T-38A Talon - Community Mod by Veco Simulations

[VectorScope]

 Progress Update: SME Testing.

As development on our T-38A Talon continues, we’re excited to share insights from recent Subject Matter Expert (SME) testing. Our SME team, comprised of experienced pilots with first-hand knowledge of the T-38A, has been working closely with us to refine the aircraft’s performance and behavior in DCS. Their feedback has been instrumental in refining various aspects, from the aircraft's flight dynamics to the accuracy of its 3D model.

In its current state, alongside countless performance test flights, our Talon has undergone several mock training sessions simulating real-world scenarios. This has allowed us to assess the aircraft’s performance across a variety of use cases, providing valuable insights into areas needing refinement, while also confirming the accuracy of several key flight characteristics.

With their permission, we’d like to share the full, transparent testimonies from two of our SMEs, both of whom have extensive experience flying the T-38A:

Murdock:

Quote

The aircraft aerodynamics has already an impressive level of realism, starting from the takeoff performance. The ground acceleration is accurate as well as the rotation and liftoff speeds. In flight the feeling on the stick gives you the proper challenge of the real jet, it is very responsive with the extremely high roll rate typical of the Talon. Flying the aircraft in the pattern requires precise control inputs as it would be in real life. You gotta calculate your perch and final speeds to avoid developing dangerous sink rates and the aircraft performs accordingly as it should. Also in fingertip and tactical formation the jet gives you the proper challenge and responsiveness of the real thing. The external 3D model is already fully functional with control surfaces moving the proper amount, including flaps, landing gear and speed brakes. Considering that it's still a work in progress and a lot more features will be implemented, it was not possible to test all the characteristics, the aircraft systems are still under development and the cockpit is not yet functional. For those reasons it wasn't possible to test abnormal procedures like single engine approach or startup/shutdown procedures but, in my opinion, the project definitely has the numbers to become the level of a professional model, if not higher. My personal thanks to VECO development team for letting me feel again the incomparable sensation that was flying this amazing aircraft.

Toby:

Quote

When I saw that Veco was developing a T-38A, I jumped at the chance to help with its development.  As a USAF pilot from the 1980's and 1990's, it's a great honor to assist in bringing the iconic "White Rocket" into the DCS simulation environment.  It's an additional honor to help make this plane available for my 86-year-old father, who was in the first pilot training class to employ the incredible T-38A, which replaced the T-33 as the USAF's advanced trainer in 1962.  Thanks to the powerhouse coding team at Veco, this module is making rapid and efficient progress.  There is much to do, much labor ahead.  But, the level of 3D modeling and Flight Model tuning already achieved makes it clear to me that this will be a "high-fidelity" recreation of one of the most important and long-serving ultra-high-performance military jet trainers in the world.  Grateful to be a part of this outstanding team!

We are incredibly grateful for the valuable insights provided by our SME team and contributors, and we look forward to sharing further updates as we make additional progress. We hope that their positive outlook serves as a preliminary showcase for the love and attention our team is putting into this project.

Stay tuned for more as we continue to push toward delivering the most authentic and immersive consumer-available T-38A experience.

[Stratos]

I'm sure it will be a blast to fly! Can't wait to fly on Nevada with it and rush over Las Vegas Speedway!

[VectorScope]

On 10/31/2024 at 9:51 AM, Stratos said:

I'm sure it will be a blast to fly! Can't wait to fly on Nevada with it and rush over Las Vegas Speedway!

So far in our testing, it's a lot of fun (and also a healthy level of challenging) to fly, especially in formation! 

Edited November 2, 2024 by VectorScope

[VectorScope]

Progress Update: Liveries and Exterior Texturing

In this update, we’re excited to showcase the latest progress in our texturing work on the T-38A Talon. One of the most distinctive features of this aircraft is the variety in liveries used by its many operators. From the wide range of U.S. Air Force liveries to the vibrant red and white schemes of the Turkish Air Force, each operator has brought its own unique touch to the "dress" of the Talon. At Veco Simulations, we’re committed to meticulously recreating these differences, capturing the essence of each version and the character it brings to the aircraft.

Our texturing process involves a layered approach that allows us to build a high level of authenticity into every livery. Structural details like bolts, rivets, and other surface elements are standardized on a dedicated layer, ensuring accuracy and consistency across all liveries. The livery itself sits on a layer sandwiched between these structural details and a weathering layer, allowing for flexibility in creating and modifying liveries without losing detail.

The weathering layer, positioned at the very top, is designed to adapt to the full spectrum of liveries, from bright white to deep black. This adaptability is crucial because weathering behaves differently on light versus dark surfaces. For lighter liveries, like those used by the Turkish Air Force and some U.S. Air Force schemes, we’ll incorporate subtle dirt, grime, and wear to give a realistic, lived-in look without overwhelming the brightness of the paint. For darker liveries, we’ll emphasize elements like edge wear and faded patches that stand out against the deeper tones. This approach allows us to capture the unique aging and operational wear seen on Talons across the globe, regardless of the specific color scheme.

