1960s TV Sign Off

Ladies and gentlemen, I remember the "sign-off" very well. Might have been one of the reasons I chose the AF. Reading some of the comments reminded me of my favorite T-38 story. Class 69-03, Vance AFB, Enid, OK. Always thought the three letter id for Enid was intriguing: END!! Anyway, I had just finished my syllabus with my final I-Check, and graduation was about 10 days hence. Sitting in the squadron one morning, one of the schedulers came to me and said that I was 1.3 hours BELOW the time line, and the solution was to give me my own personal Rocket and let me bore holes for 1.3 or so. I was ecstatic. I remember the takeoff and the climbout and heading for the "tubes," our practice areas west of Vance. I entered the south end of the tube and was told by the controller, (no radar, back then) that the tube was clear, obviously allowing me about 30 miles of unrestricted FUN. Well, I high-tailed it up to the northern end of the Tube over a town, appropriately named "Jet" and decided to put on an airshow for the landlubbers below. My tube's lower floor was 10,000 and the top was something like 24,000 as I recall. The higher tube was for formation flying among others, I think. Anyway, I started into my show and was quite impressive, at least in my mind. I did the normal array of maneuvers, and decided to give them, as my finale, the inimitable Split S, followed by a max vertical climb, with the stick racked up against my left knee, corkscrewing skyward, like the greatest pilot in the history of man. I hit the bottom of the tube perfectly, went to full burner, and off I went. It was amazing! I truly was the greatest pilot in the world. Then I decided to look at the old instrument panel and was amazed to see my airspeed plummeting through 250 knots, and my altitude was passing FL 310!!! I was 9,000 feet into the high tube and still climbing. I ever so gingerly rolled out of my climb, onto my back, and eased the rocket into a vertical DOWN maneuver with both burners still lit! And I knew for certain that some IP had just broken off from his 4 ship and was trailing me back to Vance to see who this idiot was defiling his airspace. I made one full stop, parked the beast, and went to the crew room, being met by my buds with hoops and hollars that I had completed my 53 weeks. I was a bit quiet during the celebration, knowing that at any moment the door was going to swing open and that IP and the Squadron Commander, and a whole slew of AP's were going to march through the door and court martial me! That fear stayed with me for the last few days at Vance, until they pinned those silver wings on my left chest. I finished up almost 40 years of flying in '05, but that one hour and twenty minutes is indelibly planted on my mind forever! What an airplane. Regards to all, Bob Seitz

I too loved flying the T-38 for all 2400 hours of it. Pilot training at Craig in 69-04 was a blast. We even did 4 ship acro with 2 & 4 as solo students back then! After Vietnam F-100s I flew as a T-38 IP and FCF at Columbus. I finally ended with 2 years instructing in the "AT-38B" at Holloman. That was even more fun hurling the White rocket at the ground and hasseling each other at 6.5 Gs.

My ops off in Vietnam was a test pilot type who had flown every Century Series jet in the USAF. We once asked him what was his favorite plane to fly (figuring he's say the F-104 or Thud.) Imagine our surprise when he said the T-38! He said it was the only plane that actually made him feel like _he_ was flying, and not him flying a plane.

Joe Vincent
Retired FeEx DC-10s

PS: Vic Hooper - i recognize your name from Columbus - Falcon Flight?

I was in UPT class 82-01 at Reese and after graduating as a DG I was promised one of my first 3 choices. Well, the T-38 was not one of them and the Wing CO reneged on his promise. But I must say that coming back as a FAIP, flying and instructing on the T-38 was the most fun I will ever have in my lifetime.

My last year and a half I flew FCF flights and that was the best. Flying solo and after checking out the jet I got to fly around those huge cumulus clouds that always formed in west Texas during the spring and summer.

I think I may have flown the -38 in the video while in PIT at Randolph. I need to check out my old logbook and see if I can find that tail number. I sure miss flying that beautiful white rocket.

