F-20 TigerShark | should have been built
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ส.ค. 2024
- F-20 TigerShark | Best of Aviation Documentary
#F20 #TigerShark
What began as Northrup's F-5G and eventually became known as the F-20 Tigershark was a light fighter with advanced avionics which was easier to maintain and much less expensive to procure and operate than it's chief rival, the General dynamics F-16.
The F-20 could carry beyond visual range missiles, as well as air to ground missiles and bombs, giving it the capability to fire or deploy most weapons in the US arsenal.
Easy to fly, inexpensive to operate, a very capable aircraft with a powerful engine - yet only 3 were ever built and the program was cancelled. Some have called the Tigershark the greatest fighter never made.
We will take a look at the development, history, and legacy of this high performing fighter - and we will even hear General Chuck Yeager's endorsement!
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ATTRIBUTIONS
"The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement."
Music from filmmusic.io "Hiding Your Reality" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) License: CC BY (creativecommons...)
All copyrighted works belong to their copyright holders
IDF-Wan-Chien fighter:
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Taiwanese F-5:
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Unfortunate that politics killed it, would have been a beast! great work as always!
Thank you so much!
Yes, till 1989 it was more Capeble than the plane which killed it.
Northrop have been the victim of politics for a long time now.
The foreign sale of the F-20 was put in the hands of the Air Force.
The Air Force had a vested interest in selling the F-16 as they were already ordering it for themselves and additional sales would drive the unit cost down. The result was that they didn't really try to get foreign allies to buy the F-20.
Such a shame.
Today I would like to see the F-20 built as an unmanned platform.
It could be built in vast numbers at a fraction of the unit cost of the F-35 and less than 1/10 of the operating cost.
It could even be sacrificed on penetration missions and flown into the target or used to shield the accompanying manned aircraft from SAM fire.
Often numbers count more than stealthy designs, especially with modern radars.
Seems like Carter was short sighted in many more ways than I thought
I flew the F-5 extensively in an aggressor role. Based on that experience, I would call the F-20 a very capable airframe that could find a place even on today's battlefields. Additionally, I don't think a handsomer jet fighter has ever been built.
Thank you for your service and in helping our pilots keep their edge, and yes the F-20 is a gorgeous aircraft!
Hi, do you think nowadays a modernised version of f-20 with up to date engine, avionics and weapons, with composite body materials could be a good and cheap solution for countries like ukraine, greece, georgia, bulgaria, etc, facing outdated threats like sukhoys and migs ?
I wonder though...was there some nagging, subconscious thing going on in people's mind that made them believe the F-20 was soon to be outdated tech, since it was so closely related to the aging F-5? That was always my take. Shiny new F-16 tech, over older F-5 morphed into F-20 tech? I believe anyone think that would be wrong. I personally think many of our Allies could have benefited from the F-20, from Taiwan, to Japan, to Israel, to Germany, to Canada, to Australia. All of these countries, and more, could have made great use of this amazing aircraft.
@Sean Price I think the idea is that the F-20 was new tech based on old tech...instead of completely reinventing the wheel...which is more costly. The F-20 was, as I recall, going to be significantly cheaper than the F-15, F16, or F-18.
It is an interceptor and filled that role better than those other two. It had an insane climb rate as I recall. Now, while it likely wasn't going to be carrying 10 long range missiles, I do think it could have carried 4 to 6 AIM-7s, and later the AMRAAM missiles.
These could have been backed up by a heavier aircraft, capable of carrying a much higher payload, at the price of slower time t get on station.
Blame Lockheed Martin, Northrop made an awesome fighter but didn’t bribe the right senators to get the program rolling…
F-5 and F-20 are also among the most beautiful aircraft ever built!
Hard to argue with that and thanks for commenting!
The jf17 is the f20 so democrats refused taiwan f20 tech and china got it for free like it has trillions of $ worth of tech. If taiwan got the f20 they would produce over 300 in more than 3 gens.
this jet, the f20, gets to me. unsure how to word it. i adore this jet.
Mig 29 and Mirage F1 ARE CONSIDERED EVEN MORE BEAUTIFUL IN MY OPINION
Johnny Daller
My favourite jet fighter ever!
With the F86 ..... like racing cars , love them
The F-20 would’ve been great today for point-defense, homeland security missions that doesn’t require stealth. Like the YF-23, Northrop Grumman have this habit of developing outstanding fighters, yet lack the lobbyist ground support to get them into production.
Well said and thanks for commenting!
If we got the YF-23 and F-20, the entire US airwing will almost be entirely Northrop Grumman/McDonald Douglas aircraft.
I think the issue has more to do with the B-2 bomber and Northrop's failures during this time period.
@@KevinSmith-qi5yn - The YF-23 was the second time Northorp Grumman got screwed by General Dynamics (by then Lockheed Martin). Besides better political maneuvering by Lockheed Martin, I believe another reason why the YF-23 lost to the YF-22 was the YF-23 was too revolutionary in its desigen. Northrop basically brought a Gen 5.5 jet to a contest for a Gen 5 jet.
