair one jet. "This Jet was flying a night sortie and had a gear malfunction that caused the nose gear to not open," said Lt. Col. Chris Torres, 80th Flying Training Wing functional check flight chief. "They landed with the nose gear up and there was significant amount of damage to the nose of the aircraft from skidding on the runway." Since there is no dedicated funding for the restoration, many of the components of the outer shell of the aircraft that can't be salvaged are being fabricated in house. "It will look exactly like a T-38 on the flight line," Torres said. The city of Wichita Falls is supplying the paint for the aircraft and a crane to place the aircraft in the terminal. Although an exact date has not been set to when the aircraft will arrive at its new home, the volunteer crew is working based on a schedule of completion.