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Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II

Service History

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On February 9, 1973, the ROC government and the US government reached an agreement for the co-production of 100 F-5E. This program was given the codename "Hu An" (Peace Tiger) and was to be undertaken jointly by Northrop and Taiwan's AIDC (then a branch of the ROCAF). The first AIDC-built F-5E was rolled out on October 30, 1974, one day before the late President Chiang Kai Shek's 88th birthday, and was thus christened "Chung Chen", an alias of President Chiang. Production of all 100 aircraft was completed in November 1977. Later 208 more aircraft were added to the production run in five batches, from "Peace Tiger 2" through "Peace Tiger 6". Complexity of the production work by AIDC also evolved in several phases. The whole "Peace Tiger" program was completed on December 9, 1986, when the final aircraft was rolled of the production line. In total, the ROCAF received 242 F-5E and 66 F-5F. Breakdown of the numbers of aircraft built in each Peace Tiger batch is as follows: F-5E F-5F Subtotal Peace Tiger 1 100 0 100 Peace Tiger 2 47 0 47 Peace Tiger 3 20 3 23 Peace Tiger 4 15 15 30 Peace Tiger 5 30 18 48 Peace Tiger 6 30 30 60 Among these batches, Peace Tiger 6 stands out because it is only batch approved after the Carter administration of the US established formal relationships with China in 1979. The succeeding Reagan administration denied Taiwan's request to prochase the more advanced F-16 and F-20 in early 1982, for fear of angering China. To make matters worse, the US signed the 817 Communique with China on August 17, 1982, pledging to reduce arms sales to Taiwan gradually. But in an effort to assure Taiwan's security, the Reagan administration notified the Congress of the proposed sale of 60 F-5E/F to Taiwan two days later. The US$240-million sale was made of the lincense production of 30 F-5E and 30 F-5F and was later materialed as Peace Tiger 6. The F-5E/F license-building program gave AIDC invaluable experience in aircraft manufacturing techniquesand broadened its technology base. It also helped AIDC build up a good relationship with Northrop, which later proved very beneficial for the AT-3 program. AIDC had developed a modern chemical milling facility that could handle aluminum skin panels up to 2 by 4 ft and magnesium panels of smaller sizes. Another advanced manufacturing capability developed by AIDC as a result was the fabrication of bonded honeycomb elements. The fuselage dorsal cover for the F-5E, which consists of nine bonded honeycomb panels, and the honeycomb aileron and flap panels were added to the fabrication work under Phase 5. Service History 443rd Tactical Fighter Wing 443rd TFW 1st TFG (not current) 1st TFS (now 1st TFG) 9th TFS (now 9th TFG) To prepare for the arrival of the F-5Es, ROCAF established a task force named "Sung Shan" at Tainan AB on December 1, 1974, in charge of the conversion training. On September 10, 1976, the 443rd TFW, consisting of the 1st, 3rd, and 9th TFS, at Tainan AB became the first F-5E wing when the 48th F-5E was delivered to the wing. The ROCAF aerobatic demonstration team, the Thunder Tiger, then a task force of the 1st TFG under the 443rd TFW, also converted to the F-5E. The team continued to fly the Tiger II until June 1988, when the Air Force Academy took over the responsibility for flying demonstration with the AT-3. The 443rd TFW began to trade its F-5E/F for the F-CK-1A/B in 1996 and became the second wing to operate the Ching Kuo Indigenous Defensive Fighter. 