- One seat
- Early Freedom Fighter shape
- Compare with the larger-wing F-5E
The single cockpit also appears on the F-5E and F-5N. Confirm the model with a serial or reliable caption.
Work through the identification stepsThe F-5A was the single-seat Freedom Fighter. Its appeal was a compact supersonic aircraft designed with cost and maintenance in mind. It was the starting point for a family that later grew into the Tiger II.
At a glance
| Family | Freedom Fighter |
|---|---|
| Crew | One |
| Related two-seat version | F-5B |
| First F-5 flight | July 1959, according to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force |
Why the F-5A matters
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force describes the F-5 as combining low cost, ease of maintenance and versatility. It records use for ground support and aerial intercept work, along with training for allied air forces. These qualities are a big part of why the aircraft reached operators far beyond the United States. [1]
The later F-5E was a substantial redesign. NASA records more powerful engines, more wing area, larger leading-edge extensions, more internal fuel and a radar-equipped fire-control system. That makes the F-5A a useful baseline for understanding what changed in the Tiger II. [2]
F-5A and F-5E side by side
| F-5A Freedom Fighter | F-5E Tiger II | |
|---|---|---|
| Wingspan | 25 ft 10 in | 26 ft 8 in |
| Length | 47 ft 2 in | 48 ft 2 in |
| Height | 13 ft 6 in | 13 ft 5 in |
| Loaded weight | 20,576 lb | 24,675 lb |
| Engines | Two J85s, 4,080 lb thrust each with afterburner | Two J85-GE-21s, 5,000 lb thrust each with afterburner |
F-5A figures: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. F-5E dimensions and weight: Pima Air & Space Museum; engines: Hill Air Force Base fact sheet (archived). The Tiger II is about a foot longer and wider and roughly 4,000 lb heavier when loaded.
Built to fight
The Air Force museum lists two 20 mm cannons in the nose, plus rockets, missiles and up to 5,500 lb of bombs carried under the wings and fuselage. It gives a top speed of 925 mph and a range of 1,100 miles.[1]
How many were built
Northrop built 624 F-5As, counting the three YF-5A prototypes, before production ended in 1972. Alongside them came 200 two-seat F-5Bs and 86 RF-5As with a four-camera reconnaissance nose. Canadair in Canada built another 240 early F-5s under licence, and CASA in Spain built 70.[3]
The first air forces to train on it
Deliveries to Tactical Air Command began in April 1964, to train foreign pilots. Iran and South Korea were the first trained, followed by Norway, Greece, Taiwan, Spain and others.[1] See the operators map for where they went.
Skoshi Tiger: the F-5A in Vietnam
In 1965 the U.S. Air Force borrowed 12 F-5As and modified them for a combat trial in Vietnam, called Skoshi Tiger. They later formed the short-lived 10th Fighter Commando Squadron. It was the only time the U.S. Air Force flew the F-5 in combat.[4] The photo at the top of this page shows an F-5A at Bien Hoa, Vietnam, in 1965, the year the trial began. The museum's YF-5A prototype is painted in Skoshi Tiger markings.[1]
How to recognize one
Start with the single cockpit, then compare the wing root and forward fuselage with a documented F-5E. A canopy count alone cannot separate an F-5A from an F-5E. A serial number, operator and dated caption offer stronger confirmation.
The museum's YF-5A record includes an image and history. It is a prototype, so use it as a documented early-family example rather than a stand-in for every production F-5A.
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