Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter
The Northrop F-5 was designed from the outset as an affordable, easy-to-maintain fighter that smaller air forces without a superpower's budget could still operate effectively, in contrast to the far more expensive fighters the US and Soviet Union built for themselves. Its light weight and simple twin-engine design gave it strong agility despite modest power, and it became a favourite adversary trainer aircraft used to simulate enemy fighters in air combat training. Decades after its 1959 first flight, upgraded F-5 variants remain in frontline service with numerous smaller air forces worldwide.
_2011-10-23_Andre_Gerwing_Collection_ID_013377.jpg){kind=link}
Did you know?
Designed as an affordable fighter smaller air forces could operate without a superpower's budget, the F-5 became a favourite adversary trainer.
Specifications
| Length | 14.5 m (47 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 8.5 m (28 ft) |
| Height | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 1 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 9.2 t |
| Range | 1,385 NM (2,565 km) |
| Maximum speed | 917 kt (1,698 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 51,800 ft (15,789 m) |
| Rate of climb | 34,400 ft/min (174.8 m/s) |
| Take-off distance | 1,800 m (5,906 ft) |
| Landing distance | 800 m (2,625 ft) |
| Fuel capacity | 2,200 l |
| Engines | 2x General Electric J85 |
| Units built | 240 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter starts as a Rare catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Northrop, the F-5 Freedom Fighter family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
Catch it yourself.CatchFlights shows the aircraft flying near you on a radar, so a type like this one is only a catch away when it passes overhead. Explore CatchFlights.
Browse all aircraft types, or learn to tell Airbus from Boeing.