401st Tactical Composite Wing 401st TCW 5th TFG (not current) 17th TFS (now 17th TFG) 26th TFS (now 26th TFG) 27th TFS (now 27th TFG) The second ROCAF wing to receive the F-5E was the 401st TCW which used to be based at Taoyuan; it converted to F-5Es on January 27, 1978. At that time, the 401st TCW had three F-5E squadrons, the 17th, 26th, and 27th TFS, in addition to the 12th TRS, then operating the R/F-104G. These Stargazers/Starfighters were completely replaced by seven RF-5E in 1998. A handful of regular F-5E were also assigned to the 12th TRS for proficiency flying. The 401st TCW, including the 12th TRS, was relocated to Hualien on July 1, 1998, and traded its F-5E/F with the new F-16A/B. However, the RF-5E of the 12th TRS stayed at Taoyuan and were transferred to the newly established 4th TRS there on the same day. 455th Tactical Fighter Wing 455th TFW 4th TFG (not current) 21st TFS (now 21st TFG) 22nd TFS (now 22nd TFG) 23rd TFS (now 23rd TFG) The 455th TFW at Chiayi, then consisting of the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd TFS, was the third ROCAF wing to convert the F-5E/F. The conversion process began on February 20, 1978, and was completed on September 16 of the same year. It surrendered its F-5E/F when the ROCAF started to take delivery of the F-16A/B and became the first F-16 wing when the first batch of F-16 arrived at Chiayi in April 1997. In total, the 455th TFW accumulated 23,025 sorties and 114,489.35 hours on the F-5E/F. 737th Tactical FIghter Wing 737th TFW 7th TFG 44th TFS 45th TFS 46th TFS The 737th TFW at Taitung converted to F-5Es in 1982, then controling the 44th, 45th, and 46th TFS under the subordinate 7th TFG. On January 1, 1984, the 46th TFS became an independent squadron directly reporting the 737th TFW. It took up the responsibility as the aggressor unit, simulating tactics used by the PLAAF. Their F-5E/F are painted either in tropical camouflage or in bare-metal, resembling PLAAF tactical aircraft. The buzz number is painted in red and moved from the mid section of the fuselage to the nose section, while the stenciled "Chung Chen" are moved to where the buzz number used to be. On July 1, 1988, with the installation of the new ACMI system, the ROCAF established the Tactical Training and Development Center (TTDC) at Taitung and the 46th TFS became its sole subordinate unit. 828th Tactical FIghter Wing (not current) The last wing to receive F-5Es, the 828th TFW, started the conversion on July 1, 1986, although some F-5A/Bs of this wing kept flying until mid-1990s. The wing stood down in 1992 and the East Command, which was established July 1, 1991, took over the 8th TFG and its subordinate squadrons. In 1994, the ROCAF leased 40 ex-USAF T-38A to cover the shortage of the F-5E/F and to retain pilot proficiency prior to the introduction of the F-16A/B. These T-38A were assigned to the 14th and 15th TFS and were commissioned on May 24, 1995. All T-38A, minus one attrition, were returned to the US in 1998. On July 1, 1998, the 8th TFG was transferred to the newly established Taoyuan AB Command. Taoyuan Air Base Command (not current) Taoyuan AB Command (not current) 8th TFG (not current) 14th TFS (not current) 15th TFS (not current) 16th TFS (not current) On July 1, 1998, the 8th TFG was relocated to Taoyuan, falling under the control of the newly established