Northrop F-5E Tiger II – Red 34, 527th TFTAS, USAF, RAF Alconbury, England 1976

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA3337: Northrop F-5E Tiger II serial 74-1534 Red 34 of the 527th TFTAS, USAF, RAF Alconbury, England, 1976. Production run of only 300 models.

Length 7.75 inches   Wingspan 4.5 inches

PLEASE NOTE: Model comes with a comprehensive set of weapons. Only the acquisition Sidewinder missiles would normally be carried in the Aggressor role.

Northrop F-5E Tiger II 74-1534 was delivered to the 527th Tactical Fighter Training and Aggressor Squadron (USAFE) at Alconbury AB, England on May 21 1976 wearing the “Grape” colour scheme. The 527th TFTAS was responsible for training pilots new flying skills or refreshing them by using the F-5E as the aggressor. The 527th TFTAS operated at Alconbury from May 1976 when the first aggressor sortie took place until 1988. On October 19, 1987 74-1534 collided mid-air with an F-16 killing the F-16 pilot. The F-5E pilot managed to safely eject.

Designed partly to meet a US Navy requirement for a low-cost, low-maintenance fighter to operate from Escort Carriers, the F-5 first flew on July 30, 1959. Development of the F-5 continued even after the Navy withdrew its Escort Carriers, and the aircraft eventually evolved into the light, supersonic “Freedom Fighter,” serving US allies during the Cold War and as a supersonic trainer in the US. The second-generation F-5 (“Tiger II”) also served US allies, but because it was small and maneuverable like a MiG it was also used by the US military as a training and “aggressor” aircraft, acting as the opposing force during military wargames.