Circuit breaker Day 22 pix: Colourful F-5 camouflage schemes

Before the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) settled on the F-16 lookalike warpaint (see below) for its upgraded F-5s, the F-5E/F fleet was painted in a colourful variety of camouflage patterns from the 1980s through to the 1990s.

We present the colourful warpaint of the now-retired RSAF F-5 Tiger II fleet.

An RF-5S Tigereye reconnaissance fighter, converted from a F-5E, wears the F-16 style camouflage that was the final warpaint pattern for the RSAF's long-serving F-5 fleet. This RF-5S was displayed at the RSAF Open House in 2003.

The F-5E, which was the RSAF's first supersonic fighter jet, was delivered in a three-tone grey wrap around scheme seen below. This disruptive pattern was the dominant scheme. Some colours were sun-faded till the three tones merged into what looked like an overall pale grey when seen from a distance.

An F-5F approaches Paya Lebar Air Base with an RF-5E. Both wear the three-tone grey warpaint.

At least two F-5Es were painted in green and tan camouflage that looked similar to the one on RSAF A-4 Skyhawks. The camouflage was said to be quite effective when green/tan F-5s skimmed above ground level. In the 1980s, F-5Es were also seen in a variation of the three tone grey camouflage scheme, with a deep blue and dark grey replacing two shades of grey. Sadly, I do not have a picture of this attractive camouflage scheme.

RSAF F-5Es were also painted silver overall, much like the Soviet MiG-21s. While one might think that a silver painted plane is easy to spot, the silver warpaint blended well with the clouds and made the F-5 (which presented a small profile when seen head on) difficult to see.

At least one RSAF F-5E was painted in a non-standard camouflage scheme of dark and light grey topside and light grey on its ventral surfaces. This beauty served with RSAF 144 Squadron.