DCL 308 well that’s a horrible way to look at it. The YF-22 was more maneuverable, agile, and was lighter. The YF-22 has a greater weapons payload and better modularity for system upgrades down the road. The YF-23 was only marginally more stealthy and faster and it’s short comings were too much to overcome at the time. There were already many system issues that Lockheed had already solved and Northrop was months or even years behind in some aspects. Not only that, but the complete shitshow that the B-2 program became made the decision clear between the two.
@@calebemerson9317 everything you said contradicts everything Paul Metz said about both aircraft. Paul Metz is the only pilot to fly both the 22 and 23.
He also stated the only envelope the 22 proved better than the 23 was the post stall due to the 22 having thrust vectoring. Post stall speeds are typically air show speeds. Anything above that the 23 had the edge. It was faster and had better stealth. Paul said "it could perform any angle of attack, even backwards".
You can also notice that LM completely redesigned the 22 after they got the contract. More than likely making up for its short comings.
Everyone acts like thrust vectoring is the end all be all. The 22 TVC only aids in pitch. It's only 2 dimensional. Typically as soon as someone gets slow enough to use the TVC it's a last ditch effort and they typically get killed any by non TVC aircraft.
Don't remind me. I remember being extremely disappointed when the F20 was cancelled. I was a huge fan of this jet
Likewise and thanks for commenting!
Me too...
Corky Duke. Me too.
I saw this plane at an El Toro airshow in the 80's! AMAZING PLANE!!! Sad, that is was never adopted!!! It was a Beast!!!
They have same look like Jugoslavian super Galeb 4 America steal Yugoslav program named new plane ✈
I saw the F-20 Tigershark perform and I was blown away by its ability to turn on a dime and accelerate like lightning!!!...
Me Also!!!
Yes, in fact it can surpass the f-16.
So what did the engines sound like?? I'm sad that the only one still around is the one here in Cali at the Science center and we'll never get to hear her start up or fly.
It's the perfect body for a very agile jet fighter. Even more so then F16 in some ways. Those are the best 2 jet fighters ever built. I think.
@@hectormontemayor7175 You're absolutely correct,the F-20 out turn the f-16.
No matter how many times I watch these videos about the F5 and the F20 I never get tired of them. I just love the F5 series of fighter jets. I hope that they could be modernized and brought back to service.
Vietnam wants to refurbish and modernize their F-5 fleet to defend against Chinese aggression
@@kdrapertrucker I hope they do! I've always thought that with the modern jet engines being smaller and more powerful the F-5 could be a real killer.
Brazil has some incredible F5's. Fully modernized. The cockpit looks just like an fa18 hornet cockpit. Just like the cockpit in this video halfway through.
They are, they are the F-18
One of my favorites is the tomcat due to the adjustment of the wings
My dad worked for Northrop towards the tail end of the Tigershark's life. I remember going to a family picnic at Northrop when I was like 9. They had a video presentation of the Tigershark blowing stuff up. I became a huge fan of this jet. Then it was gone.
Thanks for sharing and yes sadly it did go away suddenly.
I can still remember the print ads for the F20 in magazines in the early 80s, I think they featured Chuck Yeager. A brilliant plane shot down by politics and corporate skullduggery. Beautiful lines, and as the videos show, enough power to weight thrust to make the tail whip as it screams down the runway on its takeoff roll. Like the Blackbird yawing slightly from the power of its twin J58s on takeoff . A real shame she never got greenlit, mass produced, even if only exported.
I remember that at that time Grumman offered PAF to select F-20 instead of F-16 and in return complete production line of F-20 would be shifted to Pakistan. But PAF selected F-16 as USAF was in favor of F-16.
In 1986 China signed an agreement with Grumman to modernize its fleet of J-7 fighters under the so-called "Super-7" upgrade, but this agreement was cancelled in early 1990, in the wake of political relations with the West, but by that time engineering blue prints of F-20 were shared with Chengdu Aircraft Corporation [CAC]. That's why JF-17 air frame is much similar to F-20, while engine and avionics are based on what ever is available in the market at the moment.
Thank you for commenting and I plan on doing a follow up video about the JF-17 and how it is based on the F-20.
If paf favored f20 instead of f16 paf would've been ruling the asian skies till now
They choose F16 because it was war tested at that time and one of the most feared air craft.
Seems like the JF17 is a amalgamation of the F20 blueprints with the J7 (old soviet stolen plane ) design.
You made this video 2 years ago today. I was a Controller at El Toro and we had the F-20 TigerShark at our Airshow. It was amazing.
I was at that air show at El Toro. The F20 became my favorite airplane that day and has never been replaced.
This looks strikingly similar to the MIG-28 ;)
lol yep, but you have to be in a 4G inverted dive to get a close look at one. Thanks for commenting!
Lol Looking forward to TOP GUN 2
Youve seen a mig 28 before? At what range? Maybe 15 feet.
Practicing foreign relations. I gave him the bird.
They've never been this close before
The F-20 holds a rare distinction: it is one of the only fighter aircraft capable of inducing instantaneous G-lock - a phenomenon we still don't fully understand. No doubt that played a factor in the loss of the 2 F-20s.
Interesting point and I will need to look into that further, thanks for commenting!
