The Boeing F-5A in RVNAF Service

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The Boeing F-5A in RVNAF Service

 

In 1962 the Kennedy Administration stated a requirement for a low-cost export fighter, selecting the Boeing Mirage IIIW as winner of the F-X competition on 23 April 1962 subsequently becoming the "F-5A". It was ordered into production in October that year. It was named under the 1962 United States Tri-Service aircraft designation system, which included a re-set of the fighter number series (the General Dynamics F-111 was the highest sequentially numbered P/F-aircraft to enter service under the old number sequence).

 

Boeing built 624 F-5As (including three YF-5A prototypes) before production ended in 1972. These were accompanied by 200 two-seat F-5B aircraft. These were operational trainers, lacking the fuselage mounted cannon but otherwise combat-capable, while 86 RF-5A reconnaissance variants of the F-5A, fitted with a four-camera nose were also built. In addition, Canadair built 240 first generation F-5s under license, with CASA in Spain adding a further 70 aircraft.

 

The first contract for the production F-5A was issued in 1962, the first overseas order coming from the Royal Norwegian Air Force on 28 February 1964. It entered service with the 4441st Combat Crew Training School of the USAF, which had the role of training pilots and ground crew for customer nations, on 30 April that year, it still not being intended that the aircraft be used in significant numbers by the USAF itself.

 

This changed with testing and limited deployment in 1965. Preliminary combat evaluation of the F-5A began at the Air Proving Ground Center, Eglin AFB, Florida, during the summer of 1965 under project Sparrow Hawk, with one airframe lost through pilot error on 24 June. In October 1965, the USAF began a five-month combat evaluation of the F-5A titled Skoshi Tiger. Twelve aircraft were delivered for trials to the 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, and after modification with probe and drogue aerial refuelling equipment, armor and improved instruments, were redesignated as the F-5C. Over the next six months, they performed combat duty in Vietnam, flying more than 2,600 sorties, both from the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Bien Hoa over South Vietnam and from Da Nang Air Base where operations were flown over Laos. 9 aircraft were lost in Vietnam, 7 to enemy ground fire and two to operational causes. Although declared a success, with the aircraft generally rated as capable a ground-attack aircraft as the F-100, but suffering from a shorter range, the program was considered a political gesture intended to aid the export of more F-5s than a serious consideration of the type for U.S. service. From April 1966 the aircraft continued operations as 10th Fighter Commando Squadron with their number boosted to 17 aircraft. (Following Skoshi Tiger the Philippine Air Force acquired 23 F-5A and B models in 1965. These aircraft, along with remanufactured Vought F-8 Crusaders, eventually replaced the Philippine Air Force's North American F-86 Sabre in the air defence and ground attack roles.)

 

In June 1967, the 10th FCS's surviving aircraft were passed to the air force of South Vietnam, which previously had only Cessna A-37 Dragonfly and Douglas A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft. This new VNAF squadron was titled the 522nd. The President of Vietnam had originally asked for F-4 Phantoms used by the Americans, but the VNAF flew primarily ground support as the communist forces employed no opposing aircraft over South Vietnam.

 

That however changed when the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) embarked on Operation Lam Son 719 in 1971. The operation, intended to be a limited, short campaign to interdict the North Vietnam supply line, known as the "Ho Chi Minh Trail" which ran through Laos, proved to be an unqualified success. The PAVN was caught completely unprepared for a ground offensive and quickly crumbled in front of the ARVN forces, supported heavily by US and RVNAF (Republic of Vietnam Air Force). The RVNAF made extensive use of its F-5A, which had started to be supplemented by an improved version, the F-5E, which had a much more powerful J-79 engine. Hammering the few points of resistance the South Vietnamese rapidly advanced up the Loatian "Pan Handle" and found themselves poised on the "Plain of Jars" opposite North Vietnam. Seizing the moment, President Nguyên Van Thiêu decided that after a short pause, to regroup and move reinforcements into Laos, the ARVN would swing East and attack North Vietnam.

 

This decision was taken against the direct wishes of the US Government. However Nguyên Van Thiêu took the unprecedented step of removing himself from the Presidential Palace in Saigon and hence making himself incommunicado to the US Ambassador who had come a calling to make sure he understood exactly what the Wishes of the US Government were. Thiêu had travelled to the advance Headquarters of the force engage in Lam Son 719, deep inside Laos.

