Author Topic: Northrop F-20XL  (Read 8388 times)

Offline The Big Gimper

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Northrop F-20XL
« on: April 22, 2016, 05:55:42 AM »
General Dynamics was not the only manufacturer to evaluate large wing designs. Northrop watched quietly from the sidelines on the progress of F-16XL.  In March 1984, one month after the F-16XL program was cancelled, Northrop rolled out the F-20XL. Like the F-5 and F-20, it was built to provide an upgrade the current F-5 users to a more advanced mutli-role platform. 

The GD Fighting Falcon team cried "fowl" when they saw it. The Northrop Tigershark team replied "bite me!".

The wings are from an Italeri KFIR C2. I needed lots of help from Dr. Dremel to adapt the F-20 to the KFIR wings. You can see I am using bits from many other sources. I'll provide the complete BoM at the end of the build. I also have a name for it but I will also keep that to the end.








I still need to decide on what the war load will be. With main gear in the wings, it will not have as many hard-points as the F-16XL did. But I figure I can squeeze in 6 plus the center line station.
« Last Edit: April 22, 2016, 09:25:12 PM by The Big Gimper »
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Offline Weaver

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2016, 07:30:00 AM »
Nice idea, it'll be interesting to see how this one turns out.

Kinda related, I've always wondered how an F/A-18 would look with the F-16XL wing and the tail fins moved to the Kuchemann fairings on the trailing edge.
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Offline Kerick

  • Reportedly finished with a stripper...
Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2016, 09:40:03 AM »
This looks like its going Mach 2 just sitting there!
I see room for four pylons on the wings unless you put small ones ahead of the wings Phantom style.

Offline elmayerle

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2016, 09:53:53 AM »
Considering that Northrop did look at a F-20/Lavi hybrid, this is quite believable.  I'll be looking forward to watching this one be finished.

Offline Tophe

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2016, 03:22:18 PM »
Very lovely, YES :-*
(still enriching the F-5 family is a great pleasure)

Offline Kelmola

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #5 on: April 22, 2016, 03:56:22 PM »
With main gear in the wings, it will not have as many hard-points as the F-16XL did. But I figure I can squeeze in 6 plus the center line station.
Well, there's the pegholes for one pair of pylons already. One pair between those and the MLG. One pair under the intakes as in Kfir (remnants of the fittings already there). Using a really forward-thrusting pylon, one pair could be fit in front of the MLG. A pair of "lightweight" hardpoints with a really narrow pylon (to avoid hitting moving surfaces), perhaps only for mounting a missile rail, could perhaps be squeezed to the outer wings. So ten plus centreline plus wingtip rails ;D

Offline ChernayaAkula

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #6 on: April 22, 2016, 05:58:36 PM »
Liking the looks of this immensely!  :)

Kinda related, I've always wondered how an F/A-18 would look with the F-16XL wing and the tail fins moved to the Kuchemann fairings on the trailing edge.

No need to wonder any longer: LINK!
Cheers,
Moritz

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Offline Volkodav

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2016, 08:47:13 PM »
Very very very cool!

Offline Volkodav

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2016, 08:58:49 PM »
Nice idea, it'll be interesting to see how this one turns out.

Kinda related, I've always wondered how an F/A-18 would look with the F-16XL wing and the tail fins moved to the Kuchemann fairings on the trailing edge.

Actually started one of those years ago, inspired by an image I saw in a Pacific Defence Reporter article on the various Super Hornet proposals.  I used an Italeri F/A-18A, I repositioned the wings all the way aft and used plastic card to fair in from the LERX to the wing fold on the main wing. 

Never finished it and I misplaced it during a move some years ago, no great loss as it was nowhere near as good as this build is going to be.

Offline LemonJello

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #9 on: April 23, 2016, 02:27:53 AM »
Will be following this one closely.  I have an F-20 in the stash that needs different wings.  Good inspiration!

Offline DFZ

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #10 on: May 06, 2016, 04:08:30 AM »
That is looking very good, i'll be following!  :)
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Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #11 on: May 06, 2016, 05:24:18 AM »
I am, of course, watching this with great interest and stealing with my eyes the entire time, Mr Gimper, yes I am...

I can only tip my hat to such inspired creativity!

Brian da Basher

Offline mrvr6

  • Accidentally created a Tejas….
Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #12 on: May 06, 2016, 02:31:51 PM »
f20 looks right with a delta wing

Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #13 on: May 09, 2016, 01:12:57 PM »
It looks good, nice idea and all that ...

The GD Fighting Falcon team cried "fowl" when they saw it. The Northrop Tigershark team replied "bite me!".

... finger lickin' good too, even GD knew what it was. Northrop were real clucked off, yeah?

Ciao

MM - the man whose wife wiped all his F*&KING modelling posts and photobook pics off the net ....
Were going to be finished in 2020 BEFORE I start any da*!#d new ones - Maybe When Hell Freezes Over - again? - CF-IDS Wolverine; Douglas Mawson; Bubba Wants a Fishin' Rig; NA F-100

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Offline Daryl J.

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #14 on: May 14, 2016, 10:02:23 AM »
This is great!
kwyxdxLg5T

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #15 on: May 14, 2016, 11:07:36 AM »
MM - the man whose wife wiped all his F*&KING modelling posts and photobook pics off the net ....

Ouch! :-X

You have a disagreement or was it carelessness (as in " she didn't know what she was doing" / "she didn't know what she was doing & didn't care")?
« Last Edit: May 15, 2016, 12:33:43 AM by Old Wombat »
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Offline taiidantomcat

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #16 on: May 15, 2016, 12:28:12 AM »
Nice idea with the XL wing!  :)
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Offline pigflyer

  • If reality is real, give me whatif. Really?
Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #17 on: August 03, 2016, 03:28:17 AM »
Please tell me you have at least advanced this beauty, if not finished it. It is a real stunner. (SEAC markings is it?)
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Offline b29r

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #18 on: August 03, 2016, 10:16:20 PM »
You have my full attention on this one . . . . . very cool project, looking forward to seeing more  :)

Offline The Big Gimper

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #19 on: July 07, 2018, 02:19:45 AM »
After almost 2 years of no work, it's back on the work bench.  Should be finished in a few weeks.


F-20XL-8
by Big Gimper, on Flickr


F-20XL-6
by Big Gimper, on Flickr


F-20XL-5
by Big Gimper, on Flickr
Work in progress ::

I am giving up listing them. They all end up on the shelf of procrastination anyways.

User and abuser of Bothans...

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #20 on: July 07, 2018, 05:16:16 AM »
That is looking very promising Carl.  Acres and acres of stores pylons to go with that new wing. 
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Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #21 on: July 07, 2018, 07:03:21 AM »
I really like the look of this one! Truly inspired thinking!

That's gonna be some load-out!

Brian da Basher

Offline andonio64

  • Fio Piccolo's understudy
Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #22 on: July 08, 2018, 12:11:08 AM »
Beautiful idea. It has a very elegant line, and looks really real!!!

Offline Antonio Sobral

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #23 on: July 08, 2018, 03:19:16 AM »
2018 is the charm!  ;)

Great design!

Offline apophenia

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Re: Northrop F-20XL
« Reply #24 on: July 08, 2018, 03:34:32 AM »
Oh yah! Glad she's back  :smiley:
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