A few years back when I returned to the hobby after a 12 year absence, one of the kits I was on the lookout for was Monograms 48th F-20 Tigershark. I've always been a huge fan of the F-5 series, and knew I had to do an F-20.

Having found a kit the problem was that none of the two demonstrator paint schemes worn by the F-20 were even remotely appealing to me. What to do?

I thought about doing it as a Topgun adversary, but I figured that had been done many times over. I settled on doing it as a Morrocan AF machine by default. I had bought one of Carpena's two International F-5s decal sheets which had markings for a Morrocan F-5E. I had no plans to use these markings on a Tiger, so I decided to put them on the Tigershark!

The paint scheme is a version of Northrops standard export F-5 desert paint scheme with some changes to the colors.  The kit is built out of the box with the exception that I cut, and dropped the flaps.

The Morrocan AF has flown every model of the F-5, and continues to do so, so an F-20 was a natural. I later found out that they did indeed want the F-20 (along with Mirage 2000s), but never could secure the funding for either.

The Miarge 2000 went on to become France's premier fighter/bomber, while the US governments reversal of its no F-16 exports (except to NATO members) policy, killed the Tigershark. Many people of the time agreed that the F-20 was every bit as good as the F-16. Sadly, we will never know.