Taoyuan AB Command. The 15th and 16th TFS re-gained the F-5E/F, while the 14th TFS was relocated to Chiayi and became the 14th FG (OCU) to train F-16 pilots. Taoyuan AB Command also gained the newly established 4th TRS, which flies the RF-5E. Seven years after its establishment, Taoyuan AB Command stood down on July 1, 2005, when ROCAF underwent another wave of reorganization. All of its F-5E/F were transferred to the 737th TFW at Taitung, while the 401st TCW at Hualien took over the RF-5E. Fleet Images  F-5E 5185 5195 5223 5241 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5249 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5250 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5261 5263 5265 5272 5278 5279 5280 5281 5286 5287 5288 5289 5290 5291 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5292 5294  F-5F 5368 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5371 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5377 5378 5380 5381 5382 5384 5385 (Photo by Benjamin Yu) 5386 5389 5393 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5397 5400 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5401 (Photo by Jason Tu) 5404 5407 5409 5410 5412 5413 5414 5416 Fleet Information  F-5E Tail No. Serial No. Remark 5101 74-0958 5102 74-0959 5103 74-0960 5104 74-0961 5105 74-0962 5106 74-0963 5107 74-0964 5108 74-0965 5109 74-0966 Preserved (Tse Ming High School, Taichung County) 5110 74-0967 w/o 5111 74-0968 5112 74-0969 5113 74-0970 5114 74-0971 5115 74-0972 5116 74-0973 5117 74-0974 5118 74-0975 w/o 11/02/81 5119 74-0976 5120 74-0977 Defected to China & crashed 02/11/89 5121 74-0978 Preserved in Madou 5122 74-0979 5123 74-0980 Preserved (Chung Hwa Vocational School, Hualien) 5124 74-0981 5125 74-0982 Preserved (Ba Gua Shan Park, Changhwa County) 5126 74-0983 5127 74-0984 5128 74-0985 Preserved (Military Historical Park, Nanhwa Dam) 5129 74-0986 w/o 04/14/82 5130 74-0987 5131 74-0988 5132 74-0989 5133 74-0990 5134 74-0991 5135 74-0992 w/o 05/24/91 5136 74-0993 5137 74-0994 Preserved (Yun Da Technical College, Pingtung County) 5138 74-0995 Preserved (Er Lun Military History Park, Yunlin County) 5139 74-0996 5140 74-0997 Preserved (Shihu, Changhwa County) 5141 75-0314 5142 75-0315 5143 75-0316 5144 75-0317 5145 75-0318 Preserved (Chung Hwa Technical College, Chutung) 5146 75-0319 5147 75-0320 5148 75-0321 5149 75-0322 Preserved (Chung Shan Vocational School, Kaohsiung) 5150 75-0323 5151 75-0324 5152 75-0325 w/o 05/28/92 5153 75-0326 5154 75-0327 5155 75-0328 5156 75-0329 5157 75-0330 Preseved (Tainan AFB) 5158 75-0331 5159 75-0332 5160 75-0333 5161 75-0334 5162 75-0335 5163 75-0336 5164 75-0337 5165 75-0338 5166 75-0339 5167 75-0340 5168 75-0341 5169 75-0342 5170 75-0343 5171 75-0344 As instruction airframe (Air Force Aeronautical & Technical School) 5172 75-0345 5173 75-0346 5174 75-0347 5175 75-0348 5176 75-0349 5177 75-0350 5178 75-0351 5179 75-0352 5180 75-0353 5181 75-0354 5182 75-0355 Preserved (Mei Shan Park, Chiayi County) 5183 75-0356 5184 75-0357 5185 75-0358 Preserved (Hualien AFB) 5186 75-0359 5187 75-0360 5188 75-0361 5189 75-0362 5190 75-0363 5191 75-0364 w/o 05/28/91 5192 75-0365 5193 75-0366 5194 75-0367 5195 75-0368 Preserved (Taoyuan AFB) 5196 75-0369 5197 75-0370 5198 75-0371 5199 75-0372 5200 75-0373 5201 76-0471 5202 76-0472 5203 76-0473 5204 76-0474 5205 76-0475 5206 76-0476 5207 76-0477 5208 76-0478 5209 76-0479 5210 76-0480 5211 76-0481 5212 76-0482 5213 76-0483 w/o 08/07/78 5214 76-0484 5215 76-0485 