F-5E slight external differences?

[rowbeartoe]

Hi everyone

I have two 1/72 scale models of the F-5E that have slightly different looks. One is the tail with the flat top at its tip and one without. The other is the engine, with tiny fins at the end. Model description below.

The current F-5's I see at airshows don't have the flat top on the tail and have the fins on the engines. The museum F-5's have the opposite. The model descriptions are below as are some pics from the airshow and museums.

What are the changes for?- they are both F-5E Tiger II's

One model is described as "This Northrop F-5E Tiger II was provided to the South Vietnam Air Force and was returned
to the USN as 730855 C/N R-1036. In April 1989 the aircraft became the property of
VMFT-401 “Snipers” Adversary Squadron at Yuma, Arizona as Adversary 01. Marine
Fighter Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401 “Snipers”) was activated in March 1986 at
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and is the USMC’s only adversary squadron. In
2006 F-5E 730855 was sent to VFC-13 “Fighting Saints” and in 2012 retired to AMARC."

The other is described as "USAF Aggressor Sqn F-5E Tiger II Alconbury AB England 1976-88 " " Northrop F-5E 74-1535 c/n R1193 was assigned to the 527th Tactical Fighter Training and Aggressor Squadron (USAFE) at Alconbury AB, England and wore the “Grape” camo 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. In 1989 F5-E 74-1535 was one of four F5-Es delivered to the Tunisian Air Force and was designated as Y.92519/IN."

Thank you.

[basher54321]

The fin tip was a carry over from the A model and looks to have been removed from some of the E/Fs at certain points in time. Specifically why it was removed from some don't have that info .

Interesting that some modernised F-5Es still have it along with the larger vertical tail, angled LEX and flattened nose that were other later E/F model changes.

Do you have any examples of tiny fins at the end? (Are you looking at the Swiss ones?)

[rowbeartoe]

Hi

Okay, if you look at the last picture- the F-5 from the museum you will see the engine does not have the fins the other 3 do from air shows.

Hope that helps.

Thank you.

[eagle3000]

Those are RWR antennas - with a nice, slick fairing.
Note the museum Tiger is missing the forward RWR antennas just behind the radome aswell.

Check this cutaway: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c4/fd/c4 ... c0d689.jpg

[rowbeartoe]

Thank you- very interesting.