Northrop F-5E Tiger II
Northrop’s privately-funded jet fighter, the F-5A Freedom Fighter, was an export success for the company and for the United States, but Northrop felt that the design had even more potential. The F-5A was optimized for ground attack and had little to no air-to-air capability, but its performance, small size, and easy maintenance and handling characteristics promised that it could be a superb fighter. With this in mind, Northrop proposed to the USAF an advanced version, known as the F-5A-21. While the USAF was not interested in it, it agreed with Northrop that it could serve as a good fighter for the US’ allies, and as a replacement for the F-5A. Development of the aircraft went forward from 1970, redesignated F-5E Tiger II, as it would be practically a new aircraft.
The F-5E externally still bore a strong resemblance to the F-5A, but was much different. It was fitted with more powerful J85 afterburning engines, pushing its top speed over Mach 1, and added a foot in length and width. This in turn required a larger wing, which was accomplished by retaining the wings of the F-5A, but adding a leading-edge wing extension (LERX) for better performance; it also incorporated some improvements made to the original F-5A design by Dutch and Canadian license-built aircraft. The F-5E would still be unstable (which would be cured later by adding a fin fillet and a flatter nose), but an experienced pilot could use this to his advantage, and it was still relatively simple to fly. Unlike the F-5A, the F-5E had a small radar and was meant for air combat, although it was limited to close-range fights with its guns and AIM-9 Sidewinders. Northrop also offered a two-seat conversion trainer, the longer F-5F, which retained all the combat capability of the single-seater, and in a dedicated reconnaissance version, the RF-5E Tigereye, which replaces one cannon with cameras in a flattened nose. The first F-5E flew in August 1972.
The F-5E found instant success as an export fighter, as it retained all of the good aspects of the earlier F-5A but added significant air combat ability. The USAF was initially not interested in the F-5E, buying a small number as trainers for allied air forces, mainly the South Vietnamese Air Force. However, after the success of the US Navy’s Top Gun program, which had used borrowed T-38 Talons and F-5Es, the USAF began buying F-5Es for the Red Flag program to simulate the MiG-21. These aircraft were flown by some of the most expert pilots in the USAF, and pilots who were coming into the service flying the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon soon found to their detriment that the little F-5 was a dangerous adversary; their counterparts in F-14 Tomcats and F/A-18 Hornets learned the same lessons at Top Gun. While the US never used the F-5 in combat, the simulated combat it has undertaken undoubtedly ensured the survival and success of many American and NATO pilots in the wars of the 1990s.
As an export fighter, the F-5E is possibly the most successful Western design since World War II, with its only rival the F-16—which was often purchased to replace it. Fully 27 nations flew F-5Es, and this even included two onetime adversaries, North Vietnam and the Soviet Union; after the fall of South Vietnam, the Vietnamese People’s Air Force absorbed the surviving F-5Es and flew them into the 1980s, sending others to the Soviet Union for evaluation. It has been used extensively in combat as well, by Iran, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.
Today, the F-5E remains in service, upgraded far beyond the wildest dreams of Northrop’s engineers in 1970. Modern F-5Es have undergone a bewildering number of upgrade programs, resulting in aircraft with nearly the capabilities of the F-16. While the USAF withdrew its F-5Es in 1990 due to wing cracks, replacing them in the aggressor role with F-16s, the US Navy and Marines still fly ex-Swiss, upgraded F-5Ns at Top Gun. 12 air forces still operate F-5Es as of this writing.
Though painted as one, 73-1640 never actually served as an aggressor aircraft. It actually did not enter service until 1976; up to that point, it remained with Northrop as a chase aircraft at Edwards AFB, California. Once it did join the USAF, it would be used as a lead-in fighter trainer with the 405th Tactical Training Wing at Williams AFB, Arizona. It remained at Williams for its entire career until it was retired around 1989, and was eventually donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum.
It may not have been an aggressor, but 73-1640 certainly looks the part, dressed up in desert camouflage of yellow and brown. (I believe this camouflage is called "Banana," but I may be wrong on that.) F-5s in this color scheme were flown by the 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons at Nellis AFB, Nevada.
