- Yes
- No
- In the French BeNeLux sub-tree
- In a future Dutch/BeNeLux techtree.
- I said “No” in the first question.
- Other (Please explain in the comments).
TL;DR: Dutch F-5 variant with sidewinders
History
History
In 1966, the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force, or KLu) selected the F-5 Freedom Fighter to replace its aging fleet of F-84F Thunderstreaks. Initially, the Netherlands had hoped to co-produce over 200 F-5s in collaboration with Belgium, but Belgium opted for the Mirage 5 instead. While the KLu was not initially thrilled with the F-5, they requested several improvements to the base design, which closely mirrored the upgrades already implemented by Canada in its CF-5 model. As a result, the Dutch government decided to acquire its F-5s from Canadair’s production line rather than building them domestically.
In KLu service, the single-seater was designated the NF-5A, and the two-seater version became the NF-5B. The Dutch-ordered aircraft were identified as CL-226 by the Canadair factory, with the single-seaters being CL-226-1A10 and the two-seaters CL-226-1A11. Initially, the order was for 90 single-seat aircraft and 15 two-seaters, but this was revised to 75 NF-5As and 30 NF-5Bs. A letter of intent for these aircraft was signed on January 30, 1967, with deliveries scheduled to begin in late 1969.
To secure the Dutch order, the Canadian government offered a substantial offset program, which involved collaboration with Dutch companies. Fokker and Avio Diepen produced fuselage and tail assemblies in the Netherlands, which were then shipped to Canada for final assembly. These companies also worked on the Canadian CF-5 program.
The first four NF-5Bs were flown to the Netherlands by Dutch pilots during a “High Flight” on November 19, 1969, from Montreal, marking the beginning of the NF-5’s service with the KLu.
When the NF-5 aircraft were withdrawn from active service, they were transferred to the VUD unit at Gilze-Rijen Air Base, where the VUD insignia was painted on some of the aircraft. The engines were run every 45 days, and a short test flight was conducted every 90 days. This maintenance routine ceased in late 1980, after which the aircraft were relocated to Woensdrecht Air Base for long-term storage.
The NF-5A saw only limited action during its service, mostly during NATO exercises, like in Norway and the Netherlands itself. Supported by a Fokker F-27 during the traditional winter exercise in Norway, the aircraft participated in attacking enemy troops during a simulated beach landing, alongside other Norwegian, Canadian, and RAF units.
By 1989, it became clear that a substantial portion of the NF-5 fleet would be transferred to Turkey. An agreement was made to transfer 60 aircraft, along with spares and ground equipment, free of charge. The first deliveries took place in June 1989. A similar arrangement was also made with Greece, with pilots and technicians from both countries receiving training at Eindhoven Air Base.
The disposition of the remaining active NF-5s was as follows: 54 NF-5As and 6 NF-5Bs were sent to Turkey; 11 NF-5As (one designated solely for spare parts recovery) and 1 NF-5B were transferred to Greece; and 1 NF-5A and 6 NF-5Bs were sent to Venezuela. Of the 60 NF-5s sent to Turkey, only 34 were intended for operational use, while the remaining aircraft were retained in the Netherlands for spare parts recovery. Some aircraft were preserved as gate guardians at various Dutch air bases, others were utilized for technical training, and several were placed in museums or storage before being scrapped.
Design & Differences with the Canadair CF-5
Design & Differences with the Canadair CF-5
Technically, the NF-5 was the most advanced version of the Freedom Fighter to date. It featured several improvements over the CF-5, such as the incorporation of maneuvering leading-edge flaps into a reinforced wing structure. These electrically-operated flaps, located at both the leading and trailing edges, were synchronized by a control box and operated via a thumb switch on the starboard throttle lever. When set for high-speed maneuvering, the flaps provided a 50-percent increase in the instantaneous turning rate. The NF-5A/B also featured increased external fuel capacity, and the stronger wing structure allowed for more ordnance to be carried, with provisions for larger external fuel tanks and ejector bomb racks.
Differences with the Canadair CF-5
In terms of avionics, many of the systems from the CF-5 were removed. The Dutch NF-5As used the standard Northrop non-computing gunsight but replaced the Sperry gyro heading and reference system with a Bendix attitude and heading reference system. The NF-5 was equipped with a Canadian Marconi Type 668 Doppler navigation system, a 703 navigation system with a roller map, an attitude heading and reference system, emergency UHF radio, and a radio altimeter.
The NF-5 also featured a tailhook under the fuselage and a reinforced windscreen to protect against bird strikes. These modifications, along with others, were later incorporated into the F-5E ‘Tiger II’. As the NF-5 fleet progressed, several upgrades were made, including improved canopies and avionics, as well as the addition of radar warning receivers and ALE-40 chaff and flare dispensers mounted on the rear fuselage. Most NF-5A, like the one in this suggestion, had their wingtip tanks replaced with Sidewinder missile-launching rails.
