F-5C Freedom Fighter?

[Crossofiron1971]

Hi All,

I am looking for information on the F-5C Freedom Fighter, in particular the Skoshi Tiger program.

 

I have got as far as the Refuelling Probe being on the opposite side but did the F-5C have the engine doors?

Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

Many thanks

Steve

[Giorgio N]

The Skoshy Tiger program involved the following modifications:

- Refuelling probe (aircrafts in combat could be seen with and without the probe)

- armour on the lower fuselage

- modified instruments

- modifications to the rudder controls (not visible externally)

 

If for engine doors you mean the louvered ones on the rear fuselage used on the Canadian and Dutch aircrafts (and later on the F-5E), then no, the F-5C did not have these. The doors were a feature of the Canadair variants

[Crossofiron1971]

Many thanks!

Regarding the Armour plating, was this a plate added to the outer skin?

What I mean is, would this be seen as a physical plate or look like another panel or even at all?

Cheers

Steve

[tempestfan]

There was a very good article about the Skoshi Tiger programme and the use by the 1st Air Cdo. In I think Airpower mag from the US in the fall of 1999 - I remember where and on which occasion I bought it (well I think. ..) . I don't remember anything about the armour plating, but I seem to recall an upgrade to the air conditioning system for tropical conditions. IIRC all were originally built as As, but on a couple of close ups it may be seen that the data block was updated to C.

[Jure Miljevic]

Hi

I remember an article about Skoshi tigers, published in a Wings of fame magazine. Plenty of colour photos, at least one set of three view colour drawings, very informative piece of work. Armour platting had definitely been mentioned and I think additional formation lights had also been installed as a part of the program. I was a bit surprised when I learned that F-5A and -5C gun sight had no air-to-air capability. Cheers

Jure

[Giorgio N]

The armour plates added to the F-5Cs are shown in this thread on this same forum

 

 

The aircrafts shown in the pictures are South Vietnamese but the armour arrangement was the same of the F-5C. The areas covered were under the cockpit and under the rear fuselage.

From a modeling point of view, I'd say that they can be easily enough reproduced with thin plasticard. On a 1/72 kit I'd probably even use self-adhesive foil

 

 

Edited December 2, 2016 by Giorgio N

[ReccePhreak]

Interesting info. I wonder if the F-5s in the RTAF had the same armor plating added?

I will definitely have to do some more research, before I start back on those kits.

 

Larry

[Crossofiron1971]

Thanks for all the input gents!!