The Swiss Patrouille Aerobatic Team was officially formed in August 1964 equipped with the Hawker Hunter and carried out regular operations when not practicing or performing. In 1994 the team traded their Hunters for the F-5E Tiger II which they began to use in 1995. The F-5E is a much more maneuverable aircraft and probably will be in service with the team well into the 2020's. The team is based at Emmen and in 1996 smoke generators were added to make the maneuvers more visible during their approximate 18 minute displays.

Designed partly to meet a US Navy requirement for a low-cost, low-maintenance fighter to operate from Escort Carriers, the F-5 first flew on July 30, 1959. Development of the F-5 continued even after the Navy withdrew its Escort Carriers, and the aircraft eventually evolved into the light, supersonic "Freedom Fighter," serving US allies during the Cold War and as a supersonic trainer in the US. The second-generation F-5 ("Tiger II") also served US allies, but because it was small and maneuverable like a MiG it was also used by the US military as a training and "aggressor" aircraft, acting as the opposing force during military wargames.

Hobby Master's 1:72 scale F-5 Tiger II is a sleek and fast looking model that uses a clever mix of metal and plastic components with near-seamless construction. The solid metal wing has sharp-edged plastic leading edge root extensions appropriate to the variant being modeled. The removable canopy provides a clear view of the cockpit's interior features such as the pad-printed front and side mounted instrument panels. Landing gear and doors have been included as one piece sub-assemblies that allow for quick and easy configuration for ground display. The series covers both fighter variants with optional ordnance configurations (see photos) and the long nose reconnaissance variant.

Info: Northrop F-5E Tiger II - Swiss Air Force Patrouille Suisse, Switzerland, Team 60th Anniversary 2024