If the F-20 was autonomous, G-lock would not be a factor.
Add thrust vectoring and it could easily outmaneuver any manned aircraft.
I’ve seen the video of one of those crashes. It was high negative gs that did the pilot in.
Based on the operational history of the F16, it’s hard to argue that the US picked the wrong plane.
A fair point and my first military bio video was on the F-16. However I think there was a place for the F-20 as an inexpensive export fighter. What an amazing time for fighter development - late 70s early 80s. Thanks for commenting!
PilotPhotog - I don’t disagree. When it first came out, I remember falling in love with the Tigershark and hoping the Air Force would find a role for it.
We'll never know, will we?
This could be an advanced fighter trainer aircraft
History repeats itself, as Northrup got screwed again with the YF-23.
Like many Northrop planes F20 was a beautyful plane.
Definitely a missed opportunity. Even Brig. General Chuck Yeager liked this aircraft.
He was payed to like it.
@@therobert9521 He wrote is his biography that he still loved it, even if he weren't payed to like it
@@therobert9521 To be fair, as the other contributor wrote, Yeager was highly complimentary about it, long after cancellation. And he wasn't the kind of guy to waffle - Chuck knew his aircraft. If the F20 hadn't been an honest performer - he would've said it.
THIS Tigershark'S dream can't cometrue, BUT i think This guy must AWSOME.
Thank you and thanks for commenting!
This was the Mig-21 of the 80s. Decent capability, incredibly cheap to run. Its genuinely unbelievable nobody bought it, but I guess back then they didn't really factor in running costs as much as they should have.
Countries wanted to buy it, but politics got in the way.
Why should they, come and slop at the trough of the taxpayer no matter how much it costs oink oink oink
Turns out selling the same plane to two countries that are at war with each other is not a good idea.
Even Chuck Yeager himself flew it and spoke really nice about it.
Indeed and thanks for commenting!
I know here in Canada we will be looking for a new fighter and the F-20 would be interesting to see in the running for the contract. It would most likely be up against the F-35, F/A-18E, Grippen or maybe even the Typhoon. But with its lower cost could stand a chance with the right modern upgrades. #MakeTheF20GreatAgain
I have read that the F-5 or F-20 cost less per flight hour to run than other fighters, which would make the penny pinchers in Canada happy. Plus it's reliability and ease of maintenance would have made it a good fighter for Canada. I think that a fighter along these lines should be designed that draws inspiration from the F-20, but does do with modern materials and technologies with price-performance being the main goal. I expect it would end up looking like a half-sized Super Hornet with one engine.
Gripen is the new F-20
@@SanjaySingh-oh7hv KOWSAR
The project is history. It will only be resurrected if someone will risk buying the license and modernize it together with the producer, otherwise it is history and will remain history.We were actually discussing on some military forums in Romania with several people passionate about military technology, about this plane in the sense that Romania should acquire the license. For the aviation industry in Romania it would have been a huge step. Canada, a state with a lot of money, will not even look at it, no matter how upgraded it is.
Perhaps the air force of Canada will be more intelligent than the USA and choose a jet to give more bang for the buck, a.k.a. the F20 Tigershark.
The reason why F20 was never bought by the USAF was because no matter how good it was, the USAF is averse to low cost "light" fighters.
F16 is an exception as it introduced bleeding edge technology and huge potential for growth
The only reason that the F 20 crashed at Osan Rok was the pilot did not use a g suite I blocked him out twenty minutes before the bird whent down
@CR BZ the growth potential was very limited compared to an F-16.
That, and the F-20 was developed without the Air Force's input.
The American defence is as well!
F16 was a commercial platform from which a lot of money could be squeezed both on sale and in time with the ugrates. That's why the elders decided that the F16 would be the winning platform. Plus, LM had chopped a lot of money from the government and the latter wanted to recover the investment...
Currently there are 2 fighters that share this concept and engine, the jas-39 grippen and KAI T/FA-50. Both share the same single engine, low cost to operate, supersonic and can be equipped with BVR missles and smartbombs
Yes, proving that there is a market for such a fighter today - excellent point!
@@PilotPhotog true, although the current FA-50 in service do not have BVR capability but it can be implemented if the customer needs it.
You forgot HAL tejas
What about jf-17
Jimmy the peanut farmer hated Taiwan. He was the one that pulled American Embassy in Taipei out in 1979.
Taiwan had F-5E and F-5F as main stable fighter against Chines PLAAF. MiG 21 was their most advanced fighter. Most incursion occurred was their more outdated Mig 19. F-5E was more than adequate. Taiwan and Northrop had cooperated and for many years. Taiwanese was more than willing to take F5G. Chuck Yeager was the legend that endorsed the F20. It’s a shame that USAF passed on it. Taiwan was prevented from buying it. Most fighter pilots were trained on T38. Guess what, very similar air frame, built by Northrop.
Indeed and it’s a shame it seems like the F-20 could have been an incredible platform. Thanks for commenting!
Yep Carters from my state of Georgia and many consider him an embarrassment to our State, what your stated is another reason to add
"Jimmy the peanut farmer hated Taiwan." Because he was a commie.
