Canadair NF-5 for the Netherlands

Last revised January 1, 2000



The other major operator of the Canadair-built Freedom Fighter was the Netherlands.

In 1966, the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force, or KLu) selected the F-5 Freedom Fighter to replace its fleet of aging F-84F Thunderstreaks. The Netherlands had originally hoped to co-produce over 200 F-5s under license in collaboration with Belgium, but Belgium chose the Mirage 5 as its F-84F replacement. The KLu was not exactly overjoyed about the choice of the F-5, and wanted several improvements to the basic design. It turned out that these improvements very closely matched those that were implemented by Canada in its CF-5. Consequently, on February 1, 1967, the Dutch government decided to acquire its F-5s from the Canadair production line rather than to build them at home.

In KLu service, the single-seater was to be designated NF-5A, with the two-seat version being designated NF-5B. The-Dutch ordered aircraft were identified as CL-226 by the Canadair factory, with the single seaters being CL-226-1A10 and the two-seaters being CL-226-1A11. Initially, the order was to include 90 single seaters and 15 two-seaters, but was later revised to include 75 NF-5As and 30 NF-5Bs. A letter of intent for 75 NF-5A single seaters and 30 NF-5B two seaters was signed on January 30, 1967, with deliveries set to begin in late 1969.

In order to attract the Dutch order in the first place, the Canadian government had offered a substantial offset program to Dutch companies. Under the terms of the agreement, Fokker and Avio Diepen at Ypenburg were to produce fuselage and tail assemblies and ship them to Cartierville for final assembly. These firms not only completed sub-assemblies for the NF-5 program, but also for Canada's CF-5s.

Technically, the NF-5 was the most advanced Freedom Fighter to date. It differed from the CF-5 primarily in having maneuvering leading-edge flaps incorporated into a stronger wing structure. When set for high-speed maneuvering, the electrically-operated leading and trailing edge flaps are synchronized by a control box and are controlled by a thumb-operated switch on the starboard throttle lever. These maneuvering flaps are claimed to give a 50-percent increase in the instantaneous turning rate. The NF-5A/B also had increased external fuel capacity, and the stronger wing enabled more ordnance to be carried. Provision was made for larger external fuel tanks and for the use of ejector bomb racks.

Many of the avionics systems fitted to the CF-5 (such as the UHF D/F, Sperry navigation system, ISIS sight and camera system) were deleted from the NF-5. The Dutch NF-5As had the standard Northrop non-computing gunsight, but replaced the Sperry gyro heading and reference system with a Bendix attitude and heading reference system. The NF-5 was equipped with a Canadian Marconi Type 668 Doppler navigation system and 703 navigation system with a roller map. It was equipped with an attitude heading and reference system, emergency UHF radio, and a radio altimeter.

On March 5, 1969, the first NF-5 (K-3001) rolled off the production line at Cartierville. It was the 17th F-5 to be built in Canada. It took off on its maiden flight on March 24, 1969, with Canadair test pilot W. Longhurst at the controls. The first NF-5B (K-4002) flew on July 7 of that year, flown by S. Grossman.

The NF-5As bore the KLu serials K-3001 through K-3075, with the NF-5Bs being serialed K-4001 through K-4030. The first two NF-5As and NF-5Bs were flown to Edwards AFB for flight testing. The Royal Netherlands Air Force took delivery of the first machine (NF-5B K-4002) on October 7, 1969. The first NF-5s were assigned to 313 Squadron based Twenthe. This outfit became the conversion unit, and trained the pilots of other squadrons as they came on line. The KLu NF-5As served with Nos 313 and 315 Squadrons based at Twenthe, with No 314 Squadron based at Eindhoven, and with No 316 Squadron based at Gilze-Rijen. The last NF-5 (a NF-5A, serial number K-3075) was delivered to the Netherlands on March 10, 1972.

The NF-5 fleet was progressively upgraded throughout its life. The canopies were improved and new avionics were added, including a radar warning receiver. ALE-40 chaff and flare dispensers were mounted on the rear fuselage. some of the NF-5As had their wingtip tanks replaced with Sidewinder missile-launching rails.

The following KLu squadrons have operated the type:

The Freedom Fighter is no longer in service with the KLu. The last NF-5 Freedom Fighters stood down on May 1, 1991, when No. 316 at Glize-Rijen converted to F-16s. By now, the KLu fleet of NF-5s have all been replaced by F-16 Fighting Falcon, with most of the planes having been relegated to storage at Gilze-Rijen and then Woensdrecht. Other nations became interested in acquiring the well-maintained Dutch aircraft, and many have been transferred. This includes transfers to Turkey (60, although not all airworthy), Greece 11), and Venezuela (7). The remainder have been transferred to technical schools in Holland or to museums.

Sources:


  1. The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.

  2. Jane's American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th Centry, Michael J. H. Taylor, Mallard Press

  3. Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston and Mike Spick, Crescent, 1983.

  4. United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

  5. F-5: Warplane for the World, Robbie Shaw, Motorbooks, 1990

  6. Fighters of the United States Air Force, Robert F. Dorr and David Donald, Temple Press/Aerospace, 1990

  7. The World's Great Attack Aircraft, Gallery, 1988.

  8. DMS Market Intelligence Report

  9. Northrop F-5/F-20, Jerry Scutts, Ian Allan Ltd, 1986.

  10. Au Revoir CF-5s, Rene J. Francillon and Jeff Rankin-Lowe, Air Fan International, October 1995.

  11. Northrop F-5, Jon Lake and Robert Hewson, World Airpower Journal, Vol 25, 1996.