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F-5E left profile showing twin afterburning General Electric J85-GE 13 Turbojet engines, area painted metallic silver since in real life, engine heat annealed surrounding metal thus flaking off applied camouflage (similar to schemes used on F-4 Phantom and F-100 Super Saber jets). These small engines created high thrust to weight ratio, thus imparting exceptional jet maneuverability. Tailfin has red star insignia of Soviet Union air force (for nuance enhancement, obviously Soviets did not give US licensing permission to use insignia), circular icon is US Top Gun Aggressor unit. Soviet Air Forces - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_air_force
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Inset 1 : Current USN Aggressor Top Gun logo, with F-5E rudimentary "blue" camouflage overlay Soviet Red 
Star, this is slightly different from 1980s-era Top Gun logo which had left-banking white F-5E silhouetted with gun cross-hair scope. United States Navy Top Gun Fighter Weapons School - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_Fighter_Weapons_School
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Original F-5A version developed in early-1960s geared for US Army ground support missions, but due to inter-military branch squabbles, USAF took jurisdiction of most fixed-wing aircraft operations, had no interest in using such small fighters, and refused to allow US Army to operate F-5 in ground-attack role. F-5A Freedom Fighter - www.periscope.ucg.com/mdb-smpl/weapons/aircraft/fighter/w0003154.shtml
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However, US Kennedy Administration established Military Assistance Program to arm 3rd-world US allied nations, and exported F-5A as low-cost fighter starting in 1962. First F-5 ground support role was with VNAF (Vietnam Air Force of Republic of Vietnam or South Vietnam). Current F-5 operators include air forces of United States Navy (up to 2015), Brazil, South Korea. VNAF 1951-1975 - vnaf.net
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Rollover : F-5E right profile with 3 of the 6 Sidewinders on wing pylons. Sidewinder missile first combat debuted during 1958 Taiwan Straits Crisis when Communist Chinese forces attempted to seize Nationalist Chinese-held Kinmen island off Mainland China coast. Nationalist Chinese has been there since 1949 when Republic of China (ROC) government fled to Taiwan after Communist Chinese takeover of Mainland China, and used island as forward invasion warning base (2 islands off Fujian province were used by ROC in this manner, Kinmen to the south, Matsu to the north). Kinmen - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinmen
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During 1958 Communist offensive, "Red China" lobbed over hundreds of thousands artillery shells against 
Kinmen, barrage was such that island's underground water supply was poisoned by lead, hence fresh water had to be shipped by sea from Taiwan 90 miles away. These resupply missions were routinely intercepted by Red Chinese air force (since they did not possess a robust navy at that time) with Soviet-supplied Mig-17 fighters. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mig-17
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Mig-17s had higher altitude ceiling performance than ROC F-86 planes supplied by US, hence the "Reds" would cruise above the F-86s immune to their 50-caliber machine fire, thus selecting opportune engagements at-will. Frustrated by this tactic, US up'ed the ante by secretly supplying Nationalist Chinese with latest Sidewinder missiles (also enabled US to combat field-test weapon without direct involvement). Browning M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun - www.inetres.com/gp/military/infantry/mg/M2.html
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On 24 September 1958, Red Chinese got "Shanghai Surprised" when in a standard aerial engagement they flew pass and above the Nationalist Chinese F-86s, only to be ambushed by their Sidewinders. Surviving Red Chinese Migs were forced to descend to F 86 altitudes for swirling dogfights, thus evening out the playfield and creating new air-to-air warfare era. F-86 Sabre - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-86_Sabre
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Inset 2 : 1st-generation Sidewinder missile, next to 1950s-era US pilot in his G-suit. Advancements in electronics would shrink missile by circa 30% to today's compact size. Jet age combat required high-G maneuvers, which could render pilot unconscious from blood loss in the head. G-suit countered this predicament by automatically pressurizing against the body during such maneuvers, thus keeping blood flow in the head to retain pilot alertness. G-suits are standard USAF fighter pilot attire since 1950s. G-suit - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-suit
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Finishing off Kinmen battle stories, 1958 was 3rd and final time Communist Chinese attempted to oust the Nationalist Chinese. 1st invasion was in 1949 Kuningtou battle when the Reds landed 9,000 troops via commandeered fishing boats and makeshift pontoons (bamboo racks tied to empty fuel drums), resulting in 4,000 KIA and 5,000 captured. Battle of Kuningtou 1949 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Kuningtou
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2nd invasion attempt was 1954-1955 when Red Chinese lost at least 20,000 troops . First Taiwan Strait Crisis 1954-1955 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Taiwan_Strait_Crisis
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3rd conflict was 1958 when the Reds elected to oust Nationalist Chinese by sheer artillery barrage (Kinmen island is only a few miles offshore from Mainland China). In 44-day battle, Reds lobbed over 450,000 shells (some say the Reds fired at least one million shells, of which circa 45% hit the island, nevertheless it did make into Genius Book of World Records for most artillery shells fired in single battle). Offensive was called-off Oct 1958, thus ROC / Taiwan to this day still herald victory as famed "Ba Er San Ta Pao Zhan" (8-2-3 Great Artillery Battle, 823 numeral is battle start date on 23 August 1958). Second Taiwan Strait Crisis 1958 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Taiwan_Strait_Crisis
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Inset 3 : Tiger II assembly completed and grey paint primed for final painting, model did not have front opening for dual gun ports, thus was created with XACTO knife and small hand drill. 