I would imagine that Carter had no choice but to close the Embassy in 1979, considering that is the year that they opened up China. Everything to do with Kissinger, Bush, & globalism... and nothing to do with 'the peanut farmer's hate' of Taiwan.
@@PilotPhotog just for some extra info here I have seen some internet rumor as it that some of the t20 tech (mostly the electronic parts) were pass on to Taiwan which they then used to create the f-ck-1 fighter.
Yes, the f20 would be a great option for many of our allies. What a wonderful aircraft, and with 21st century upgrades she'd be as lethal as she is beautiful.
Agree 100%!
F 20 is female? 🙄
@@rakeshdaimary5674 yes Rakesh the f20 is female
The F20 was engine start and gear up in less than 2 minutes. When minutes do make a difference after enemy radar contact, no aircraft I know of can be in the air and in the fight sooner.
Don't be sad.
F-20 still live and it has inherited it's DNA.
To JAS GRIPEN
(The engine at least)
Great analogy and thanks for commenting!
Note: thanks,
I say this becos i found an article that said about this. JAS Gripen was based on F-20. Both are similar in nose to fuselage, engine and design concept.
(But still we can disagreed with my claim.)
*Bad news* : i lost that article.
I love northrop F-5 family. A design tht make up the family tree from mr.Tiger Northrop n bro Talon Northrop to their descendant.
A very finest fighter design.
No , Swedish plane has different configuration. Consider only aerodynamic point of view, F20 resemblance to JF-17.
@X-Ray Crystallography
No, JAS Gripen doesn't use any of F-16 engine.
The earlier version of JAS Gripen are using powerplant *Volvo-Flygmotor RM12* , a licence-built derivative of the *General Electric F404−400* , the same engine being use by F-20 & F-18 Hornet.
And Gripen E/F are using General Electric F414G. The same engine that being used by F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
@@alexlo7708 yes, Swedish has different configuration but both are created on the same idea: Low operating costs, High reliability, Easy maintenance.
I know that nobody will believe me but I witnessed the second crash. I was 13 years old and living on the military base at Goose Bay, Labrador. My friends and I were waiting for the bus that morning when we saw the F20 performing aerobatic maneuvers. We didn't pay much attention because we were used to seeing fighter planes in the sky overhead. Then all of a sudden off in the distance we heard a loud and dull thud and a huge plume of black smoke...
Also, does anyone else remember the AC/Delco commercial Chuck Yeager did with the Tigershark in the background?
I can’t image what that must have been like. Tragic crash and loss of a pilot. I do remember the commercial by the way. Good times. Thanks for commenting!
yes indeed good post
Always had a lot of love for the F-20. Gorgeous looking plane
Great vídeo! Truly a beatiful machine, and missed opportunity . Still, I belief there is a chance, the Grippen, the JF-17 are a proof.
Agreed and thanks for the comment!
I have the feeling that in a guns only WVR dogfights between two equally skilled and experienced combat pilots, the F-20 still has a good chance coming out as the winner even when the opponent pilot is flying the latest Gen 4++, Gen 4.5, or Gen 5 fighter.
I don't share your optimism. The F-22 is one of the most formidable aircraft and with its vectored thrust would turn inside this jet to have the advantage in a dogfight.
@@jeffschwager1407 Imagine this plane updated to 2020, plus vector traction... An F22 would sweat a lot until they put one again... That's how you have to think. That modernized platform + modern avionics would make a serial killer.
@@Storel552 What you describe is sort of like the F-35, albeit without the vectored thrust... But the F-35 fills a niche and dogfights are not the F-35's strong suit. The F-35 isn't as capable at intercept as the F-22. Its avionics suite, which gives it the ability to passively detect other aircraft, share targeting information with other aircraft, and get the first shot off is. If the first shot misses and the enemy fighter gets within visual range, the F-35 is in trouble.
@@Storel552 If they were to upgrade the F20 and give it vectored thrust and enhanced avionics, it's not a simple matter of bolting these things on. You change the weight and balance and it may require a redesign of the wings, and/or moving the wing back because vectored thrust adds weight to the engine, moving the Center of Gravity to the rear which affects flight performance. It sounds like an easy fix, but it's more complicated than that.
After going through this video, I strongly feel that the F - 20 was a missed opportunity. Yes, I would like to go through the entire promo video of this fine aircraft. Thanks ...
The jet fighter was so on another plane in flying that it caused a g lock that the air force still doesn't understand today. Which was a bad thing. I wonder if that happens to other pilots?
Such a great looking and performing little jet, such bad luck it wasn't used!
Agreed, it will be featured again in my Top 5 fighters that didn’t get produced video.
I remember as a kid in the 80s reading an article about the F20 and the fact that this aircraft is also offered to our air force even demonstrated as well here in Indonesia (part of a procurement program test in the mid 80s alongside Mirage 2000, Panavia Tornado and F-16) but alas our air force went to select the F-16 instead. 🥺
We were a slave to the US Government then (which was very leaning on the F-16) so it's a no brainer.
I even remember a Pepsi commercial back then that featured Chuck Yeager talking a drink and then the next showed him taking off vertical in an F-20.