By establishing this flexible, layered foundation, we aim to make livery creation accessible for the community as well. We believe that customizing the Talon’s iconic look is an integral part of the experience, and we can’t wait to see how the community brings their creativity to this platform.

Finally, we’d like to give a huge thank you to our talented livery artist team for their outstanding work and dedication. Their attention to detail and passion for bringing the T-38A’s liveries to life are key to achieving the authenticity we strive for.

[Archangel44]

Wow, just wow.

I wish I had a real one and a pilots license.

I would make a video flying this bird myself and recite this poem:

by John Gillespie Magee

“Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling
mirth Of sun-split clouds, - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared
and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air... Up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy
grace Where never lark, or ever eagle flew - And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.”

[dave76]

     really A M A Z i N  G job VectorScope 

[Volator]

Very nice!

 

But... 1980s ENJJPT liveries? Pretty please?








 

 

Edited November 11, 2024 by Volator

[VectorScope]

On 11/11/2024 at 12:32 AM, Archangel44 said:

Wow, just wow.

I wish I had a real one and a pilots license.

I would make a video flying this bird myself and recite this poem:

by John Gillespie Magee

“Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling
mirth Of sun-split clouds, - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared
and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air... Up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy
grace Where never lark, or ever eagle flew - And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.”

 

11 hours ago, dave76 said:

     really A M A Z i N  G job VectorScope 

 

10 hours ago, Volator said:

Very nice!

 

But... 1980s ENJJPT liveries? Pretty please?








 

 

 

We appreciate the kind words, friends! 

I'll pass on the livery request to the team. I'm sure they're reading anyways.

 

Closer to release, if we forget, feel free to remind us!

[dave76]

Hi VectorScope , any update about release ? Thank you

[352ndOscar]

Would love to see some Talon’s from Columbus (CB)….. many, many, many hours watching these things in the 70’s/80’s up and down the flight line!

[Copprhead]

17 hours ago, dave76 said:

Hi VectorScope , any update about release ? Thank you

There haven't been any major delays in the last months, so we're still on track for release in 2025. 

Edited December 15, 2024 by Copprhead

[dave76]

51 minutes ago, Copprhead said:

There haven't been any major delays in the last months, so we're still on track for release in 2025. 

ok,

[Springfield-902]

cant wait this cool mod !!!

[VectorScope]

Veco Simulations: 2024 End-of-Year Update

As we wrap up 2024, we want to take a moment to look back at what we’ve accomplished and share our plans for the coming year. Developing the iconic Talon for DCS has been a challenging but exciting journey, and we’re eager to update the community on our progress.

Highlights of 2024

This year, we hit several major milestones that have moved us closer to delivering the T-38A in time:

Proof of Concept Completed

One of our biggest achievements was completing the "proof of concept" for all major aircraft systems and essential gameplay features. This step gives us a strong foundation to build on as we refine and improve the mod.

EFM Flight Model

We’ve made big strides in developing the flight dynamics, thanks to new technical documents, including wind tunnel test data. These resources have allowed us to replace estimations with real-world data, making the T-38A’s flight behavior more accurate and realistic.

3D Cockpit Modeling

The cockpit model is nearly finished! Only a few final touches are needed before we move on to animation and texturing. Early 2025 will focus on adding the fine details and textures that will make the cockpit both functional and visually stunning. Below is a preview of the current front cockpit model.

Plans for 2025

Looking ahead, our focus will shift toward refining systems and flight dynamics, using self-built tools to speed up development and improve efficiency. Our plan for 2025 is to fully release the aircraft. While we can't give an exact date, we can say that the groundwork and proof of concept for all of the planned features are done and tested.

New Development Tools and Testing Environment

We’ve introduced powerful in-house debugging tools that provide deeper insights into the aircraft’s systems and behavior. These tools allow us to:

• Monitor engine and system parameters in real time.
• Modify variables, trigger faults, and run test routines dynamically.
• Plot aerodynamic forces and coefficients to analyze flight performance in greater detail.

Testbench Application

We’ve developed a "testbench" application that runs the external flight model (EFM) DLL in a separate simulation loop. This tool allows us to:

• Test flight dynamics, engine performance, and systems behavior quickly and efficiently.
• Use debugging features like breakpoints, hot reloads, and performance profiling - features that aren’t available in DCS.
• Skip lengthy DCS loading times, making it much faster to test and validate code changes.

System Integration Work

With our new tools in place, we’ll focus on integrating the aircraft’s hardware systems and engine. The core components are already developed, and we’ll refine and expand them in multiple stages to ensure they closely mimic the behavior of the real T-38A.

