{"id":5905920,"date":"2026-07-17T11:49:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T09:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/?p=5905920"},"modified":"2026-07-20T16:05:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T14:05:13","slug":"northrop-f-20-tigershark-der-beste-jager-der-nie-gebaut-wurde","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/de\/northrop-f-20-tigershark-best-fighter-never-built\/","title":{"rendered":"Der beste K\u00e4mpfer, den niemand kaufen w\u00fcrde"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><style>.et_pb_title_container h1.entry-title { padding-top: 40px !important; }<\/style><\/p>\r\n<p>Es konnte eine F-16 im Steigflug \u00fcbertreffen, in weniger als einer halben Minute aus dem Kaltstart in die Luft gelangen und Jahre vor seinem Konkurrenten eine Radarrakete abfeuern. Es war g\u00fcnstig im Betrieb, flog hervorragend und wurde vollst\u00e4ndig aus eigener Tasche finanziert. Und es verkaufte sich kein einziges Mal.<\/p>\r\n<p>Die Northrop F-20 Tigershark ist das gro\u00dfe \"Was w\u00e4re wenn\" der Kampfflugzeuge des Kalten Krieges \u2013 ein hervorragender kleiner Jet, der genau zum falschen Zeitpunkt kam und nicht durch einen eigenen Fehler, sondern durch die Politik zerst\u00f6rt wurde.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background: #f5f5f5; padding: 20px; border-radius: 8px; margin: 24px 0;\">\r\n<p style=\"margin: 0 0 10px; font-weight: bold; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: .03em; color: #111;\">Kurzinfo<\/p>\r\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5;\">\r\n<tbody>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 12px 6px 0; font-weight: 600; color: #333; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;\">Rolle<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 0; color: #444;\">Leichter Mehrzweckj\u00e4ger (Export)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 12px 6px 0; font-weight: 600; color: #333; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;\">Erster Flug<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 0; color: #444;\">30. August 1982<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 12px 6px 0; font-weight: 600; color: #333; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;\">Kraftwerk<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 0; color: #444;\">1 \u00d7 General Electric F404 Turbofan, 17.000 lbf<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 12px 6px 0; font-weight: 600; color: #333; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;\">H\u00f6chstgeschwindigkeit<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 0; color: #444;\">Mach 2<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 12px 6px 0; font-weight: 600; color: #333; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;\">Anzahl gebaut<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 0; color: #444;\">3 (plus ein Teilst\u00fcck)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<tr>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 12px 6px 0; font-weight: 600; color: #333; vertical-align: top; white-space: nowrap;\">Schicksal<\/td>\r\n<td style=\"padding: 6px 0; color: #444;\">1986 eingestellt, ohne dass sich die Verkaufszahlen \u00e4nderten<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 22px;\">Ein Tiger mit einem neuen Herzen<\/h2>\r\n<p>Die Tigershark entstand als F-5G, eine mit einem neuen Triebwerk ausgestattete Version der \u00e4u\u00dferst erfolgreichen Northrop F-5 Tiger II. Die beiden bescheidenen J85-Triebwerke wurden durch ein einzelnes General Electric F404 ersetzt \u2013 die gleiche Triebwerksklasse wie das der F\/A-18 Hornet \u2013 mit rund 601 TP3T mehr Schub. Das Ergebnis war eine grundlegende Ver\u00e4nderung des Flugzeugs. Das Schub-Gewichts-Verh\u00e4ltnis stieg auf \u00fcber 1,1, die Dienstgipfelh\u00f6he auf \u00fcber 55.000 Fu\u00df, und der Jet konnte innerhalb von etwa 22 Sekunden vom Kaltstart in die Luft gelangen.<\/p>\r\n<p>Northrop verzichtete komplett auf die Bezeichnung \"F-19\" und ging direkt zur F-20 \u00fcber \u2013 teils um eine klare Abgrenzung zu den sowjetischen MiG-Jets mit ungeraden Nummern zu schaffen, teils aus Marketinggr\u00fcnden. F\u00fcr die Vermarktung engagierte man den wohl ber\u00fchmtesten Testpiloten der Welt, Chuck Yeager.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; margin: 24px 0;\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0; border-radius: 8px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/F_LK-Gv6iCw\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-no-lazy=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>Yeager nahm kein Blatt vor den Mund. Nachdem er fast alles geflogen war, was Fl\u00fcgel hatte, nannte er den Tigershark einfach nur \"gro\u00dfartig\".\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background: #f8f9fa; border-left: 4px solid  #1565c0; padding: 20px 22px; margin: 18px 0 24px; border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; display: flex; gap: 20px; align-items: flex-start;\">\r\n<div><em>\u201c&quot;herrlich&quot;\u201d<\/em>\r\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; font-size: 14px; color: #555;\"><strong>Chuck Yeager<\/strong> \u2014 Legende der USAF-Testpiloten und F-20-Sprecher<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin: 0 0 24px;\"><img data-opt-id=902968217  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; border-radius: 6px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/f-20-tigershark-agm-65-maverick.jpg\" alt=\"F-20 feuert eine AGM-65 Maverick ab\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" \/>\r\n<figcaption style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #777; text-align: center; margin-top: 6px; font-style: italic;\">Die Tigershark konnte die AIM-7 Sparrow-Radarrakete tragen und abfeuern \u2013 eine F\u00e4higkeit zum Beschuss au\u00dferhalb der Sichtweite, die der fr\u00fchen F-16 bis 1989 fehlte. Foto: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n<h2 style=\"padding-top: 22px;\">Der richtige Jet zur falschen Zeit<\/h2>\r\n<p>Die F-20 wurde f\u00fcr eine ganz bestimmte Strategie entwickelt. Gem\u00e4\u00df den \"FX\"-Exportbestimmungen der Carter-Regierung ben\u00f6tigten die USA einen leistungsf\u00e4higen Kampfjet, den sie an Verb\u00fcndete verkaufen konnten, ohne ihre sensibelsten Kernwaffentechnologien preiszugeben. Die Tigershark erf\u00fcllte diese Anforderungen perfekt \u2013 privat von Northrop finanziert, konnte sie im Ausland vermarktet werden, ohne die wichtigsten Technologien offenzulegen.