Subject: New Fighter Series--Northrop F-5 (8 of 11)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 8 Aug 94 16:46:29 GMT

>From [email-masked]

Production of the F-5A was still underway when the USAF announced a 
competition for an IFA (International Fighter Aircraft) to be the 
F-5A/B's successor.  This time, the emphasis would be on the 
air-superiority role as opposed to the tactical fighter role.  
Potential customers would be those nations faced with threats from 
opponents operating late-generation MiG-21s.  

Four companies entered the competition--Ling-Temco-Vought with a 
development of the F-8 Crusader, Lockeed with the CL-1200 Lancer, a 
development of the F-104 Starfighter, McDonnell Douglas with a 
simplified version of the Phantom, and Northrop with an upgraded 
version of the F-5A/B.  

The Northrop entry was initially known as F-5A-21, after its 
more-powerful General Electric J85-GE-21A turbojets, each rated at 
5000 lb.s.t.  with afterburning.  The air intakes had to be increased 
in area to provide more air to the engines and the fuselage had to be 
made somewhat wider to accommodate the extra compressor stages of the 
J85-GE-21.  The F-5A-21 was 15 inches longer than the F-5A.  The extra 
fuselage space enabled the fitting of larger fuel tanks, increasing 
fuel capacity from 585 to 671 gallons.  The F-5A-21 placed emphasis on 
maneuverability rather than on high speed.  It incorporated a system 
of maneuvering flaps that was based on a similar system that had been 
used on the Netherlands Air Force's Canadair-built NF-5A/B.  Full-span 
leading-edge flaps worked in conjunction with conventional 
trailing-edge flaps.  The wing area was increased to 186 square feet, 
most of the increase in area due to the wider fuselage.  The tapered 
inboard wing leading edge extension was modified to enhance airflow 
over the wing at high angles of attack.  

The F-5A had a rather austere electronics suite, having only the most 
rudimentary of radar-ranging gunsights.  The F-5A-21 was to have a 
much more advanced avionics fit, which would provide it with much 
better air-to-air capability.  It was to have had an Emerson Electric 
AN/APQ-159 lightweight miniature X-band pulse radar for air search and 
range tracking.  The fire control radar in the nose was to be slaved 
to an AN/ASG-31 lead computing optical gunsight.  The lead computing 
optical gunsight uses input from the radar for the launching of 
air-to-air missiles or the firing of cannon, and provides 
roll-stabilized manually-depressible reticle aim reference for the 
delivery of air-to-ground weapons.  The F-5A carried only a simple 
optical gunsight.  

The F-5A-21 incorporated other features that had originally been 
developed for Canadian, Dutch, and Norwegian F-5As.  These included a 
two-position nose landing gear which increased wing angle of attack on 
the ground by 3 degrees.  This helped to decrease the length of the 
takeoff run.  The runway arrester hook for short-field use was made 
standard.  

A company demonstrator F-5B (serial number 63-8445) was converted by 
the General Electric company as a flying test bed for the J85-GE-21 
engines.  It became known unofficially as the F-5B-21.  The F-5B-21 
flew for the first time on March 28, 1969, with John Fritz at the 
controls.  During flight testing, the two-position nosewheel developed 
for the Canadair CF-5 was added, and auxiliary air intake louvered 
doors were added to the fuselage sides aft of the wings.  

On November 20, 1970, the Northrop entry was declared the winner of 
the IFA competition, and an order was placed for five development and 
325 production aircraft.  In January of 1971, it was reclassified as 
F-5E.  The aircraft came to be known as *Tiger II*, after the nickname 
that the F-5A has acquired in Vietnam as a result of the *Skoshi 
Tiger* program.  

The first F-5E (71-1417) took off on its maiden flight on August 11, 
1972, Hank Chouteau being at the controls.  Later that month, the USAF 
began evaluation tests at Edwards AFB.  On April 4, 1973, the first 
Tiger II reached the 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at 
Chandler AFB in Arizona.  This squadron was assigned the task of 
training for crews that had acquired the F-5E under the Mutual 
Assistance Pact (MAP).  

Northrop took F-5E 72-1390 to the 1973 Paris Salon for demonstration 
before potential customers.  It was spectacularly demonstrated by 
North American test pilot Bob Hoover.  

