California, USA.

With the monsoon winds from the Pacific blowing softly on the west coast, the skies are clear and cloudless, and Northrop is sitting here for a day of great significance.

The pride of the company, the light fighter of the future sky, the F-20, will make its maiden flight today.

Historically, the F-20 fighter did not build its first prototype until May 1982, when it made its first flight, and now, four months ahead of schedule.

There is no other reason, but orders from the Middle East have accelerated their pace.

The F-20 was originally based on the F-5, and the rear fuselage was redesigned so that it was changed from two engines to one, and the corresponding air intake tract was also re-changed, while the other An/APG-67 radar, which was mainly improved, was still being tested, so the first prototype of the first flight was only trimmed with a lead block.

The pointed nose, the rectangular air intake at the rear of the cockpit, the smooth fuselage, the enlarged rear hanging tail, and the new communication antenna installed in it, although the appearance is similar to the F-5, however, the F404 engine of General Dynamics with a thrust of 76 kN behind the fuselage provides strong power to this aircraft, maintaining a thrust-to-weight ratio of more than 1 for the whole aircraft, coupled with a lighter fuselage, this fighter has excellent melee fighting ability.

Although it is light, however, after the radar is installed, and then combined with the medium-range Sparrow missile, even in the face of the Tomcat, there is a great chance.

The entire plane was painted desert yellow, only under the wings, there were two shining red stars, representing friendship with desert countries.

A fighter plane, its first flight is very important, the aircraft is manufactured, whether the various design surnames can be fully reflected, you have to fly to know that it is a mule or a horse, you have to pull it out and yo-yo.

In the future, when China was researching fighter jets, before the first flight, it was only a ground sliding experiment, that is, turning on the engine, sliding, and stopping at the end of the runway. And the Chinese people are proud of the flying leopard, in the first flight, the whole plane shook violently, all the instruments on the dashboard were shaken off, even the rudder flew away, the test pilot was stunned with firm belief and superb technology, the plane was driven back.

However, the test flight of the F-20 will not be so difficult, because, although it has been given a new design, although it has undergone a new design, but in its bones, it still has everything from the prototype F-5.

Therefore, the senior engineers, directors, and deputy general managers of the entire company are full of confidence in this test flight.

Darrell E. Cornell stood in front of the plane in full anti-load suits. Northrop's newly designed anti-load suit not only has a pressure device on the legs, but also on the chest, except for the arms, which almost wrap the whole body.

In flight, when carrying out a large overload maneuver, the blood of the whole body will flow downward, resulting in cerebral ischemia, which will cause danger, so when the flight enters the jet age, such a thing as an anti-load suit was invented, using liquid pressure to squeeze the lower part and squeeze the blood back, so as to avoid black vision or even faintness caused by brain ischemia in the air.

However, the liquid anti-load suit has a delayed surname, so the pilot's personal physique is also a very important factor.

Darrell is the chief test pilot of Northrop and has 6,500 hours of flight experience, as a test pilot, not only a pilot, but also an engineer, who needs to have a comprehensive understanding of the aircraft and be ready to deal with any danger that may arise So, in Northrop, the test pilot has been involved in the design of the entire aircraft in advance, especially as the place where the pilot works: the cockpit, the shape of the rod, the placement of the instruments, are the results of the test pilot's personal experience.

Darel looked at the crowd of farewells on the tarmac, calmed down, and climbed the ladder onto the F-20 fighter.

As a test pilot, Darel flew many fighters, and in all fairness, the cockpit of the F-20 was not spacious, nor was it bubble-shaped, somewhat outdated, and compared to the F-14, it was simply the difference between a pigeon's nest and a villa.

However, the instrument cluster of the F-20 looks more comfortable, especially since Northrop's designers have placed a display screen on the left and right sides of the front, which looks significantly more comfortable than those large number of instruments.

Towed by a tractor, the plane came to the runway entrance.

The ground-based starter drove to the side of the F-20, and the pipe was connected to the engine at the rear, ready to start the engine.

In order to save the precious power of the aircraft, when starting, it is assisted by an external vehicle.

With a piercing roar, the engine behind erupted flames, and the engine started smoothly.

The ground crew drove away, and the ground crew checked the engine one last time and gave Darell a thumbs up.

Darrell replied with a thumbs up, then withdrew his gaze.

Darrell softly increased the throttle with his right hand, then released the brake.

