The Subject
The F-5F Tiger II Is a derivative of the original F-5A Freedom Fighter and was selected by the US Navy as a replacement for its T-38 Talon trainers used as part of the Fighter Weapons School, aka Top Gun.
Used by Top Gun for dissimilar air combat training, they were painted in Warsaw Pact schemes typical for the latter Cold War period.
Initially delivered in the late 70’s and early 80’s, most have been replaced by modern aircraft such as the F-16 and F/A-18, which continue to sport camouflage schemes consistent with likely adversary air forces.
The Model
This kit was initially released in 1982 and contained added parts to model the F-5F two-seat variant. The base F-5E kit was issued at the same time.
Assembly was quite easy and was the first Italeri kit I’d come across. Details were very fine and much better than my experience with Revell, Monogram, Airfix, and Heller, which was my base at the time.
I remember purchasing the Superscale decal sheet 72-312 USAF & USN F-5E’s and T-38 Aggressors at the same time, as well as all the Humbrol enamels I would need to paint the aircraft in the “correct” colors. I remember the paint being very smooth and the painting experience better than I’d had with my old Pactra or Testors enamels — my staple to that point. Next time I was at that hobby shop I purchased quite a few more colors, some I still have today. The instructions were vague, providing a 3-view of a “Top Gun” scheme with instructions to add or omit decals for the T-38 or F-5. I didn’t jot down the bort number so used a number I thought it was. Whether correct or not…I liked the appearance. The decals went down nicely and this was before I discovered the “Microscale Process” of Microsol and Microset. I scratched the ACMI pod from a toothpick.
Summary
For the price this is still the best F-5E/F kit available, and it builds into a very nice kit. It was the best brush painted kit I’d completed for many years and still looks nice on my shelf.
