About the NF-5 Aircraft

NF-5 aircrafts, which have been in service at Tuaf since 1987, are preferred as the most suitable aircraft for aerobatic displays due to their avionic systems and aircraft performance. When the world aviation literature is scanned, it is seen that the F-5 aircraft design is the most suitable aircraft design for supersonic flights.

Within the scope of the project commenced in August 1993 at Eskişehir 1st Air Supply Maintanance Center Command;

• The chaff/flare dispensary units and the gun barrels, which increase the aerodynamic drag, were cancelled by detachment; and structural modifications were applied to those parts.
• Instrument panels were reset in order to enhance pilot vision and to make it user-friendly.
• For better vision on mirrors, two side mirrors were replaced with F-4 aircraft mirrors and an extra mirror was mounted.
• Tiptanks were converted into paint tanks by disconnecting the fuel lines from main fuel system and hydraulic pumps were mounted into tanks in order to transmit the paint to the nozzles, for the purpose of enabling the aircraft to emit smoke during the display.
• Aircraft bodies were dressed up with red and white paint, which is their present color.

9 NF-5A and 1 NF-5B aircraft, which were assigned to Turkish Stars acroteam, were handed over in July 1994 following the completion of modifications.In year 2000, in addition to aforementioned modifications, 3-axis VTR's were mounted in order to improve the effectiveness of post-flight performance evaluations. Now, the acroteam carries out demonstrations and training activities with 10 NF-5A and 6 NF-5B aircraft.

Nf-5 Aircraft Technical Specifications:

Length: 47,2 feet

Width: 25,8 feet

Height: 13,2 feet

Weight: 14689 lb

Thrust: 2x2925 lb

Thrust: A/B 2x4300 lb

Fuel Capacity: 3964 lb

Fuel Type: JP-8 / JP-4

Max Speed: 710 knot (1315 km/hour)

"G" Limits: 7,33 / -3,0

Maneuvers: 4800 feet / 0,82 mach / 5,5 G / 11 degrees in one second

Engine: 2xGE J-85-CAN-15 / 2x4300 lb