F-5 Freedom Fighter
| F-5 Freedom Fighter | ||
|---|---|---|
 Canadian Air Force CF-116 Freedom Fighters | ||
| TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS (for the F-5 Tiger II) | ||
| Description | ||
| Role | Light tactical fighter | |
| Crew | 1 | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 47 ft 4.75 in | 14.45 m |
| Wingspan (without AAMs) | 26 ft 8 in | 8.13 m |
| Wingspan (with AAMs) | 28 ft | 8.5 3m |
| Height | 13 ft 4.5 in | 4.08 m |
| Wing area | 186 ft² | 17.28 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 9,558 lb | 4,349 kg |
| Loaded | ||
| Maximum take-off | 24,664 lb | 11,187 kg |
| Fuel | ||
| Internal | 677 US gal | 2,563 L |
| External (up to 3 drop tanks) | 275 US gal per tank | 1,040 L per tank |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engines | Two General Electric J85-GE-21B | |
| Power (dry) | 3,500 lb | 15.5 kN |
| Power (afterburner) | 5,000 lb | 22.2 kN |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 917 knots | 1,700 km/h |
| Combat radius | 760 nautical miles | 1,405 km |
| Ferry range | 2,010 nautical miles | 3,720 km |
| Service ceiling | 51,800 ft | 15,590 m |
| Rate of climb | 34,400 ft/min | 10,455 m/min |
| Armament | ||
| Guns | Two 20 mm Pontiac (Colt-Browning) M39A2 Cannons | |
| Bombs | Up to 7000 lb (3175 kg) mixed M129 Leaflet 500 lb (225 kg) Mk82 2000 lb (900 kg) Mk84 CBU-24/49/52/58 Cluster | |
| Missiles | AIM-7 Sparrow AIM-9 Sidewinder AGM-65 Maverick | |
F-5 Freedom Fighter (or Tiger) is a fighter aircraft, designed and built by Northrop in the USA, beginning in 1962.
Originally designed by Northrop (designated N-156) as a low-cost, low maintenance fighter, there was little market for such a craft. The U.S. Army expressed interest in it for ground support, but the U.S. Air Force was not going to let the Army operate fighters, nor would the Air Force fly them for the Army. The F-5 was just one more good design that fell to bureaucracy and inter-service rivalry.
When the Military Assistance Program under the Kennedy Administration needed an a low cost fighter for distribution to less-developed nations, it was necessary to look only at Northrops' N-156, the "Skoshi (Little) Tiger." One of the first nations to receive these new fighters was South Vietnam, where it proved its effectiveness against Communist forces. Interestingly enough, when the base at Bien Hoa, Vietnam was overrun by communist forces, several of the planes were captured and, pilots for the South found themselves confronting these fighters.
With additional armor plating and upgraded engines, the F-5 became the only aircraft designated as it's own replacement, dubbed the "Tiger II". There have been many variations on this basic design, including reconnaisance versions. The F-5 has been sold to many nations, and became the primary fighter for numerous air forces.
The F-5 was adopted for an opposing forces training role because of it's performance similarities to the Soviet MiG's. A trainer version, the T-38 Talon, was adopted by the U.S. Air Force as a pilots' first introduction to supersonic flight.
This design has served as a basis for other notable aircraft such as the F-20 Tigershark. The F-18 Hornet was derived from the YF-17 Cobra which in turn was based, in part, on the F-5 Tiger II.
| Related content | |
|---|---|
| Related Development | T-38 - F-20 - X-29 |
| Similar Aircraft | Aeritalia G.91 - Dassault Etendard |
| Designation Series | F-2 - F-3 - F-4 - F-5 - F-6 - F-7 - F-8 |
| Related Lists | List of military aircraft of the United States - List of fighter aircraft |
| List of Aircraft - Aircraft Manufacturers - Aircraft Engines - Aircraft Engine Manufacturers |
| Airlines - Air Forces - Aircraft Weapons - Missiles - Years in Aviation |