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Contents Listing - Articles & Features in this issue
8 Gentleman Genius 30 Fang and Talon 34 A Fighter for the World 40 Skoshi Tigers and Commandos 48 Tigereyes & Tigergazers 54 Second generation success 58 Swiss precision 66 The Tiger and the Corsair 70 The F-5 abroad 80 Flying with the Aggressors 98 On display! 106 Inside the F-5 112 Ultimate and unusual F-5s 116 Adversary tactics 122 The T-X programme 126 Survivors
Article Snippets
This issue of Aviation Classics moves forward into the 1960s with an iconic Cold War jet fighter that was to become one of the most successful and widely used aircraft of the period. The design began as the N-156 of 1959, a privately funded light fighter concept from Northrop, developed over the next twenty years into a variety of roles and serving with 36 air forces world wide. Simultaneously with the single seat fighter, Northrop also developed a two seat trainer from the same design, the T-38 Talon, which became the worlda€ s first supersonic trainer when it entered service in March 1961. Aside from the dedicated trainer aircraft, there was also a separate two seat version of the fighter known as the F-5B. Although the US Air Force did not require a lightweight fighter, a small number of F-5s were purchased as training and aggressor aircraft, as well as twelve that were tested in combat conditions during the Vietnam War under as the Skoshi Tiger project. The two seat trainer was a different story, the US Air Force and Navy acquiring the majority of the 1,187 built as advanced and weapons trainers. The majority of the early single seat fighters were supplied to US allies, with over 800 being supplied to air forces as far apart as Norway and Taiwan. A complete upgrade to the aircraft resulted in the F-5E and two seat F-5F of 1972, as well as a new name, the Tiger II. The new aircraft proved equally popular with air forces world wide, with 1,411 being built, many under licence in Korea, Switzerland and Taiwan. The fighter versions were to see combat service with the Ethiopian, Iranian, Kenyan, Moroccan, Saudi Arabian and Yemeni Air Forces between 1979 to the present day. Aside from the large number of operators across the globe, the lithe and nimble F-5 is most famous as the mount of a number of national aerobatic teams, including the Patrouille Suisse, USAF Thunderbirds, Iranian Golden Crowns and the Turkish Stars. Aviation Classics explores the complete history of this often overlooked but highly significant aircraft, truly a fighter for the world.
