The thing that got me to know about this plane is a game called U.N. Squadron which is based off a old Japanese Manga called Area 88 which is quite an awesome show to watch. This plane it's self is quite a cool plane to look at and is very sleek. I don't see why the military division would want to scrap such a great project.
Sad thing is that USAF hate Northrop. F-20 has less room to grow sure, fine, I'll give you that. But WTF happens to my YF-23 vs YF-22. YF-23 has way more room to grow and has better technology and better numbers from the requirements. Fuck USAF, that's all I gotta say.
People miss the fact that the aircraft had no growth potential, it took the original F-5A concept to its ultimate evolution, there was no space left in or on the airframe for new equipment, new avionics, or more fuel. It never was, and never could be the equal of the F-16 as an all round combat aircraft with room to grow further, the F-16 Block 60 demonstrates that all too well.
The most interesting, and little talked about fact, was the possible sale of the entire program to the Germans.
Recent upgrades and latest models o the F-16 make it an even better fighter....But the cost.....(no comment here).The F-20 was one of the greatest fighters of all times.Cheap,reliable,able of carrying a variety of weapons,it's no wonder that it became one of the most fucessful fighters in history.If they had spent as much money to upgrade it as much as they did with the F-16...imagine that.The ultimate multirole aircraft.too bad they didn't do so.
I think it was totally stupid to cancel the F-20 just because the U.S. Air Force top brass just wanted to waste money on the high-tech designed jets. I believe the F-20 is a better plane than the F-16.
Northrop should have stuck an bigger engine on one of its F-5's along time ago before the F-16 came out. The F-20 would have prob. been in production but they started late and tried to play catch up.
These didn't sell because of the architecture of the airframe. The low wing and short gear left little room for any sizeable ordnance. Also the main gear folding arrangement meant that all the wing hard points were way out from the center line and hence only rated for lightweight stores. Too bad - a badass sexy looking piece of kit.
@4578451raja Because F-16s are faster, longer range, better manuverability, great payload (for a fighter its' size) and owns the F-20 in every other respect.
@Vyppaaa11 Nope. The F-16 was inferior at the F-20 in all aspect. Hard, slow, expensive and so much problems of structure... It takes too many time to solve it all.
And all the tecnology (like the 3 LCD screen configuration) was devloped by Northop and their partners. All copied by the Lockheed for the F-16.
@WhiteArmyDalmatian I do, I started liking the F-5 when i was little, then when I learned about this beast, This instantly became my favorite combat aircraft of all time. Its truly an outstanding aircraft, It really is a shame it never made production...
Definitely the F-20 was a great enemy of the overvaluated F-16, and in my opinion the F-20 was beside cheaper, so much reliable and better at any sense than the F-16 (Even the F-5 can fight and win with less avionics than the F-16). But F-16 wanted the whole market fighters, so F-20 was put on the trash by the politic not by the tech.
one of the greatest jet's , that never made it to production. Tigershark in its day could take on any air superiority fighter of any Air Force and cause unbridled carnage ! In mock dogfights in the 1980's Tigershark caused havoc with F-15's and toyed with F-16 falcons. It's a shame pentagon politics kept this remarkable and cost effective Jet aircraft from taking it's place in aviation history !!!
@SuperWiddle i would rather spend those billions the f22 raptor took on these F-20s we could a had more fighter attack jets that our enemies had missiles to shoot at them!
@SuperWiddle It a shame you have no idea what your talking about. The F-5 owneed the F-20 (thats why it made it to production). And the A-4 also killed it every time. And the F-22, even when you take stealth out of the equation, the F-22 xcan out manuver an SU-37 so the F-29 would get raped!
F-20 & F-5 would look nicer with a bubble canopy
Drfusebox 1 month ago
f-20 is the best!!
bloodysharkattack 1 month ago
If your government does not want its F-20. changed F-5 Tiger four F-20 who do not want. Air Force mexico
mariooknow 2 months ago
The thing that got me to know about this plane is a game called U.N. Squadron which is based off a old Japanese Manga called Area 88 which is quite an awesome show to watch. This plane it's self is quite a cool plane to look at and is very sleek. I don't see why the military division would want to scrap such a great project.
evilwarcow 2 months ago
This is the fastest military aircraft and yet the USAF retire it, ridiculous.
XiaoDanDragon 3 months ago
Sad thing is that USAF hate Northrop. F-20 has less room to grow sure, fine, I'll give you that. But WTF happens to my YF-23 vs YF-22. YF-23 has way more room to grow and has better technology and better numbers from the requirements. Fuck USAF, that's all I gotta say.
krittmasta 5 months ago 2
Much better airframe than the F16, period.
KingprestorJohn 9 months ago 3
Had no idea that it could fire the Phoenix.. That's a 100 mile range missile.
dudeofpow456 10 months ago
What a rip off!!! My father took all these photos you dork. Thanks for giving him & Northrop Grumman credit!!
