Light supersonic fighter ·First flight 1959 · In service 1962
Northrop's F-5 was conceived as a light, cheap and easy-to-maintain supersonic fighter that allied air forces could actually afford, and it succeeded spectacularly across dozens of nations.
Nimble and small, it still serves as an aggressor aircraft simulating enemy jets in dissimilar air-combat training, and its airframe gave rise to the T-38 Talon trainer.
