In the mid-sixties, the Royal Netherlands and Belgian Air Force were looking for a replacement for the outdated F-84F Thunderstreak and, to a lesser extend for the T-33 Shooting Star. Both countries ended up with different aircraft. The Belgians chose the French Mirage V and the Dutch chose the American Northrop F-5.

‘Canadian F-5s’
According to the specifications from the Dutch Air Force command, the default F-5 needed some improvements. For example, a stronger engine, reinforced wings, a Doppler navigation radar and an extendable nose wheel. The American Northrop couldn’t fore fill the Dutch requirements, but the Canadian “Canadair” concern could. They had already built a Canadian version of the F-5 (the CF-5), which had the J-85 engine aboard. Canadair also agreed that large parts of the Dutch F-5 were built by Dutch companies like Fokker, Philips and Aviolanda. On 24 November 1967 an agreement was signed between the Canadian and Dutch government for the delivery of 105 N(etherlands)F-5’s. 75 one seaters (NF-5A) and 30 duals (NF-5B).

Project “High Flight”
The NF-5s were assembled in Canada and because shipment by boat or transport plane was too costly all 105 fighters had to be flown to the Netherlands by Dutch pilots. Because the NF-5s couldn’t be refueled in the air, several stops were needed to get the NF-5s to the Netherlands. The planes were picked up at the Canadair factory in Montreal and flew from there to Bagotville Air Base. On Bagotville the planes flew several test flights to reduce the risk of problems during the ‘ferry flight’. All the ferry flights (except one) were flown in pairs. Approximately once every six weeks a ferry flight was made with four or six aircraft.
The first very flight started on 7 November 1969, with four NF-5Bs (K-4002, 4003, 4005 and 4006). From Bagotville to Goose Bay in Eastern Canada, from there to Søndrestrøm Air Base on Greenland, then to Kevlavik and then through RAF Lossiemouth to the Netherlands. They arrived at Twente Air Base on 19 November 1969. The last ferry flight landed on 20 March 1972 at Twente Air Base.

Squadrons
Four Dutch squadrons were equipped with the NF-5:
313 Squadron at Twenthe AB. Until July 1988.
314 Squadron at Eindhoven AB (until 1988) and at Gilze-Rijen AB (until 1990).
315 Squadron at Twenthe AB until 1986.
316 Squadron at Gilze Rijen AB (until 1988) and at Eindhoven AB (until 1991).

Reliable low-level striker
Compared to other fighter aircraft from the 1960s and 1970s, the NF-5 is remarkably small and light. This made the aircraft very maneuverable – very important for a tactical fighter-bomber, which had to provide air support to ground troops. The NF-5 also scores high in terms of reliability, partly thanks to the two engines: if one fails, you can still land safely with the other.

Phase out
From 1988 until 1991 all the NF-5s were phased out. A large part of them got a second life with the Turkish (60), Greek (12) and Venezuelan (7) Air Force. More than 30 years later the Turkish Demo Teams “Turkish Stars” still uses the Dutch NF-5s.