Made in Montreal
Canadair built the F-5 under licence from Northrop, starting production in Montreal in 1967.[1] The first Canadian aircraft was rolled out at the Cartierville plant on 6 February 1968, flown to Edwards Air Force Base inside a Hercules, and made its first flight there on 6 May 1968.[3] In all Canadair built 240: 135 for Canada (89 single-seat CF-5As and 46 two-seat CF-5Ds) and 105 NF-5s for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The single-seaters were Canadair's version of the F-5A, and the two-seat CF-5D matched the F-5B.[3]
What made it different
The Canadian jets used the Orenda-built J85-CAN-15 engine, which gave more thrust than the American version.[1][2] Officially the type was the CF-116 Freedom Fighter, though nearly everyone called it the CF-5.[4]
Service and retirement
The first CF-5 was delivered in November 1968. The museum aircraft at Trenton, 116721, served first as a tactical fighter and trainer with 434 Squadron at Cold Lake.[1] In later years the CF-5 trained pilots for the CF-18 Hornet. It left Canadian service in 1995, and the remaining airframes went into storage.[1][4]
Where to see one
Preserved CF-5s include 116721 at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton and a CF-5A at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton.[1][3] Check with the museums before visiting.
Canada's retired jets did not all go to scrap. Some went on to fly in Africa, and the operators directory lists Botswana among the air forces that flew former Canadian CF-5s.
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