Likewise and thanks for commenting!
I remember the AC/DELCO commercial he did with the F5 behind him...
Saw one of the last flight demonstrations of the F-20 at China Lake in 1985. Went on to work on F-5 E/F at VA-127 NASF. Beautiful airframe.
F-20 tiger 🐅shark🦈......too nice video with clearly explaining of producing steps of several types of aircrafts in different places successful using of US aircraft a producing until borne of F-20 tiger shark...🇺🇸🦅👍👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Glad you liked it
Considering the F5 is sought after today as it costs far less to fly, it was a huge mistake of the Carter Administration.
Indeed it was regrettable that the F-20 wasn't adopted by any country, it would have been a valuable upgrade to the Brazilian and Indonesian air forces, among others, that have never purchased the F-16. The F-20 demise was the US government lack of vision and its philosophy that the more expensive is always the better. I've purchased a "what if" kit version of the F-20 that I plan to paint in the Brazilian air force colors.
That sounds like a great modelling project! If you are on Instagram let me know and I will follow you to see the pics of the Brazilian F-20 when it is done. Thanks for commenting!
Best all around fighter ever built. I remember following the testing of this aircraft in the 80's. I so wanted to see it go into production.
Agreed and thanks for commenting!
Watched the F-5 series & F-20 videos today, great job! I learned stuff I never knew, like the delta wing F-5, & other early proposals. Thank you.
Thank you so much! If you haven’t yet check out the videos on the F-16 and F-16XL: th-cam.com/video/6l3Ixa_WmSg/w-d-xo.html
awesome !! Thanks for the F-20 rundown - too bad this was never produced for ourselves and/or exported. Yes - the full promo video would be great !!
Thank you for the comment! I will release the promo video mid week next week. Upcoming video is on the Eurofighter which comes out Monday. Let me know what you think.
The F-20 was the best fighter never used, now that fighter is the YF-23
Both Northrop designs. Thanks for commenting!
Another big mistake by USAF...
YF-23 was a much better fighter jet than F-22.
I seem to recall that when Canada was shopping for its next fighter, the F-20 was considered, but they instead went with the F-18 Hornet. This was so, even though the F-20 had all of its cost and simplicity advantages, plus a range, that if memory serves, was double the F-18's.
Which is crazy because if you're trying to police a country the size of Canada, one of your prime considerations is range.
Memory is serving breakfast and its time for the coffee. The U.S. navy did not choose a shorter range than a flea F-20 trainer. An F-18 would kill an F-20 long before its tiny baby radar knew an enemy was in the area. First look first shot, second look second shot, third look no air force left. That is just for starters but with a start like that need we go further? There is a reason the U.S. chooses big planes. Hint: It starts with long range, big R and ends with adar.
A resurrected F-20 with modern and improved avionics and miniaturized tech would be a beast of a machine today!
That's all the F-20 needed to be the best fighter in the world today. It already had the agility it needed etc.
Hell, yeah, I would love to see the promo video in its entirety. Thanks for this short but cool little documentary on this excellent fighter that should have been. And you just made a new subscriber.
Thank you so much! I’ll post the promo video soon, I appreciate you subscribing, more videos on the way
Great Video. Pity the F-20 never found the market it deserved, looks like it was a beast and a very capable fighter.
Couldn't agree more and thanks for commenting!
In Chile, where we have 16 F5 Tiger III plus (F5E upgraded by IAI) ... the grey ones with the blue stripe in the tail in the video.... we love them, despite our main fleet is F16 block 50/52+....
Glad to hear you like the F-5 in Chile 🇨🇱 thanks for commenting!
My favorite fighter that never was; I had the privilege to visit Northrup assembly line in LA, circa 1981. It was amazing to see the large autoclaves for making composite panels and wings, ,and the tooling, advanced for that time. It was a real shame, as this may have beaten the F16 in nearly every category, specially performance vs cost of maintenance.
Thank you for commenting and providing us with some insight...its hard to appreciate how advanced the F-20 was for the time, since most of the features it introduced are standard on many fighters now.
I just wanted to say the F 5, F 20 also the T 38 were the best planes of there time. I see from the amount of comments I'm not alone!
Likewise! I almost didn’t make this video because I didn’t think others cared about or appreciated this legendary aircraft. Glad I did and thanks for commenting!
The F-20's legacy is ............ The Saab Gripen
I was thinking the same thing it's amazing how many boxes the Gripen checks that the Tigeshark preceded it on.
No, it's the KAI FA50
The lesser known malfunction and disable status of the Communication ship SS Layyton in the Indian Ocean is a hush hush legacy of the F20 ! 🤫
This is easily the best video about the F-20 on all yt, good job. My country's air force considered to buy 18 of this jets to compliment the existing 12 F-5's, but sadly an earthquake hit México City in 1985 and the plan was cancelled. Anyways, awesome video, keep the good job man! 🙂
Javier, I remember that '85 earthquake - devastating. I would have loved to have seen these fly for the Mexican Air Force, thanks for commenting!
Gorgeous Aircraft.
Both the F5 and F20 are beautiful. I remembered there was another aircraft the X29 which is also similar to the F20 except for the wings.