Serial numbers of Northrop F-5E Tiger II:

71-1417/1421		Northrop F-5E-NO Tiger II
72-1386/1406		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
73-0846/0888		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
73-0890			Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
73-0892/0902		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
73-0903/0990		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
73-1626/1646		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
74-0958/0997		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
74-1362/1575		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
74-1582/1617		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
75-0314/0373		Northrop F-5E Tiger II  
75-0442/0527		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
75-0562/0617		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
76-0471/0490		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
76-1526/1591		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
76-1616/1639		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
76-1643/1663		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
76-1664/1676		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
76-1677/1686		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
77-0328/0335		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
77-0366/0379		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
77-1767/1777		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
78-0028/0037		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
78-0770/0773		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
78-0789/0801		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
78-0814/0821		Northrop F-5E Tiger II - 
78-0826/0829		Northrop F-5E Tiger II - 
78-0865/0875		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
78-2447			Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
79-1681/1691		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
79-1694/1707		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
79-1717/1720		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
79-1721/1726		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
79-1920/1941		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
80-0299/0319		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
80-3501/3537		Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II 
81-0558/0593		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
81-0614/0625		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
81-0632/0638		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
81-0823/0857		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
82-0634/0635		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
82-0636			Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
82-0637/0639		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
82-0644/0645		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
83-0083/0112		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
84-0183/0184		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
84-0490/0491		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
85-0043/0044 		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
85-0057/0058 		Northrop F-5E Tiger II
85-1586/1591 		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 
86-0405/0409		Northrop F-5E Tiger II 

Specification of Northrop F-5E Tiger II: 

Two General Electric J85-GE-21A turbojets, 5000 lb.s.t. with 
afterburning.  Maximum speed: Mach 1.63 at 36,000 feet.  Maximum 
cruising speed without afterburning: Mach 0.98 at 36,000 feet.  
Stalling speed 143 mph with flaps extended.  Service ceiling: 51,800 
feet.  Initial climb rate: 34,500 feet per minute at combat weight of 
13,350 pounds.  Takeoff run: 2000 feet at weight of 15,550 pounds.  
Takeoff run: 5700 feet at maximum takeoff weight of 24,676 pounds.  
Landing run from 50 feet without braking parachute was 4650 feet at 
weight of 11,530 pounds.  Landing run with brake chute was 2500 feet 
at 11,530 pounds.  Range with maximum fuel was 1543 miles.  Combat 
radius with 5200-pound ordnance load, maximum fuel, and two 
Sidewinders 195 miles.  Combat radius with maximum fuel and 2 
Sidewinder missiles 656 miles.  Total internal fuel capacity of 677 US 
gallons.  One 150 or 275 US gallon drop tank could be carried on the 
fuselage centerline pylon and on the inboard underwing pylon.  
bringing total fuel capacity to 1502 US gallons.  There is provision 
for inflight refuelling by means of a detachable probe.  Dimensions: 
wingspan 26 feet 8 inches, length 48 feet 2 inches, height 13 feet 4 
inches, wing area 186 square feet.  Weights: 9683 pounds empty, 13,350 
pounds combat, 15,745 pounds gross, 24,676 pounds maximum takeoff.  
Armed with two 20-mm M39A2 cannon with 280 rpg in the fuselage nose.  
Two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles could be carried at the wingtips.  Five 
pylons, one under the fuselage centerline and four under the wings 
that can carry up to 7000 pounds of ordnance or fuel tanks.  

Sources:

  The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.

  Jane's American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th Centry, Michael J.H.
  Taylor, mallard Press

  The World's Fighting Planes, William Green, Doubleday, 1964.

  Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston and Mike Spick, Crescent, 1983.

  United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and
  Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

  Post-World War II Fighters: 1945-1973, Marcelle Size Knaac,
  Office of Air Force History, 1986.

  Northrop F-5/F-20, Jerry Scutts, Ian Allan Ltd, 1986.

  F-5: Warplane for the World, Robbie Shaw, Motorbooks, 1990

  The World Guide to Combat Planes, William Green, Macdonald, 1966. 

  Fighters of the United States Air Force, Robert F. Dorr and
  David Donald, Temple Press/Aerospace, 1990

  The World's Great Attack Aircraft, Gallery, 1988.

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