Northrop F-5/F-20/T-38-WBT Vol. 44
by Fred Johnsen
In the late 1950s, an era when some Cold War allies still flew
cast-off World War II propeller-driven bombers and fighters,
Northrop seized on the need to deliver modern warplanes with
modest maintenance requirements. The shapers of American foreign
policy needed an economical way to give allies supersonic
performance. The U.S. Air Force and Navy only tangentially used
the F-5, but decades of new American fliers honed their skills on
the similar T-38 variant, a high-performance training aircraft. The F-
5, an all-out air superiority fighter, possesses remarkable performance
to match its classy good looks.
It has served U.S. allies (and
a few former allies like Iran) for decades. Many still fly, including F-
5Es, F-5Fs, and modified F-5Ns used by the U.S. Navy as aggressor
training aircraft at its famous Top Gun school. The T-38 carries
the sleek lines into the training world. And the powerful singleengine
F-20, the ultimate iteration of this Northrop line, brought the
basic F-5 premise forward into a new era.
Vintage and modern
photos in this WarbirdTech volume depict F-5s, T-38s, and the few
F-20s in many guises; technical drawings and detail photos show
the inner workings. Declassified documents illuminate the story of
USAF F-5s combat-tested in Vietnam. Color photos capture variations
in camouflage and markings since 1959. The enduring story
of the Northrop F-5 series and the aircraft it spawned is overdue
and timely for an audience that increasingly seeks reliable information
and photos about Cold War aircraft.
8-1/2 X 11"
104pgs.
35 color and 250 b/w photos
Sftbd.
ISBN: 1580070949
Item # SP094
ID #: SP094
Price: $18.95
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