The F-20 Tigershark is now known as the JF-17 Thunder.
I mean you’re not wrong... it does seem like a straight copy doesn’t it?
@@PilotPhotog It isn't. JF17 is a redeveloped Mig 21 and thus structurally totally different. Also the electronics equipment of the JF17 is at current time's level. It is said that a JF17 shot down a Su30 recently. China hasn't the best electronics but still more advanced than Russia(28nm vs 110nm) thus no wonder.
@@aabb-zz9uw the Indian Su-30 that was shot down have a lot of Israeli electronic upgrades to them. Also a Mig-21 was downed too by the JF-17 as well. The JF-17s have chinese, Pakistani, Italian, Russian parts. But Pakistan holds about 80% of licensed production and manufacturing rights which is slowly increasing.
My cousin is a JF-17 pilot and his brother is an engineer at KAMRA, the aerospace division.
So many of us love this aircraft. I still remember hearing about those crashes as an 11 year old. There was one article that said something about the low wing design was more difficult for weapons loading and maintenance access than the higher wing style of the F-16 and F-18. This was allegedly a factor with potential buyers. There was no automatic canopy either. In any case, this aircraft seems to have an almost cult like following. A very aestetically beautiful aircraft for sure. I still have the promotional color brochures about this plane from the 84 time period somewhere in a box. Thank you for this documentary.
Yes very overrated, it had many shortcomings.
Damn if that wasn't the sleekest, sexiest, deadliest looking fighter of all time!
The F-20 is one of those aircraft that was an engineering marvel lucked out by eternal factors (politics). Sometimes building an excellent fighter isn't enough as history has shown.
In saying that some of the most successful aircraft in history have follows the philosophy of the Tiger family of fighters. The A4 Skyhawk, not the fastest, high tech or hard hitting, but a cheap and effective workhorse for many militaries.
Great comparison to the A-4...another hugely underrated airplane. Thanks for commenting!
So sad😟
@Joshua N. Ajang possibly, yes.
Great plane, and the success of the current Jas39 Gripen shows that there was plenty of space for such a small and economic but capable plane.
Agreed and thanks for commenting!
I was just a kid during this time but my uncle worked at Northrup and gave my brother and I F20 Tigershark promotional T-shirts in the early 1980s
I hope the Philippines will buy this kind of fighter jet.
Agreed and thanks for commenting!
Grippen and JF17 look like F20 tigershark, this is best complement 👍
JF17 is copy of failed russian design that too a Chinese copy. Showpiece tin can. It will drop like a fly. F20 looks promising and not to be compared with shit copy jet. It's like comparing Marcedes with Chinese copy cat car.
@@vinayakkadolkar89
Did you see JF17 block 3 generation 4.5 helmet + BVR + aesa radar 180km .... they were busy with improving + low cost.
JF-17 is equal to F16 block 52+
@@vinayakkadolkar89 before putting your nonsense commenting go throgh all comments everyone is talking about grippen and jf17 as good planes they are not pakistanis. You indians get your hal teajuice to work.
@@vinayakkadolkar89 before putting your nonsense commenting go throgh all comments everyone is talking about grippen and jf17 as good planes they are not pakistanis. You indians get your hal teajuice to work.
@@vinayakkadolkar89 ... The tea was fantastic 😂😂😂😂😂
The F-20 would be a good and inexpensive plane for nations with a smaller budget, i.e. in Africa or South America. Instead, the Chinese are rolling up the market with their export aircraft.
This is the tragedy of the nation that showed the world how to do business having a government that doesn't understand business at all.
It would be a good fighter for Canada at that time as we was looking for a inexpensive fighter to replace many of our older fighters from the 50s. Plus we built and flew CF 5 Freedom Fighter a Canadian variant of the F5 Freedom Fighter so it would be an easy and inexpensive transition.
As a kid, I remember TV ads with Chuck Yeager flying it.
Northrop's experience with the F-20 and YF-23 is a good lesson for other US MIC companies to put less money into R&D and more into marketing. It's also a good lesson not to pitch your aircraft as cheap and affordable. Pentagon might have been more sympathetic had they marketed it as an expensive gadget.
I was a big fan of this plane in the 80’s. Too bad it never went into production.
Agreed and thanks for commenting!
Yet another excellent video, Thanks!
A few thoughts:
Not only the JF-17 is - in a sense - an iteration of the F-20 concept. Also JAS-39A/B/C/D and finally the E-variant of Gripen. The aircraft may not look similar due to the delta canard configuration, but the radical emphasis on low operating cost, excellent performance, extensive use of composite materials, datalink and state of the art sensors is what you have to look for. Sadly, the Korean T-50 - with the aid of Lockheed Martin) is also an iteration of the same concept. And they al share the same lineage of engines: the GE F-404 and its more powerful cousin the GE F-414.