Specifications
Crew: 1
Length: 14,36 m
Wingspan: 7,83 m
Height: 4,01 m
Empty weight: 4.750 kg
Powerplant: 2x General Electric J-85-CAN-15 (13,01 kN each) with afterburner (19 kN each)
Maximum straight line speed: 1.275 km/h
Service ceiling: 14.500 m
Armament
| Canadair NF-5A | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loadouts | |||||||
| Main gun | 2x M39A2 20mm | (560 rounds) | |||||
| Pylons | Wingtip left (9) | Outer wing left (8) | Inner wing left (6) | Fuselage (5) | Inner wing right (4) | Outer wing right (2) | Wingtip right (1) |
| reference | AIM-9P | AIM-9P | |||||
| reference | Mk.82 500lb Snake-eye High Drag | Mk.82 500lb Snake-eye High Drag | |||||
| reference | Mk.82 500lb Snake-eye LowDrag | Mk.82 500lb Snake-eye Low Drag | |||||
| reference | Training rocket pod (4x FFAR) | ||||||
| reference | DIAS camera + Training rocket pod (4x FFAR) | ||||||
| reference | DIAS camera | ||||||
| reference | LAU-51 (19x FFAR) | LAU-51 (19x FFAR) | |||||
| reference | LAU-3A (19x FFAR) | LAU-3A (19x FFAR) | |||||
| reference | 600 lbs BL755 cluster bomb | 600 lbs BL755 cluster bomb | 600 lbs BL755 cluster bomb | ||||
| reference | External fuel tank | External fuel tank | External fuel tank | External fuel tank | External fuel tank |
Place in War Thunder
The NF-5A would serve as a lightweight fighter to represent the Dutch air force, capable of manouvres which its F-104G’s were uncapable of. In the current Benelux subtree it could also be a decent rank VII dogfighter. However, this plane would be one of the core additions to a separate Benelux tech tree, if that were ever to come.
Pictures
Sources
Sources
- KETTING. (2021, November 15). KLu in Koude Oorlog Northrop/Canadair NF-5A & NF-5B (Part 1) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1msZJzG_ks
- KETTING. (2021b, November 15). KLU in Koude Oorlog Northrop/Canadair NF-5A & NF-5B (Part 2) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f-HkdeCltY
- KETTING. (2021c, November 15). KLU in Koude Oorlog Northrop/Canadair NF-5A & NF-5B (Part 3) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpVc_VtY5xM
- Flight manual: RNAF. (1987, September 3). Northrop NF-5 A Aircraft Description and Maintenance Instruction Manual EO 05-NF5A-2. Aircraft Reports. Northrop NF-5 A Aircraft Description and Maintenance Instruction Manual EO 05-NF5A-2 - Aircraft Reports - Aircraft Manuals - Aircraft Helicopter Engines Propellers Blueprints Publications
- Van De Mheen, M. (2024, October 21). NF-5 Freedom Fighter. Nationaal Militair Museum. NF-5 Freedom Fighter - Nationaal Militair Museum
- Home - Gallery index - Publi. (n.d.). Home - Gallery index - Publi
- Beeldbank Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie. (n.d.-c). 2157_125-082, DIAS camera kop NF-5… Beeldbank Nederlands Instituut Voor Militaire Historie. Foto's
- Beeldbank Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie. (n.d.-c). 2157_125-011, De Northrop NF-5A Freedom Fighter (K-3047) van 316 Squadron staat op het platform met open cockpitkap en een AIM-9 Sidewinder aan de vleugeltip. Beeldbank Nederlands Instituut Voor Militaire Historie. Foto's
- Koninklijke Luchtmacht. (n.d.). Bewapening. SD 503. Staat der Nederlanden.
- Raytheon AIM-9 sidewinder. (n.d.). Raytheon AIM-9 Sidewinder
- Afscheid van de Northrop NF-5 bij de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. Op Vliegbasis Eindhoven houdt de Bevelhebber der Luchtstrijdkrachten luitenant-generaal W.C. ('Bill’) Louwerse. een toespraak. Op de voorgrond de NF-5A (K-3012) van 316 Squadron, rechts de General Dynamics F-16A (J-137) van 314 Squadron. 314 Squadron neemt vanaf dit moment de Theater Qualification Training over van 316 Squadron. (1900). Brabants Erfgoed. Afscheid van de Northrop NF-5 bij de Koninklijke Luchtmacht. Op Vliegbasis Eindhoven houdt de Bevelhebber der Luchtstrijdkrachten luitenant-generaal W.C. ('Bill') Louwerse. een toespraak. Op de voorgrond de NF-5A (K-3012) van 316 Squadron, rechts de General Dynamics F-16A (J-137) van 314 Squadron. 314 Squadron neemt vanaf dit moment de Theater Qualification Training over van 316 Squadron.
