F-5E VMFT-401 USMCF 5E VMFT 401 airplane model. The F 5 Tiger II, a single seat twin engined supersonic fighter aircraft, was developed by Northrop Grumman, US. The aircraft took its maiden flight on 11 August 1972 and entered into service in 1975. It is the upgraded version of the F 5A Freedom fighter aircraft developed by Northrop Grumman in early 1959. The production of F 5A 21 began in 1970 by Northrop Grumman and at the same time the aircraft was renamed F 5E