Capt. Dale A. Ende
757 Capt Northwest Airlines

I agree with "Wild Bill". I was blessed with the opportunity to caress this baby for over 2000 hours. While this was 30 years and 25,000 hours ago, I will never forget it. Some of the best times of my life.

Vic Hooper
USAFA '70

From somewhere over China

I spent 4 great years as a T-38 IP and Flight Examiner at Laredo AFB from 1966-1970.

This video brings back memories of this beautiful aircraft as if it were yesterday!

It was, without doubt, the most enjoyable aircraft I have flown in my military or civilian flying career.

Ron Kerlin
LtCol, USAF(ret)
Ft Myers, FL

Our first ride in the USAF T-38 was called (I think?) the dollar ride. Supossedly paid for by Northrop Aviation. The ride started with an afterburner climb to 50,000 feet and then a demonstration of the aircraft's capabilities. The view of Webb Air Force Base (Big Spring, TX) and west Texas from that beautiful airplane was magnificent. My anesthesiology practice has two of us who flew the F-4 Phantom, but we both agree that having a T-38 to fly again would be a dream come true. It is truly a pilot's airplane.
Dr MacGregor (Mac) Poll
67H

I flew the T-38 for 15 years. Brings back lots of memories.

The T-38 Talon or "White Rocket" was a joy to fly. I remember the TV Sign off as a young lad growing up and was very fortunate to fly it in USAF pilot training at Reese AFB in 1969 (70-05). The film brought back many wonderful memories. An excellent supersonic trainer and we got to fly them in our early 20's! They are still in the AF inventory after 40+ years as an advanced trainer and they ARE being upgraded to glass cockpits. 33 years after I got my AF wings, my son earned his AF wings in them, even flying some tail numbers that I flew!

Find out more at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-38_Talon

Go Air Force!
Marty Noonan
Continental Airlines (Ret).

Couldn't agree more with you gentlemen. My -38 instructor was the ":best of the best". The first day my tablemate and I sat down with him he said, "As far as I'm concerned you guys are pilots, I'm just going to teach you to fly a new plane....if you come ready each and every day, I will find time during each sortie to have some fun". How true...it is amazing how conscious I was at the time as to realize just how fortunate I was to fly the thing. A 20 year old kid getting paid to fly a supersonic jet! It really was the time of my life....the most challenging yet rewarding experience a young man could ever possibly hope to have. I was truly blessed.

LtCol Dave Bakos
Laughlin AFB, TX
89-09

I agree with LC Stealy. Many a night in ND that video was the last thing I saw before I went to bed and it helped set the direction of my career. I have not seen it for over 20 years but remember it vividly to this day.

I too flew the T-38 in pilot training and loved it dearly. It had a roll rate of over 360 degrees per second and (with light a light fuel load) it was capable of climbing vertically until it ran out of air.

Every year I visit the EAA Airventure in Oshkosh. I make a point of visiting the part of the ramp where one of these beautiful planes is parked. I stand there in awe of its sensuous lines and truly wonderful abilities and think to myself, "I used to fly one of those"....
PT Class 70-03, Vance AFB

The T-38 Talon is a great aircraft.

I had the privilege if flying it in USAF Pilot Training in the early 70's.

My last ride in the T-38's was my checkride with an old Colonel from WW II. (Probably younger than my age now!!!! LOL!)

As I completed my check ride with a perfect score, he said to me, "Lt, you have it and you have 10 minutes to enjoy your last ride in this fine aircraft."

I took the airplane and soared up and over and around the small cumulus clouds covering West Texas that day.

I was so excited that I said, "Gee Sir, this must be what it would be like to be a great bird!""

Silence from the back seat!!

He then said, "You are not one of those Hippie guys are you?" rather crossly!

I thought I had done it then as he was serious being just back from Vietnam in F-4s and having been cursed at in San Francisco on his return.

I passed but I was worried.

I remember seeing this signoff as a high school student and deciding that I wanted to fly this airplane.

I got to fly it and others! For those who have not had that great opportunity, I will tell you it was really worth all the effort.

JW Stealey
USAFA 70
Lt. Colonel, USAF Retired
www.TotalSims.com