Historical:

Swiss Staffel 6 “Ducks” was created in 1925. Staffel 6’s first unit badge was a six-pointed star with a witch riding a broom but in 1940 the badge became a marching duck carrying a Halberd (two-handed pole weapon or staff). With the arrival of the Northrop F-5E in 1983 training moved to Payerne AB and became the home of Staffel 6 with pilots from the French speaking area of Switzerland. Along with Staffels 8, 11, 17, 18 and 19 F-5E J-3033 became 6 Squadron’s aircraft to receive a permanent squadron paint scheme.

The Northrop F-5A and F-5B Freedom Fighter and the F-5E and F-5F Tiger II are part of a supersonic light fighter family, initially designed in the late 1950s by Northrop Corporation. Being smaller and simpler than contemporaries such as the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, the F-5 cost less to both procure and operate, making it a popular export aircraft. The F-5 started life as a privately funded light fighter program by Northrop in the 1950s. The design team wrapped a small, highly aerodynamic fighter around two compact and high-thrust General Electric J85 engines, focusing on performance and low cost of maintenance. Though primarily designed for the day air superiority role, the aircraft is also a capable ground-attack platform. The F-5A entered service in the early 1960s. During the Cold War, over 800 were produced through 1972 for U.S. allies. Though the USAF had no acknowledged need for a light fighter, it did procure roughly 1,200 Northrop T-38 Talon trainer aircraft, which were directly based on the F-5A.

Info: F-5E Tiger II Swiss Air Force 6 Staffel, #J-3033, Switzerland