Preserved (Fang Shu Vocational School, Chungli) 5216 76-0486 5217 76-0487 5218 76-0488 5219 76-0489 5220 76-0490 Preserverd (Shuili, Nantou County) 5221 76-1616 As instruction airframe (Air Force Aeronautical & Technical School)   Tail No. Serial No. Remark 5222 76-1617 5223 76-1618 Preserved (Taitung AFB) 5224 76-1619 5225 76-1620 5226 76-1621 5227 76-1622 w/o 05/09/89 5228 76-1623 w/o 09/30/97 5229 76-1624 Preserved (Chuchi Park, Chiayi County) 5230 76-1625 Preserved (Lungtan Sports Park) 5231 76-1626 5232 76-1627 5233 76-1628 5234 76-1629 5235 76-1630 5236 76-1631 5237 76-1632 5238 76-1633 5239 76-1634 w/o 12/20/95 5240 76-1635 5241 76-1636 Preserved (Chiayi AFB) 5242 76-1637 5243 76-1638 5244 76-1639 5245 77-0328 5246 77-0329 5247 77-0330 5248 77-0331 5249 77-0332 5250 77-0333 5251 77-0334 Preserved (Chin Ho Community Park, Chiayi County) 5252 77-0335 5253 78-0028 5254 78-0029 5255 78-0030 w/o 07/26/91 5256 78-0031 5257 78-0032 5258 78-0033 5259 78-0034 5260 78-0035 5261 78-0036 5262 78-0037 5263 78-0865 5264 78-0866 5265 78-0867 5266 78-0868 5267 78-0869 5268 78-0870 5269 78-0871 5270 78-0872 5271 78-0873 5272 78-0874 5273 78-0875 5274 79-1717 5275 79-1718 5276 79-1719 5277 79-1720 5278 80-0299 5279 80-0300 5280 80-0301 5281 80-0302 5282 80-0303 5283 80-0304 Preserved (823 Memorial Park, Taichung) 5284 80-0305 5285 80-0306 5286 80-0307 5287 80-0308 5288 80-0309 5289 80-0310 5290 80-0311 5291 80-0312 5292 80-0313 5293 80-0314 5294 80-0315 5295 80-0316 5296 80-0317 5297 80-0318 5298 80-0319 5299 81-0006 5300 81-0007 5301 81-0008 5302 81-0009 5303 81-0010 5304 81-0011 5305 81-0012 5306 81-0013 5307 81-0014 5308 81-0015 Loaned to AIDC (Tiger2000 prototype) 5309 81-0016 5310 81-0017 5311 81-0018 5312 81-0019 5313 83-0083 5314 83-0084 5315 83-0085 Converted into RF-5E 5501 5316 83-0086 Converted into RF-5E 5502 5317 83-0087 Converted into RF-5E 5503 5318 83-0088 Converted into RF-5E 5504 5319 83-0089 5320 83-0090 5321 83-0091 Converted into RF-5E 5505 5322 83-0092 5323 83-0093 Converted into RF-5E 5506 5324 83-0094 Converted into RF-5E 5507 5325 83-0095 5326 83-0096 5327 83-0097 5328 83-0098 5329 83-0099 5330 83-0100 5331 83-0101 5332 83-0102 5333 83-0103 5334 83-0104 5335 83-0105 5336 83-0106 5337 83-0107 5338 83-0108 5339 83-0109 5340 83-0110 5341 83-0111 5342 83-0112  F-5F Tail No. Serial No. Remark 5351 76-1640 w/o 06/02/96 5352 76-1641 5353 76-1642 5354 77-0336 w/o 05/xx/89 5355 77-0337 5356 77-0338 5357 77-0339 5358 77-0340 5359 77-0341 5360 77-0342 5361 77-0343 Defected to China 08/08/81; on display in Beijing 5362 77-0344 5363 77-0345 5364 77-0346 5365 77-0347 5366 77-0348 w/o 09/25/81 5367 77-0349 5368 77-0350 5369 78-0876 5370 78-0877 5371 78-0878 w/o (instrument panel & seat at ITRI) 5372 78-0879 5373 78-0880 5374 78-0881 5375 78-0882 w/o 11/22/82 5376 78-0883 5377 78-0884 5378 79-1721 5379 79-1722 w/o 01/27/05 5380 79-1723 5381 79-1724 w/o 06/17/06 5382 79-1725 5383 79-1726   Tail No. Serial No. Remark 5384 80-0296 5385 80-0297 5386 80-0298 5387 83-0113 5388 83-0114 w/o 09/30/97 5389 83-0115 5390 83-0116 w/o 01/26/89 5391 83-0117 5392 83-0118 5393 83-0119 5394 83-0120 w/o 12/03/98 5395 83-0121 5396 83-0122 5397 83-0123 5398 83-0124 w/o 04/13/04 5399 83-0125 5400 83-0126 5401 83-0127 5402 83-0128 5403 83-0129 5404 83-0130 5405 83-0131 5406 83-0132 5407 83-0133 5408 83-0134 5409 83-0135 5410 83-0136 5411 83-0137 5412 83-0138 5413 83-0139 5414 83-0140 5415 83-0141 w/o 07/15/89 5416 83-0142

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