On this day in aviation history, 64 years ago (September 15, 1961), legendary aviator Jackie Cochran set a new record for flight distance over a closed course. Cochran, already one of the most accomplished female pilots in history, chose the sleek Northrop T-38A-30-NO Talon (s/n 60-0551) for the mission. Taking off from Edwards Air Force Base, California, she flew with precision and determination — accompanied by famed test pilot Chuck Yeager, who flew chase and took notes throughout the record run.
“I was amazed at the way Jackie handled the aircraft at high altitude. Everything looked good on the entire flight,” Yeager later recalled. On September 15, 1961, Jackie Cochran shattered the world record for flight distance over a closed course in a Northrop T-38 Talon. Flying from Edwards AFB with Chuck Yeager chasing in an F-100, Cochran covered 1,346 miles and cemented her status as one of aviation’s greatest pioneers.Cochran’s flight covered 1,346.37 miles, setting a new Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) world record for distance over a closed course. This was just one of several records she achieved in the T-38 during August and September of 1961, including speed and altitude marks. Yeager praised her performance again in his own log: “Flew closed course distance for record today and had a good run. Jackie did an excellent job even with bad weather. I chased her in an F-100 all the way.”
The Northrop T-38 Talon itself is a remarkable machine — a two-seat, twin-engine supersonic jet trainer that first flew on April 10, 1959, and remains in service today with NASA, the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and Turkish Air Force. Powered by two General Electric J85-5A turbojet engines producing a combined 7,700 pounds of thrust with afterburner, the T-38 can reach speeds of up to 838 mph (Mach 1.3), climb at a blistering 33,600 feet per minute, and soar to a service ceiling of 50,000 feet. These characteristics made it an ideal aircraft for Cochran’s record-breaking flights.
Today, T-38 Talon 60-0551 is proudly displayed at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Suspended from the ceiling, it serves as a tribute to Jackie Cochran’s daring spirit and the pioneering women aviators who paved the way for future generations.