<\/p>\r\n<p>Dann \u00e4nderten sich die Regeln. Die Reagan-Regierung lockerte die Exportpolitik und erlaubte es Verb\u00fcndeten, das Original zu kaufen: die F-16. \u00dcber Nacht verschwand die gesamte Existenzberechtigung der F-20. Warum sollte man einen hervorragenden, nur f\u00fcr den Export bestimmten Kampfjet kaufen, wenn man denselben Jet haben konnte, den die US Air Force flog? Ein zugesagter Verkauf an Taiwan scheiterte am Kommuniqu\u00e9 zwischen den USA und China von 1982. Der endg\u00fcltige Schlag folgte am 31. Oktober 1986, als die US Air Force selbst die F-16 f\u00fcr die Air National Guard ausw\u00e4hlte.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"margin: 0 0 24px;\"><img data-opt-id=226648791  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"skip-lazy\" style=\"max-width: 100%; height: auto; border-radius: 6px;\" src=\"https:\/\/ml5psubhxdln.i.optimole.com\/cb:0e0_.b970\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/ig:avif\/https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2026\/07\/f-20-tigershark-northrop-colours.jpg\" alt=\"F-20 Tigershark in Northrop-Farben\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" \/>\r\n<figcaption style=\"font-size: 13px; color: #777; text-align: center; margin-top: 6px; font-style: italic;\">Eines von nur drei gebauten Tigersharks. Das erhaltene Exemplar befindet sich heute im California Science Center. Foto: Wikimedia Commons<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p>Northrop hatte rund 1,2 Milliarden US-Dollar aus eigenen Mitteln investiert. Zwei der drei Prototypen gingen bei Abst\u00fcrzen verloren \u2013 beide Male aufgrund von Bewusstlosigkeit der Piloten durch die G-Kr\u00e4fte w\u00e4hrend anspruchsvoller Flugshow-Man\u00f6ver, nicht aufgrund von Fehlern am Flugzeug. Ende 1986, ohne einen einzigen Auftrag erhalten zu haben, stellte Northrop das Projekt ein.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background: #f8f9fa; border-left: 4px solid  #1565c0; padding: 20px 22px; margin: 18px 0 24px; border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.7; display: flex; gap: 20px; align-items: flex-start;\">\r\n<div><em>\u201cEiner der besten K\u00e4mpfer, der nie in Produktion ging.\u201d<\/em>\r\n<div style=\"margin-top: 10px; font-size: 14px; color: #555;\"><strong>Steve Pace<\/strong> \u2014 Luftfahrthistoriker in \"X-Fighters\" (2003)<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<p>Das Urteil ist l\u00e4ngst Legende. Die Tigershark reagierte schneller als die F-16, war im Betrieb g\u00fcnstiger und f\u00fcr den Kampf jenseits der Sichtweite bewaffnet, bevor ihr Konkurrent es war. Trotzdem verlor sie \u2013 nicht in der Luft, sondern in den Entscheidungsgremien der Exportpolitik. Das einzige erhaltene Exemplar steht heute in einem Museum in Los Angeles: eine Mahnung, dass es im Kampfflugzeuggesch\u00e4ft nie gen\u00fcgt hat, das bessere Flugzeug zu sein.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; margin: 24px 0;\"><iframe class=\"skip-lazy\" style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; border: 0; border-radius: 8px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EcArtEe5ttQ\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-no-lazy=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\r\n\r\n<p><em>Quellen: Wikipedia; Steve Pace, \"X-Fighters\"; Popular Mechanics; California Science Center.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n<div style=\"background: #f0f4ff; border-left: 4px solid #5C91FF; padding: 16px 20px; margin: 32px 0 8px; border-radius: 0 8px 8px 0;\">\r\n<p style=\"margin: 0 0 8px; font-weight: 600; color: #333;\">\u00c4hnliche Beitr\u00e4ge<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 4px 0;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/miles-m52-britain-supersonic-jet-cancelled-1946\/\">Der \u00dcberschalljet, den Gro\u00dfbritannien wegwarf<\/a><\/p>\r\n<p style=\"margin: 4px 0;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/migflug.com\/jetflights\/f-22-raptor-winner-america-stopped-building\/\">F-22 Raptor: Der Gewinner \u2013 Amerika hat den Bau eingestellt<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Die Northrop F-20 Tigershark konnte die F-16 beim Steigflug \u00fcbertreffen und in 22 Sekunden starten \u2013 doch politische Gr\u00fcnde, nicht die Leistung, f\u00fchrten zu einem Verkaufsstopp von null Prozent.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":5905749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[666,664],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5905920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-and-legends","category-military-aviation"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Northrop F-20 Tigershark: The Best Fighter Nobody Bought<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Northrop F-20 Tigershark was fast, cheap and superb, yet politics and the F-16 meant not one ever sold. 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