Northrop RF-5 Tigereye (N685TC)

Ken - thanks for sharing this one with us!!!

You are welcome Cliff.......

One beautifully designed utility jet fighter.However the bunch that turned their noses up at it,
just happened to be the U.S. Military, Such a shame!!!

tellement rare chez nous !! ;-)

Are we sure it is an RF-5? It does not have the recce nose for cameras & is an A model (tip tanks & no aux air doors). Not positive but I believe the RF version was an E model with the shark nose.

The FAA lists the SN for this F-5 to be 1009 and that it was built in 1968. Then, there is this info from Joe Baugher:

Northrop RF-5A-40-NO Freedom Fighter
68-9108 (MSN RFG.1009) to Royal Norwegian AF as 89108, later as 108.

Nice pic, Ken!

Oh, and Dave, F5 is the correct ICAO code for the aircraft type, but that is for all variants. I don't know how/why FA associates a particular variant name (or manufacturer) to an ICAO code, but it often isn't exactly correct for the aircraft pictured. For example, when you enter CONI for a Constellation FA always shows it as: Lockheed EC-121 Constellation, whether it is an "E" version or not. But that also means that sometimes it is correct! Sort of like a clock that is broken showing the correct time twice a day. Anyway, hope that helps. ;-)

Having flown over a 1,000 hrs in the F5B/E/F models & very familiar with the RF-5E as the Royal Saudi AF had them, I was just curious as to the Reccee A model. Good discussion.

Dave.....

A great discussion. Enjoyed it !!

The elusive Koswar.