Northrop F-5E Tiger II
Northrop’s privately-funded jet fighter, the F-5A Freedom Fighter, was an export success for the company and for the United States, but Northrop felt that the design had even more potential. The F-5A was optimized for ground attack and had little to no air-to-air capability, but its performance, small size, and easy maintenance and handling characteristics promised that it could be a superb fighter. With this in mind, Northrop proposed to the USAF an advanced version, known as the F-5A-21. While the USAF was not interested in it, it agreed with Northrop that it could serve as a good fighter for the US’ allies, and as a replacement for the F-5A. Development of the aircraft went forward from 1970, redesignated F-5E Tiger II, as it would be practically a new aircraft.
The F-5E externally still bore a strong resemblance to the F-5A, but was much different. It was fitted with more powerful J85 afterburning engines, pushing its top speed over Mach 1, and added a foot in length and width. This in turn required a larger wing, which was accomplished by retaining the wings of the F-5A, but adding a leading-edge wing extension (LERX) for better performance; it also incorporated some improvements made to the original F-5A design by Dutch and Canadian license-built aircraft. The F-5E would still be unstable (which would be cured later by adding a fin fillet and a flatter nose), but an experienced pilot could use this to his advantage, and it was still relatively simple to fly. Unlike the F-5A, the F-5E had a small radar and was meant for air combat, although it was limited to close-range fights with its guns and AIM-9 Sidewinders. Northrop also offered a two-seat conversion trainer, the longer F-5F, which retained all the combat capability of the single-seater, and in a dedicated reconnaissance version, the RF-5E Tigereye, which replaces one cannon with cameras in a flattened nose. The first F-5E flew in August 1972.
The F-5E found instant success as an export fighter, as it retained all of the good aspects of the earlier F-5A but added significant air combat ability. The USAF was initially not interested in the F-5E, buying a small number as trainers for allied air forces, mainly the South Vietnamese Air Force. However, after the success of the US Navy’s Top Gun program, which had used borrowed T-38 Talons and F-5Es, the USAF began buying F-5Es for the Red Flag program to simulate the MiG-21. These aircraft were flown by some of the most expert pilots in the USAF, and pilots who were coming into the service flying the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon soon found to their detriment that the little F-5 was a dangerous adversary; their counterparts in F-14 Tomcats and F/A-18 Hornets learned the same lessons at Top Gun. While the US never used the F-5 in combat, the simulated combat it has undertaken undoubtedly ensured the survival and success of many American and NATO pilots in the wars of the 1990s.
As an export fighter, the F-5E is possibly the most successful Western design since World War II, with its only rival the F-16—which was often purchased to replace it. Fully 27 nations flew F-5Es, and this even included two onetime adversaries, North Vietnam and the Soviet Union; after the fall of South Vietnam, the Vietnamese People’s Air Force absorbed the surviving F-5Es and flew them into the 1980s, sending others to the Soviet Union for evaluation. It has been used extensively in combat as well, by Iran, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia.
Today, the F-5E remains in service, upgraded far beyond the wildest dreams of Northrop’s engineers in 1970. Modern F-5Es have undergone a bewildering number of upgrade programs, resulting in aircraft with nearly the capabilities of the F-16. While the USAF withdrew its F-5Es in 1990 due to wing cracks, replacing them in the aggressor role with F-16s, the US Navy and Marines still fly ex-Swiss, upgraded F-5Ns at Top Gun. 12 air forces still operate F-5Es as of this writing.
Though painted as one, 73-1640 never actually served as an aggressor aircraft. It actually did not enter service until 1976; up to that point, it remained with Northrop as a chase aircraft at Edwards AFB, California. Once it did join the USAF, it would be used as a lead-in fighter trainer with the 405th Tactical Training Wing at Williams AFB, Arizona. It remained at Williams for its entire career until it was retired around 1989, and was eventually donated to the Hill Aerospace Museum.
It may not have been an aggressor, but 73-1640 certainly looks the part, dressed up in desert camouflage of yellow and brown. (I believe this camouflage is called "Banana," but I may be wrong on that.) F-5s in this color scheme were flown by the 64th and 65th Aggressor Squadrons at Nellis AFB, Nevada.