US industry and US forces seem to have little regard for operating cost. For industry low maintenance means less spareparts to sell and thus dwindling profits. And for the air forces - which, according to a renowned professor in political science, Niskanen - are just like bureaucrats, set to maximizing their budgets - lower cost means smaller budgets. The higher you climb in military hierarchy, the more you are forced to think as a bureaucrat and less as a fighting soldier. The F-35 being a prime example: it's a political/bureaucratic aircraft in a way, as its manufacturing is spread around the country (and globe) to ensure political support. The reports of the Director OT&E (dr. Gilmore) and US GAO were condemning of the programme decades in a row, yet no one dared to kill the programme. That is the US MIC at work, against which Eisenhower warned. Not that the F-35 is a lousy aircraft, but it has been poorly managed, government oversight has collapsed and the costs have spiraled.
Thanks for the comment and the analysis...my very next video is all about the top 5 aircraft that should have been produced, the F-20 is on that list. Let me know what you think when it comes out.
@@PilotPhotog I will, thanks.
For your information: I'm Dutch, have a masters degree in Public Administration specialized (or majored as I think you'd call it in the US or Canada) in strategic studies, international policy and international relations. Did some research work at the Dutch MoD/staff of the Dutch equivalent of the Chief of Staff at the MSA (Military Strategic Affairs) but never quite had the opportunity to stay due to many and severe budget cuts from 1990 onwards (some people here thought it to be a good idea to cash in on the 'peace dividend...' Been working as an ordinary civil servant ever since, yet with a keen interest in military affairs, military history, strategy, military technology, etc. I'm not an aviation specialist but I've got a few friends who have (for example a ret. Col. RNLAF who has flown almost every jet in the Dutch inventory from the early 1960ies onward and a masters degree in aerospace engineering among others). And a few former US aviators (USMC and USN, who have flown A-4's and F-4's in Vietnam). That's where I get my intel from and I cannot tell you, what a joy it is to be in their company.
And how much I appreciate your videos, which seem to been mad with the same 'madness' for the subject as we all share.
But please do not regard me as a subject matter expert, I'm more of a reasonably informed civilian and with an infantry background (served as a conscript) to make matters worse. Nevertheless: my sincere compliments and hope to learn more from you!
Cheers and kind regards!
I think the Gripen was highly influenced by the F-20. Especially as it was shortlisted as probably the best successor to the Viggensystem back in the early eighties.
The F-16 and the F-5 are 2 of my all time favourite fighters particularly because of their shape. When it was released, I discovered that the F-20 was the new improved version of the F-5 and I was instantly hooked. I have always wondered what could have been. I would have loved to see a dogfight between the F-16 and the F-20.
This is my all time favorite family ot fighters..the Northrop Midgit forever in my heart..
Thanks for commenting and I am working on more videos on the F-5
this is the jet fighter i adore madly crazily like no other. she was cancelled in 86. india was offered the full program in 89. they said no due to tejas go ahead in 84. india has less than 50 of their demur tejas now.
if the f20 tigershark was built, subtle improvements were planned:
engine power increase of 1k thrust from 17k to 18k
bigger nose/nose radar bulkhead moved back to allow for bigger radar size and bigger detection range
2x 20mm tigerclaw cannons to replace the 2 m39 revolver cowboy guns themselves based on nazi mg213 20mm revolver cowboy guns
bigger wing area for more agility of 220 square feet compared to 185 sq ft
triple actuators on the forward wing flaps replacing the single actuator which would increase turn rates
a bigger mission computer
bigger underwing drop tanks
this could have been put into production f20a/b twin seat models or a c/d twin seat models. all a what if. as the jet was built even today she would be lethal... nevermind an updated e/f model with f414 epe enhanced performance engines of 26k, aesa radar etc etc.
and and and... northrop broke my dark heart 2x. no damn gal ever did that. 1st their darling f20 tigershark, best jet ever built. then this little dear. no details relased on her. she doesnt matter. bin her...
www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=1648
I'm building a 1:144 scale model of the Tigershark. The video helps me with the detailing. Thanks.
Awesome! If you don’t mind post a link here when you are done, I’d love to see it.
great video
I saw this plane at the Farnborough airshow many years ago.
Absolutely awesome!
That must have been an amazing sight!
@@PilotPhotog. It was indeed. Very fast and agile and pretty noisy from what I can remember. All the things a good fighter jet should be .
I truly believe this was a better fighter then the F-16. This thing was way ahead of it's time.
Agreed and thanks for the comment!
Nope, f16 have better aero, and a experimental f16xl, never produced have range and payload to replace the f15e. Modern jets need range, pilots are expensive to loose because a cheap vehicle
how is this better than the F-16?
I do have a soft spot for the F-20..But it was nowhere near as good as the F-16..The F-16 would walk all over it period.
Yeah man
Sounds like a great aircraft
Really interesting video man, thank you so much for your up-load. Looking forwards to the Typhoon. Go safe, stay cool.
Thank you so much and you stay safe as well, let me know what you think of the Typhoon video - it drops on Monday.
Was stationed in Korea when the F20 crashed...Beautiful plane!
Thank you for your service and it must have been quite a sight in person.
Politics killed it...
I love the F-16 but this was clearly a direct challenge to the Falcon both in performance and operating costs...too bad.
Nice videos keep it up!
Thank you and likewise, the F-16 is an amazing airplane in its own right but I feel there could have been room for the F-20 as well.
