EDUARD
EDUARD FREEDOM TIGER – LIMITED – 11182 SCALA 1:48
The F-5 is a legendary fighter aircraft designed and built by the American company Northrop, which in the 1960s was the only fighter aircraft manufacturer to offer a light and affordable fighter. The F-5 was produced in two versions; F-5A single-seat designated fighter and F-5B two-seat training and combat. The F-5 was much smaller than modern fighters and weighed about a third of the weight of the popular F-4 Phantom. It owed such a small size to the engines used. Northrop designers saw early progress in developing small turbojet engines built for guided missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. They found that these engines had a favorable thrust-to-weight ratio, and because they were also relatively small, they could be used in a twin-engine airplane, thus ensuring greater propulsion reliability. The aircraft did not have complicated avionics and electronics, so preparation for the mission and inspections did not require much work. As a result, the combat readiness factor of units armed with these machines was very high, especially compared to other supersonic aircraft of that period. The F-5 had relatively simple equipment, which limited its combat capabilities, but nevertheless the machine was a reasonable compromise between price and value. It provided the aviation of poor countries with considerable defensive and offensive potential. Northrop designers sought to build the smallest fighter possible. The F-5A was armed with two 20 mm M39A-2 cannons mounted in the nose of the machine, and the ammunition supply was 280 rounds per gun. Access, maintenance and ammunition resupply procedures did not cause problems, as did other maintenance activities. All teams were within reach of the armorer standing on the ground. It was similarly simple to adjust the setting of the guns so that their arrays converged at a specific point in front of the machine. The basic tools were enough to do this. The theoretical rate of fire of the guns was 1500 rounds per minute. Even a short burst from this weapon could have devastating effects. The wingtips are designed to hang Sidewinder missiles, a formidable air-to-air weapon. The F-5 is stable and has good handling properties, so you get great accuracy when firing cannons. Unlike the F-5A, the two-seat version of the F-5B Freedom Fighter was not armed with cannons, but like the single-seat version, it had seven suspension nodes for various weapons and additional fuel tanks. The F-5 has repeatedly proven itself in attacks on ground targets, it was maneuverable at both low and high speed, had good visibility from the cabin, was very stable. When the F-5 entered service in 1964, it was immediately successful: 85 percent. The fighting competitions held at that time led to the success of this little fighter. In January 1971, due to the modifications made, the F-5A/B was redesignated F-5E, better known as Tiger II. Two years later, the two-seat version of the Tiger II, designated the F-5F, also appeared. In the E/F version, this aircraft is used as an introductory aircraft, after which the pilots transition to the F-18. Since 1994, Northrop Grumman and USAAF have collaborated intensively to further upgrade the airframe, avionics and cockpit of the F-5E/F. As a result, Northrop Grumman is poised for the modernization of F-5A/B aircraft in next four phases or immediately to the highest standard known as Tiger IV. The improvements concern the equipment of the aircraft with a multi-range radar (e.g. APG-66), combat mission computers, multifunctional imaging systems in the cabin, HUD, navigation system, installation of on-board oxygen generation, ejection seat, weapons management system, modern flight control systems, as well as replacement airframe elements made of lighter or stronger materials. The F-5 also offers things like combat mission software borrowed from the F-20, more powerful engines. You can also order a wing replacement, making it possible to hang Maverick missiles. There are and will be many more possibilities for modernization, because Northrop/Grumman engineers are constantly working on it. So it's no surprise that the F-5 is one of the most successful export products in the history of the US aerospace industry. Technical data (for F-5A version): Maximum speed: 1.4 Ma, rate of climb: 146 m/s, practical ceiling: 15550 m, maximum range: 2520 km, armament: two 20 mm M39A-2 cannons , Suspended - up to 2,800 kg of bombs and rockets.