N-156: Evolution of the Northrop F-5

[Scott Kenny]

Don't mean to detract from principle N-156 topic, but found this:

Nord Aviation AA.20 ‘Rapiere’ air to air missile - was designated the Type 5103. The AA.20 missile project was always regarded as a stepping stone to a more advanced missile (which would materialise as the R.530.). The AA.20 was command guided, using a similar system to that used by Nord's SS.10 ATGM.

Regards
Pioneer

Command guided AAM? Ewwwww, that would be utterly AWFUL to fight with!

From the article:

Weight penalty for the cooling system is slight compared with the gain in performance. 350 lb of fuel is replaced by 450 lb of water. Hardware in the precompressor cooling system weighs less than 200 lb. ... Norair feel that the minor loss of range through the loss of fuel is offset by the higher dash capability in a maximum power intercept mission.

Interesting, it seems there's a range of applications where this could be beneficial. Of course efforts like Reaction Engines' one have progressed way beyond these efforts.

Total weight gain of ~300lbs, not bad. If I'm doing the math in my head correctly, they replaced a ~50gal fuel tank with a water(etc) tank. It's more than 8lbs/gal for the cooling fluid because there's some corrosion preventatives mixed in there.

 

[RAP]

Not sure this has been posted before. N-156T mockup found at SDASM Flickr page.

 

[Archibald]

That plane looked sexy even before the craddle.

 

[bercr]

There is also a color photo of an N-156F mockup with canopy opened.

https://flic.kr/p/7WSHnR

View: https://flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4559126183

 

[bercr]

Thumbnail:


Link to the same scan in HI-RES (6026x4626 - 27.66 Mo):

https://www.skytamer.com/Northrop/N-156F_Mockup_as_AF_55-6156_NP-119539.jpg

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

"N-156A" art via https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071924734346 is clearly this specific configuration PD-2706

 

[Pioneer]

Here you've got the article on the Rapiere system from the Aviation Week of 27 June 1960

Regars,
Piotr

A belated thanks Piotr
It's interesting that the weapons capability of the N-156F clearly denotes both the capability of employing Aim-7 Sparrow III and Aim-4 Falcon AAM's. Given that I was under the impression that it wasn't until much later that the F-20 Tigershark's key selling point was It's ability to employ the Aim-7 Sparrow III.

Regards
Pioneer

 

[RAP]

Some images from an old, poor quality microfiche for Northrop Proposal for N-156F Counterair Figher dated 1957. The 3-view was in bad shape and I've tried to clean it up. I removed most of the measurements and notes since they were not very clear and all the markings and lines tended to make it more cluttered without adding anything. Got a little tried of trying to clean it up so I stopped so its not totally clean. Note no 20mm guns installed. Documentation notes standard weapon load was 2 Sidewiders or 2 Falcon or Sparrow II's. Also interersting is the original MiG 21 style canopy. Will post somemore pages on the armament and recon pods a little later.

 

[overscan (PaulMM)]

How are you scanning the microfiche?

 

[MadRat]

F-CK-1 is the best what if of the F-5 upgrading to Honeywell turbofans.

 

[RAP]

How are you scanning the microfiche?

I obtained the microfice back in the '90s and used an old microfiche reader/printer I had access to to print out the pages. Some pages look pretty good, some are just dark smears. I scanned these printouts and used Photoshop to try to improve the image with limited success.

 

[RAP]

More pages fromt the N-156 Proposal covering the fire control system, engine and fuel layout, and recon pods. Interesting that on the fire control coverage drawing it shows an infrared tracker. This is not on any of the other drawings nor have I seen it referred to the documentation.