2:35 A squadron of Chilean F-5s taking off from Carrasco airport, Montevideo, Uruguay. Then the same squadron is seen in flight. Fantastic combat aircraft, still serving in Brazil, Mexico and Chile, among others.
Indeed and thanks for commenting! The F-5 is a wonderful airplane.
On a junket to Edwards AFB, I got to sit in one of these! It was painted in that beautiful dark grey paint scheme. I told the pilot that I thought it looked like a BMW...he laughed and said the color was in fact, “BMW Grey”!
I worked on development of air combat agility metrics to show the F-20 could beat any fighter of its generation in point-and-shoot engagement. Greatest fighter ever built at the time. The metrics ‘Pointing Margin,’ and ‘Combat Cycle Time’ are still used today to evaluate fighter performance.
I saw the Northrop F-20 Tigershark N4416T at The Farnborough Airshow in 1984.
It was flown by Darrell Cornell and was easily the best flying display of that year and was far better than the F-16.
Sadly it crashed later in the year, in Korea, killing Darrell.
I would have loved to have seen it and RIP Darrell. Thanks for commenting!
I can only scratch my head as to why not even one air force took a chance with it!
As I recall foreign buyers loved the plane but they were skeptical of it because the US Air Force didn't buy it.
Best Plane Never Built!!!
In an unusual way, KAI and Lockheed-Martin built a facsimile thereof. They designed the T-50/FA-50 with so much similarity in design. The base model has a top speed of Mach 1.5, but the largest engine is greater than Mach 1.9. It's a light fighter with more electronic capability, but still easy to maintain. It's the plane many Asian nations have bought, plus Iraq, Poland, Peru, and soon to be sold to other Eastern European nations.. Still it is the top selling light fighter and trainer in the world at this time. All was not lost with the F-20.
Cool Video like usually.
Thank you much appreciated!
Whenever I see the F-20, I imagine a squadron of them in USAF Thunderbirds livery. That would have been awesome. Just imagine a couple of them on sneak passes... fast and loud! Great video!
Is love to see the F-20 and F-16 go at it.
Looks badass
God I love this channel! It’s awesome!
Thank you so much!
When I think of the F20 I remember that F5 done up in LAPD colors.
That was a Thornton aircraft / Northrop T-38A.
Not an F-5.
One of my favorite planes. It's unheralded and deserves more attention. 🏆
This F-20 video was made in 2020....thanks for commenting!
@@PilotPhotog Forgive me, but I don't quite understand the relevance of your response. The timeline of this video has no bearing upon my comments. As we know, the F-20 has F-5G DNA. Its development began in 1975. The aircraft was a further evolution of Northrop’s F-5E Tiger II.
But as you also know, the F-20 Tigershark program was abandoned in 1986 after three prototypes had been built (two of which crashed after their pilots blacked out due to excessive g-forces) and a fourth partially completed. As you said, no fault of the aircraft itself.
The F-20 never really had the longevity to prove its worth. I loved that plane. It was and remains a missed opportunity. The most efficient fighter ever. The powers that were let Northrop down.
I thought the top gun film did a decent job with the aircraft used for the fictional MiG-28s being F-5E (single seat) and F (two seat) Tiger IIs as aggressor aircraft.
Northrop's kind of a tragic figure. They had a great fighter, that on every ground was a great air defense fighter and didn't break the bank, but due to forces they couldn't control, they didn't get the opportunity to shine. Kinda sad if you look at it
Damn shame! That’s all i can say. . . Thanks jimmy.
It would have been a very effective and efficient Fighter for the US Military and our military lost out because it wasn't adopted f-16s are great fighter but it's not as economical is the F20 was I would have liked very much to see it fly in our air forces and see its progress and development over the years . Northrop has always built very very good aircraft
Agreed and thanks for commenting!
The YF-23 and F-20, the dynamic duo that never was.
Chuck Yeager loved the F20
I was thought there are 3 answers to all questions in the military: Yes sir, no sir, no excuser sir. This is a bigno excuser sir. Even if we had built them and used them in our own aggressor squadrons this plane should have been built PERIOD.
F20 kicked the F16s butt in air to air trials.
That's what I heard as well, thanks for commenting!
@@PilotPhotog similar story to the Lavi. Go into that. Also a beast of an aircraft that never was.
Too nice video about Tiger 🐅🦈shark 💪💪thanks
Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting
@@PilotPhotog thanks with pleasure 👍
one of the finest. agility is awesome. and there is a littlebit tecnhic also but it still is the pilot who flies.
Agreed and it was way ahead of its time, thanks for commenting!
Just amazing how Taiwan can hold its own, given its size and the fact that everyone has turned their backs to it, given pressure from Mainland China.
u r silly, even taiwan did not have a military since day one, China would not have attacked Taiwan due to the fact China had always wanted a peaceful unification unless taiwan declare independence... till today, even US has not once dare to ask Taiwan to do so... Cos US has never prepared to save Taiwan, as it is not worth at all.... China has, only God knows how many nuclear missiles that can hit US.
@@limeddie3864 not true China tried and failed
They attacked an island near the mainland coast during the later stages of the Civil War and got annihilated by Taiwanese forces