Northrop N-102 Fang

N-102 Fang
Patent images of the N-102 design
Role	Light fighter Type of aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Northrop Corporation
Status	Project only
Developed into	Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter

The Northrop N-102 Fang was a fighter aircraft design created by Northrop Corporation and proposed to the United States Air Force in 1953. The Fang was explicitly designed as a ”light” or “lightweight fighter” in direct response to what Northrop saw as the ever-increasing weight, size, complexity, and cost of Western fighter designs. While the Fang was ultimately overlooked in-favor of the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, Northrop’s interest in the lightweight fighter concept would ultimately come to fruition with the F-5 Freedom Fighter, itself spawning a moderately successful fighter family.