Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter
Northrop · United States · first flew 1959 · fighter
The Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter was a lightweight supersonic fighter developed for export under the US Military Assistance Program, optimised for simplicity and low cost over maximum performance.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Narrow fuselage with twin J85 turbojet exhausts very close together at the tail |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Short, simple pointed nose without the leading-edge root extensions (LERX) of the F-5E
- Narrow fuselage with twin J85 turbojet exhausts very close together at the tail
- Single-seat cockpit with a small, low-profile bubble canopy and no blended wing-body shaping
Distinguished from the F-5E Tiger II by the absence of leading-edge root extensions — the F-5A wing root blends cleanly into the fuselage rather than curving forward. The nose is also simpler and shorter than the Tiger II's.
Specifications
- The Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter has a length of 14.38 m (47 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 7.7 m (25 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1487 km/h (924 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in July 1959, the F-5A entered service in 1964 and was supplied to over 25 nations as part of the US Foreign Military Sales programme. It was designed to operate from austere airfields with minimal maintenance and proved highly successful in both training and combat roles.
Variants
The F-5B was the two-seat trainer version. The T-38 Talon shares the same engine and basic structure but was optimised from the outset for training. The F-5E Tiger II succeeded it with uprated engines and LERX.
Where you'll see it
Operated by dozens of air forces across four continents; the USAF used the two-seat F-5B as an aggressor trainer. Many remain in service with smaller air forces in Asia and Africa.
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- Northrop T-38A Talon
- T-38 Talon
- Northrop QT-39A Talon
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- Dassault Mirage IIIB
- English Electric Lightning F.1
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