The F-5 series of fighters was an attempt to produce a lightweight combat aircraft in face of the prevailing high weights and associated costs involved in fighter aircraft production. The initial production version was the F-5A which first flew in 1963 and the type was supplied to a number of countries under the Military Assistance Program including Greece, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Turkey, Philippines, Thailand and Saudi Arabia. A reconnaissance version was the RF-5A (107 built) and the two seat trainer was the F-5B (293 built). Of the F-5A’s built, 164 were built by Canadair for the Canadian Armed Forces as the CF-5A (89) and the Netherlands Air Force (75 NF-5A’s). CASA in Spain also built 36 SF-5A’s and 34 SF-5B’s. The type was further developed as the F-5E Tiger 11 (1166 built) which first flew in 1972 powered by 2x 5000lb.s.t.(22.25kN) General Electrics and with a maximum take-off weight of 15,745lb (7142kg). The two seat trainer version was the F-5F (241 built). A small number of F-5A’s and F-5B’s are now flown in civil markings.

N4416T                 c/n GG1001                    USA

Single seat fighter bomber first flown in 1959