In the mid-1950s, the USAF required a trainer with higher performance that the T-33 to better prepare student pilots for the latest tactical aircraft that were coming into service. The aircraft chosen was the T-38A which offered high performance with low maintenance and operating costs. The T-38A became the USAF's first supersonic trainer. The T-38A prototype first flew on 10 April 1959, and production continued until 1972. A total of 1,189 T-38As were built. Some were later modified into AT-38Bs with external armament for weapons training purposes.

Jacqueline Cochran set eight performance records in the fall of 1961 flying a production T-38A and in February 1962 a T-38A set (4) international time-to-climb records. The USAF Thunderbirds used the T-38As from 1974 to 1982 because of their economic operation and high performance. Other users of the T-38A include the U.S. Navy in their Top Gun combat simulation program and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The aircraft on display was flown to the Museum of Aviation in August 2004 from the USAF Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, CA where it was used an actual test aircraft and chase aircraft for various other aircraft flight tests.