MikeKelley119 1 year ago
People miss the fact that the aircraft had no growth potential, it took the original F-5A concept to its ultimate evolution, there was no space left in or on the airframe for new equipment, new avionics, or more fuel. It never was, and never could be the equal of the F-16 as an all round combat aircraft with room to grow further, the F-16 Block 60 demonstrates that all too well.
The most interesting, and little talked about fact, was the possible sale of the entire program to the Germans.
WinchesterRanger 1 year ago
Recent upgrades and latest models o the F-16 make it an even better fighter....But the cost.....(no comment here).The F-20 was one of the greatest fighters of all times.Cheap,reliable,able of carrying a variety of weapons,it's no wonder that it became one of the most fucessful fighters in history.If they had spent as much money to upgrade it as much as they did with the F-16...imagine that.The ultimate multirole aircraft.too bad they didn't do so.
gtamodman122 1 year ago 3
I think it was totally stupid to cancel the F-20 just because the U.S. Air Force top brass just wanted to waste money on the high-tech designed jets. I believe the F-20 is a better plane than the F-16.
HawgRyder1 1 year ago 2
Northrop should have stuck an bigger engine on one of its F-5's along time ago before the F-16 came out. The F-20 would have prob. been in production but they started late and tried to play catch up.
megashegem 1 year ago
These didn't sell because of the architecture of the airframe. The low wing and short gear left little room for any sizeable ordnance. Also the main gear folding arrangement meant that all the wing hard points were way out from the center line and hence only rated for lightweight stores. Too bad - a badass sexy looking piece of kit.
ultegra8525 1 year ago
Chuck Yeager said that the F-20 was the best fighter of his time (in relation at his cost).
frustrado 1 year ago 2
Um jato formidável, mas detonado pela política de cobras da Lockheed. O que foi desenvolvido para o F-20 está hoje no F-16. Lamentável.
(An amazing jet but fucked up by the economic stupid policy from Lockheed. All stuff devloped for the F-20 its today in the F-16. Damn...)
I dreamed seeing it with the Brazilian Air Force colors.
alanlenon 1 year ago
ruined by the soundtrack
FlyHiawatha 1 year ago 3
F20 was offered to PAkistan during cold war along with full production line but PAF rejected it in favor of F16s
4578451raja 1 year ago
@4578451raja Because F-16s are faster, longer range, better manuverability, great payload (for a fighter its' size) and owns the F-20 in every other respect.
Vyppaaa11 1 year ago
@Vyppaaa11 Nope. The F-16 was inferior at the F-20 in all aspect. Hard, slow, expensive and so much problems of structure... It takes too many time to solve it all.
And all the tecnology (like the 3 LCD screen configuration) was devloped by Northop and their partners. All copied by the Lockheed for the F-16.
alanlenon 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@alanlenon I am not going to waste my time educating a total moron, good bye
Vyppaaa11 1 year ago
for me the F20 is the ultimative Jet plane ....
Maggifix2 1 year ago
no foreign orders n pentagon choose the other alternative.
hence the project did not really took off,
hlimkb 1 year ago
if you like F-20 ,do you like the F-5
WhiteArmyDalmatian 1 year ago
@WhiteArmyDalmatian I do, I started liking the F-5 when i was little, then when I learned about this beast, This instantly became my favorite combat aircraft of all time. Its truly an outstanding aircraft, It really is a shame it never made production...
CaptN0ob 1 year ago
Definitely the F-20 was a great enemy of the overvaluated F-16, and in my opinion the F-20 was beside cheaper, so much reliable and better at any sense than the F-16 (Even the F-5 can fight and win with less avionics than the F-16). But F-16 wanted the whole market fighters, so F-20 was put on the trash by the politic not by the tech.
RomelioSanzz 1 year ago 16
I don't know why.....I can't get the Grippen out of my mind.
;-)))
Let's not talk about the Lavi, the Chinese have a clone of it now....thanks Israel.
rampking1 1 year ago
The F-20 project was canceled in 1986.
cyberarmy007 2 years ago
one of the greatest jet's , that never made it to production. Tigershark in its day could take on any air superiority fighter of any Air Force and cause unbridled carnage ! In mock dogfights in the 1980's Tigershark caused havoc with F-15's and toyed with F-16 falcons. It's a shame pentagon politics kept this remarkable and cost effective Jet aircraft from taking it's place in aviation history !!!
SuperWiddle 2 years ago 24
@SuperWiddle i would rather spend those billions the f22 raptor took on these F-20s we could a had more fighter attack jets that our enemies had missiles to shoot at them!
altops 1 year ago
@altop Thanks for the reply altop. You know your military aviation! Well said!
SuperWiddle 1 year ago
@SuperWiddle It a shame you have no idea what your talking about. The F-5 owneed the F-20 (thats why it made it to production). And the A-4 also killed it every time. And the F-22, even when you take stealth out of the equation, the F-22 xcan out manuver an SU-37 so the F-29 would get raped!
Vyppaaa11 1 year ago
@SuperWiddle The stupid pentagon poloticians was just jealous 'cause their favorite plane got its ass kicked by this one.
MegaAnkylosaurus 1 month ago
VolksJager LOL
delflinger 2 years ago