How do I install and use a T-38 add-on in FSX?

To install a T-38 add-on in FSX or FSX: Steam Edition, extract it and place the aircraft folder containing aircraft.cfg and an .air file in SimObjects\Airplanes. Copy supplied gauges and effects to their matching FSX folders, select the T-38 in Free Flight, then follow its manual for model-specific controls.

Is the download a complete T-38 or only a repaint?

Check the archive before copying anything: many files labelled T-38 are repaints or repairs, not flyable aircraft.

A repair archive cannot be selected as a separate aeroplane. For example, our TuAF T-38A/B texture repair instructions apply replacement files to the required T-38 installation; they do not provide the complete base aircraft.

If the readme identifies the model as an FS2004 or FS9 aircraft, treat it as a port-over. It may have missing gauges, an unusable virtual cockpit or other compatibility problems in FSX and FSX: Steam Edition.

Where does the T-38 aircraft folder go?

The T-38 folder belongs directly inside the active FSX SimObjects\Airplanes directory.

Those are common default paths, not fixed requirements. If FSX or Steam is installed on another drive, use the installation containing fsx.exe.

1. Extract the archive first. Unpack it to a temporary folder rather than opening files directly inside the ZIP archive.
2. Find the actual aircraft folder. Open folders until you reach the level containing aircraft.cfg, the T-38 .air file and folders such as model, panel, sound and texture.
3. Copy that folder into Airplanes. The result should resemble FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes\T-38\aircraft.cfg, not FSX\SimObjects\Airplanes\T-38\T-38\aircraft.cfg. An extra wrapper folder is a mistake we see constantly.
4. Install supporting files selectively. Copy the contents of any supplied Effects or Gauges folders into the matching FSX folders. Do not create paths such as FSX\Gauges\Gauges, and do not overwrite existing files without making a backup.
5. Read package-specific instructions. Custom gauges, fonts, modules and shared sound sets may have their own locations. Approve an FSX trust prompt only when the file came from a package you trust.

For archives with an unusual layout, our full explanation of FSX aircraft folders and supporting files covers manual and installer-based packages in more detail.

How do I select and fly the T-38 in FSX?

Open the Free Flight aircraft-selection dialogue and look for the manufacturer, type and variation recorded in the T-38's aircraft.cfg file.

The archive's folder name may not match the name shown in FSX. Open aircraft.cfg with a text editor and inspect ui_manufacturer=, ui_type= and ui_variation= under the first [fltsim.x] section. Enable the option to show all variations if only one livery appears; our aircraft selection walkthrough explains the filters and variation list.

• For the first test, load the T-38 on a runway with the engines running. This separates installation faults from cold-start or custom-system issues.
• Use the normal FSX assignments for throttle, brakes, rudder, landing gear, flaps and spoilers or speed brake unless the manual specifies custom commands.
• Ctrl+E can start models wired to FSX's standard automatic-start system. A more detailed T-38 may require its own switches and sequence.
• Use the reference speeds and checklist supplied with that particular add-on. Flight models differ, so figures from another T-38 package may not suit it.
• Check the readme for popup panels and cockpit clickspots. A missing virtual cockpit is not necessarily an installation fault; some older models provide only a 2D panel.

Why does the T-38 not appear or work correctly?

A missing T-38 is usually caused by an extra folder level, a repaint installed without its base model, or an invalid aircraft configuration entry.

If the folder structure looks correct but the aircraft still fails, follow our systematic FSX add-on fault checks before reinstalling the whole simulator.