New images added Hobby Master HA3390 RF-5E Tiger Eye 11420, Edwards AFB, Jan 1979
USAF RF-5E serial 71-1420 operated at Edwards Air Force Base in January 1979 as part of flight test and evaluation activities. The RF-5E was a reconnaissance variant of the F-5E Tiger II, equipped with cameras in the nose for tactical imagery collection. At Edwards, the aircraft was used to support testing of sensors, reconnaissance systems, and operational concepts. Its small size, speed, and reliability made it well suited for evaluation work and training support. Aircraft 71-1420 contributed to refining reconnaissance techniques and equipment during a period of continued development in tactical intelligence gathering.
Northrop RF-5E Tigereye
Designed partly to meet a US Navy requirement for a low-cost, low-maintenance fighter to operate from Escort Carriers, the F-5 first flew on July 30, 1959. Development of the F-5 continued even after the Navy withdrew its Escort Carriers, and the aircraft eventually evolved into the light, supersonic “Freedom Fighter,” serving US allies during the Cold War and as a supersonic trainer in the US. The second-generation F-5 (“Tiger II”) also served US allies, but because it was small and maneuverable like a MiG it was also used by the US military as a training and “aggressor” aircraft, acting as the opposing force during military wargames.
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