A decommissioned Republic of China (ROC) Air Force F-5 jet fighter equipped with wingtip missile launchers went on display at a museum in California on Sunday, Taiwan’s Air Force Day.
The AF fighter, serial number 5243, was given to the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California, by the government in 2010 as a symbol of joint efforts by Taiwan and the US to maintain peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region.
When former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) visited the museum last year, members of his delegation discovered that the fighter was missing a key component — missile launchers on its wingtips — said Steve Hsia (夏季昌), director-general of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles.
Photo: CNA
Hsia said it took about a year before the Ministry of National Defense could gift the missile launchers to the museum, as they are considered sensitive components and giving them to the museum required approval from the US government.
A ceremony was held on Sunday to install the launchers onto the plane.
Christen Wright, director of the museum, which exhibits and preserves US aircraft and artifacts, said her museum had spent years trying to obtain the jet fighter and she hopes that more aviation fans will visit to see the rare collection.
The jet fighter, equipped with Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, belonged to the main air defense force of Taiwan during the Cold War.
Considered one of the most durable military aircraft designs ever produced by the Northrop Grumman Corp, F-5 fighter series have served in Taiwan, Canada, South Korea, Spain and Switzerland for more than four decades since their initial flight in 1963.
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