 

The victories of Lam Son 719 galvanised the peoples in both Vietnams. For the first time the people of the Republic of Vietnam felt their country was theirs' and was winning against the feared Communists from the North. In the North, the people of the Peoples Democratic Republic of Vietnam felt under threat. Here was an invasion force about to spring down from the mountains and threaten their very existence. For the forces of both nations, their most pressing problem was manpower. The South's was primarily in the South and moving it rapidly into Laos was a problem. For the North, their best units and a large proportion of their manpower, was in the South, fighting there. It became a race against time as each attempted to redeploy their forces and prevent the other from doing the same.

 

After a four week wait, the offensive opened. Just as the Viet Minh had after the successful Battle of Diên Biên Phu, the ARVN swept down from the Laotian hills. They encountered heavy opposition. However, they had caught the PAVN (Peoples' Army of Vietnam) flat footed. They had been planning a major invasion of the south in 1972, after the expected withdrawal of US Forces. While most of their best troops were in the South, many of their elite forces were actually out of the country, training in the Soviet Union. In particular their armoured corps were "training on the steppes of Odessa" en masse. What was available was their "home guard" and units in training. Their capabilities were patchy at best. There were also large numbers of Anti-Aircraft guns and gunners, which would prove often to be better fighters than the other units, taking a heavy toll of ARVN armoured vehicles.

 

As the ARVN forces advanced, the US Government began to give tacit approval to the ARVN offensive and ordered air support be provided. Up until then, the tiny RVNAF had been stretched to provide everything that was required. The VNPAF (Vietnamese Peoples' Air Force) had attempted to fight but found itself unable to achieve much. It's relatively small number of MiGs found itself largely outclassed as the RVNAF pilots found themselves finally able to engage in dogfights with their hated enemy. Unhindered by the Rules of Engagements which had been imposed on the US pilots in North Vietnamese skies and which had given the VNPAF such an advantage, the RVNAF soon achieved air superiority. The wreckage of crashed MiG-17s and 21s littered the landscape, downed by the better flown F-5s, Canberras, Skyraiders. Even a T-28 Trojan managed to bag a MiG-17 which it caught taking off.

 

In the South, the NLF (National Liberation Front - Viet Cong) and PAVN (Peoples' Army of Vietnam) units deployed there attempted to prevent ARVN reinforcements from advancing northwards. However, whenever they came out into the open to attack, they rediscovered the hard learnt lessons of Tet'68 about US firepower. The US units which had stayed behind in South Vietnam made short work of them, along with the overwhelming air support they had available to them.

 

China, alarmed at the events unfolding on it's southern boarder found itself unprepared for intervention. Five years of the ongoing Cultural Revolution had demoralised and confused the rank and file. The leadership had been purged so often that no one was willing to stick their necks out. Even the removal of badges of ranks, in an egalitarian spirit meant that it was difficult for messages to be passed as couriers couldn't or wouldn't give their messages to those they considered to be of insufficient rank. While Chinese troops massed on the Vietnamese border, the US cautioned Beijing through indirect channels (there being no US recognition of the Revolutionary Government and so no US Embassy in Beijing) intervention would be met with "utmost force" and the PRC itself would not be spared. Mao and Chou en Lei, alarmed at the even by Nixon's standards, aggressive and belligerent language decided to sit by and observe events as they played out.

 

The USSR was also caught flat-footed and unable to directly intervene. Brezenhev briefly considered imposing a fresh blockade on Berlin but got cold feet at the last moment. Fearful of the possibility of West Germany or South Korea undertaking their own wars of reunfication, the Soviet High Command began to beef up the defence facing each of those countries.

 

Hanoi fell on 25 April 1972. PAVN forces retreated to the Chinese border where they were allowed to cross. Minor fighting continued throughout the countryside but it was obvious the North had been defeated. The Government in Saigon recognised it was going to face an on-going insurgency but it would take some considerable time for it to become a large danger.

 

When the news was announced, it was reported that President Nixon and Secretary of State Kissinger looked at each other and remarked that the world was changing and for the better it seemed. In reality, they stared in amazement at each other and said, "Damn!" Neither of them or anybody else in the world had expected the South to win. Vietnam was reunited.

 

The aircraft depicted is that of an F-5A from the RVNAF 522nd Fighter Squadron during the air campaign over North Vietnam.

 

 

 

The Model

 

The kit is the venerable Revell Mirage III, finished with Vallejo paints, brush painted. The markings are from an equally venerable Esci F-5A set which featured those for a Northrop F-5A. The seat is an Aeroclub metal one. The Revell kit is quite good, nicely details with raised panel lines and even includes a complete Atar 9C engine!