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    This page documents a history of a specific aircraft. The details provided vary from aircraft to aircraft and are dependent on the research and amount of data uploaded to the Aerial Visuals database.

    Airframe Family: Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter / T-38 Talon / Canadair CF-116
    Latest Model:YF-5A Freedom Fighter
    Last Military Serial:59-4987 USAF
    Construction Number:N.6001
    Compressed ID:Northrop YF-5A sn 59-4987 USAF cn N...
    Latest Owner or Location:Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington

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    Dates

    Event

    1959

    Constructed as a N-156F.

    30 May 1959

    To Northrop Corporation, Hawthorne, CA.
    This aircraft is Northrops prototype Freedom Fighter. It was unveiled on May 30, 1959 in front of visitors from 40 foreign countries.

    30 July 1959

    First flight.
    Test pilot Lew Nelson flew the prototype, powered by two General Electric J85-5 turbojet engines, supersonic during its first flight at Edwards Air Force Base.

    Circa 1959

    Taken on Strength/Charge with the United States Air Force with s/n 59-4987 as a N-156F.
    Serial number assigned in 1959, but it is not clear that the USAF took the aircraft on strength.

    1961

    Used by the U.S. Army for various tests in U.S. Army markings. It was evaluated for possible forward air control and tactical reconnaissance duties.

    August 1962

    Redesignated as YF-5A.

    By 1980

    To Museum of Flight, Boeing Field, Seattle, WA.
    View the Location Dossier


    Photographer: National Museum of t United States Air Fo
    Notes: Northrop YF-5A (S/N 59-4987, first prototype aircraft). (U.S. Air Force photo)

    13 August 1994


    Photographer: Glenn Chatfield

    29 June 2012


    Photographer: Terry Fletcher
    Notes: 2012 Photo taken in the T.A.Wilson Great Gallery at Museum of Flight, Seattle
    This dossier is waiting for review by an editor.This airframe dossier is based on
    unreviewed imported data.
    If you can verify the documented history or add to it with additional text and/or photos please feel free to do so by using the upload tool and the history editor.
    Credits
     Data for airframe dossiers come from various sources. The following were used to compile this dossier...
    Print Sources
     U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947 by Stephen Harding GC
    U.S. Military Out of Service 2010 by Andy Marden
    Internet Sources
     National Museum of the United States Air Force
    United States Military Services Serial Number Lists by Joe Baugher
    Individual Contributors
     Glenn Chatfield
    Terry Fletcher
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