Cockpit Animation and Texturing

The next steps for the cockpit include animation and texturing. These updates will bring the cockpit to life and create a truly immersive experience for users.

Final Thoughts

This year has been a turning point for Veco Simulations. Having gone public in 2024, we’ve made remarkable progress in a very short amount of time. Beyond the strides in the flight model and cockpit, we have also built a solid framework and workflow to support the development of our future aircraft mods (and modules?) for DCS. This foundation not only streamlines our current processes but ensures that Veco Simulations is well-prepared for long-term growth and innovation. As we move into 2025, we’re focused on refining and polishing every detail to ensure the final product exceeds expectations.

We’re incredibly grateful for your support and excitement throughout this journey. Your enthusiasm drives us to push harder and aim higher. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue working to bring the Iconic Talon to life!

Happy New Year from all of us at Veco Simulations!

[t_hedlund]

Wow, this is progressing very nicely.  The cockpit is really looking good. I can't wait to test her out. 

The TestBench Application look very interesting. 

 

[G.J.S]

Certainly a developer to keep a keen eye on. The teams progress has thus far been stellar.

Onward and upward!

[Springfield-902]

hip hip horayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

[Vakarian]

Still hoping this gets added to the DCS core one day. With the amount of work done in the background it surely looks like Veco is here to stay for a while

[Springfield-902]

On 12/30/2024 at 6:21 PM, Vakarian said:

Still hoping this gets added to the DCS core one day. With the amount of work done in the background it surely looks like Veco is here to stay for a while

it will drop any bomb when release ?

Edited January 2 by Springfield-902

[ST0RM]

On 1/2/2025 at 6:39 AM, Springfield-902 said:

it will drop any bomb when release ?

I believe they're building just the trainer version, which did not drop bombs. The AT-38 was slightly different and had provisions to drop BDU-33 training bombs only. 

[Copprhead]

On 1/2/2025 at 12:39 PM, Springfield-902 said:

it will drop any bomb when release ?

No, the T-38A doesn't have any weapons.

 

1 hour ago, ST0RM said:

I believe they're building just the trainer version, which did not drop bombs. The AT-38 was slightly different and had provisions to drop BDU-33 training bombs only. 

This variant can also carry rockets or a gunpod.

But as said, the T-38A can't carry any weapons. 

[ST0RM]

1 hour ago, Copprhead said:

No, the T-38A doesn't have any weapons.

 

This variant can also carry rockets or a gunpod.

But as said, the T-38A can't carry any weapons. 

Sorry, "only" was in reference to the BDU-33s. The only bomb type is could carry. 

[Springfield-902]

its ok good for formation pratice !!

11 hours ago, Copprhead said:

No, the T-38A doesn't have any weapons.

 

This variant can also carry rockets or a gunpod.

But as said, the T-38A can't carry any weapons. 

 

[VectorScope]

1500 Strong on Discord & YouTube each! + Meet the Current Veco Simulations Team!

We’ve just hit 1500 Discord members and 1500 YouTube subscribers at nearly the same time! This is a huge milestone for us, and it’s all thanks to you.

Your support, feedback, and passion mean the world to us. Whether you’re here to chat, share ideas, follow the progress of our project, or *even ask when the Talon will be released*, every interaction fuels our drive to aim higher and push forward.

We believe that transparency is key to building trust and collaboration with our community. To celebrate this milestone, we’d like to introduce you to the talented individuals behind the scenes who are working hard voluntarily to bring the T-38A Talon to life:

• Copprhead (Lead Developer): Graduate Computer Scientist with 17+ years of experience as a software engineer, several years as team lead and project lead of international multi-year-long software development projects.
• Vector (Lead Artist): VFX Artist / Finishing Artist with 7+ years of experience in commercial/film post-production and workflow optimization.
• Baydu (Developer): Senior Software Engineer with 11+ years of experience, a master’s degree in aerospace engineering and extensive experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD).
• Cuper (Developer): Software Developer who previously worked for a 3rd-party development team with a focus on turbojet simulations, and various EFM mods.
• Roughmaster (2D Artist): 2nd Assistant Camera and Director of Photography, as well as a highly acclaimed DCS World livery maker.
• Breadmaker (3D Artist): Briefing Officer (aviation), Freelance 3D/2D artist, creator of the DCS SK60 mod, and the founder of BAAS Dynamics.

We’d also like to give a special shout-out to our amazing livery artists, whose creativity and attention to detail help us bring the T-38 Talon to DCS.

Special thanks also goes to Kujo, Panic, Unc0nn3ct3d, Tango, and Kunefe and the Virtual Turkish Stars team for their various contributions!

And, of course, our SME team, with tens of thousands of combined real flight hours and deep T-38 experience, who continue to provide invaluable insights.

Thank you for your support!

https://discord.gg/ZFK7mVKa5t

https://www.youtube.com/@VecoSimulations

[dave76]

hi, any update guys ?