Northrop Strikes Back...

[+FastCargo]

 

 

What, you thought this was about the B-2 or something?

 

FC

[+sophocles]

LOL! You can clearly see the lineage; even more evident when you look at individual parts .. I'm sad the F-5 family didn't evolve further; the F-20 tiger shark should have been adopted .. It was considered by many to have been a better fighter than the F-16 which it lost out to.

[Gunrunner]

Maybe better at a time, but the F-16 had a clearer and easier growth path making it a better choice in the long run.

[Kodiak]

Come with me, and together we'll rule the skies!!!

[+Fubar512]

It should be more like "I am your great-grandfather!"

 

P-530, son of F-5, father of P-600 (AKA YF-17), grandfather of the F-18.

 

http://wiki.scramble.../Northrop_P-530

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More on the LWF program:

 

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/planes/q0236.shtml

[Derk]

It should be more like "I am your great-grandfather!"

 

P-530, son of F-5, father of P-600 (AKA YF-17), grandfather of the F-18.

 

http://wiki.scramble.../Northrop_P-530

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More on the LWF program:

 

http://www.aerospace...nes/q0236.shtml

 

Hi,hi, D-5305 was supposed to be a Dutch number.....

[+Fubar512]

Hi,hi, D-5305 was supposed to be a Dutch number.....

 

The "Cobra" was meant to be an alternative to the F-104 for export sales.

[+JediMaster]

Like the F-5G/20, the F-18L also never got an order. Unlike the Tigershark, it never got an actual flying model, though the YF-17 was "close enough".

[+SkateZilla]

I think the military channel aired a F-5A/T-38 Documentary last week, the last segment was saying the F-5 design went on to become the F-18 (through multiple changes).

 

So technically the T-38 is the F/A-18E's Grandfather.

[+Gepard]

Could someone of the modelmakers create a YF-17? It was a very nice bird.

[+Fubar512]

Could someone of the modelmakers create a YF-17? It was a very nice bird.

 

Yes, that would be cool.

[+FastCargo]

I think the military channel aired a F-5A/T-38 Documentary last week, the last segment was saying the F-5 design went on to become the F-18 (through multiple changes).

 

So technically the T-38 is the F/A-18E's Grandfather.

 

Yea, yea, that's just quibbling...:).

 

I had known the F-18 was derived from the F-5, but what I didn't know until a few days ago was that when the N156F and N156T were being developed, that the N156T actually flew first because the USAF wanted the trainer version but didn't need the fighter version for it's own use and so it was fast tracked.

 

Which means that the very first flight of the Northrop twin jet series was a T-38...so I just HAD to make something...

 

And you notice the T-38 is in black...:).

 

FC

[+FastCargo]

Maybe better at a time, but the F-16 had a clearer and easier growth path making it a better choice in the long run.

 

Also, the F-20 was near the end of it's potential growth cycle (being an F-5 derivative)...having split off earilier into what became the F-18 series. But, the F-16 was early in it's growth potential, having just been bought in significant numbers not long before.

 

But probably the biggest thing against the F-20 was the F-16 already had a logistics tail established, which is a significant part of a weapon's system 'life cycle cost'. So, ironically, the F-20 lost because of a concept first championed by Northrop itself.

 

FC

[thodouras95]

thanks for the lols :D

 

and tbh, I did think about the B-2 (wow, wizard knows everything)

Edited November 7, 2012 by thodouras95

[+JediMaster]

Not to mention the F-20's major claim of "almost as good" was negated when the F-16 was approved for widespread export. Had that awful F-16/79 project been greenlit for some allies, I'm sure the F-20 would've trumped it in at least some places. When the regular engine was finally approved, though, not only was the 79 idea canned but the 20's fate was sealed as well.

[Toryu]

 

Suits the feelings of that poor Bug better

Edited November 8, 2012 by Toryu

[Derk]

The "Cobra" was meant to be an alternative to the F-104 for export sales.

 

.... yep, and they painted a mock up with Dutch roundels and a fake serial (actually the D serial was from the F-104G) hoping to attract orders from the F-104 users in Europe......