The scenery on both sides of the cockpit is getting faster and faster, and the numbers displayed on the front display screen are also beating rapidly, like a light swallow, and before Darel has even pulled the steering stick, the plane already has the urge to leave the ground.

Tiger shark, show your sharp teeth! Darell pulled into his bosom as a rod.

Suddenly, the nose of the F-20 fighter was raised, piercing the blue sky.

"Okay, it's time to take off!" Suddenly, the audience below burst into thunderous applause.

Adnan is also standing on the tarmac, he has been here for a few months, and he has been listening to the designers about the strength of this fighter, but how powerful it is, Adnan does not know.

Now, when he finally saw it, Adnan was very surprised just by looking at the take-off.

Although it was also taken off with afterburner, this lightweight fighter had already left the runway after only sliding for less than 300 meters, and what surprised him even more was that after the F-20 took off, it actually had an angle of attack of more than 70 degrees and took off at a large angle of attack?

Taking off at a high angle of attack is of great tactical significance, as it can climb to a higher altitude faster, can have an altitude advantage, and can also quickly volley at high altitude.

Adnan did not go to France with the group, and the French Phantom 2000, also performed this show, however, the two are not the same.

The Mirage 2000 was achieved by reducing its weight, and its engine thrust was insufficient, while the F-20 was able to maintain a thrust-to-weight ratio of more than 1 even at normal take-off weight, and the vertical climb was not at all effortless, and it was not inferior to some twin-engine fighters.

No other country has been able to surpass the U.S. aero-engine technology.

Thinking that this fighter will be produced on the production line in Iraq, Adnan is extremely excited, which means that Iraq can finally produce this kind of fighter with excellent surname! Although the export is a complete machine production line, excluding the engine production line and quiet electronic technology, this is already a very huge leap.

Now Adnan and the other members of the delegation have only received training, flight knowledge, ground handling, and the situation on the production line, but they have benefited a lot, and they have seen the advanced aviation industry of a developed country, and their horizons have become very broad.

At the same time, they had a secret mission to get in touch with Arab hired men in these fields with the idea of bringing them back to Iraq! Whether it's a worker on the production line or a clerk in the office, if you want to, you promise them good pay and get them back.

Adnan retracted his train of thought and continued to watch the test flight in the sky.

Since it was the first flight, the landing gear was not put down, so as not to have defects in the hydraulic system, and the landing gear could not be put down at that time, so it was only landed with the belly.

Darell straightened the plane in the air, and the first flight, he couldn't fly too high, just to test the basic surname of the plane.

He made three turns and returned to the sky above the airport again, and although he didn't see it, there must have been cheers below.

The various rudder surfaces respond quickly, the engine is working properly, and only by maneuvering with large overloads can the real problem be detected.

Darel slammed the stick to the left, and the plane suddenly made a cheerful 360-degree roll, leveling again.

In the headset, the command to return home has already been heard.

Darell looked at the fuel, the first flight, the fuel was only filled with a small amount, and the flight lasted for more than ten minutes.

Return!

Fred? Osera, looking at the returning plane, his heart is full of joy, Northrop can rely on this fighter to create an export miracle again!

With the nose raised, the F-20 slowly approached the runway.

Fighter take-off and landing, is the most dangerous time, especially landing, fighters are the front three-point landing gear, just like a tricycle, must ensure that the two main rear wheels at the same time, otherwise, in the process of collision with the ground, it will cause the tricycle to overturn.

Darell did not make any mistakes, and drove the fighter with ease, and with a slight vibration, the two main landing gears were already on the ground, and the hydraulic shock absorbers were immediately cushioned.

Then, the nose of the aircraft was still rising, and the front landing gear had not yet touched the ground, and the parachute behind it was released.

The F-20 Tiger Shark turned into a docile lamb, and Darel followed with the brakes, and the fighter slowly stopped on the tarmac.

Sliding back to the tarmac, Darell turned off his engine and opened the canopy overhead.

As soon as Darell stepped out of the cockpit, he saw the person standing at the front on the ground, wasn't it the chairman of the company, John? Thomas?

"How's our plane, boy?" John asked.

Darell stepped on the ground again and said: "It's a bit like an Iranian woman under Khomeini's rule, although she covers her face with an abrasive cloth, she has a sense of surname in her bones, and as long as there is a personal teasing, she will burst out." ”

Damn, it seems that the Americans are really extremely dissatisfied with Khomeini, Adnan thought as he laughed behind him.

(To be continued)