In defense of the F-5, the USAF was never the target market for that. It was supposed to be an export fighter, I am told, for folks like the Saudis, South Vietnamese, all of South America, maybe even the Israelis. It was a cheap fighter for those who didn't have to worry about facing a high-quality air force, but needed to replace whatever WW2 cast-offs they were still operating in the 1970s. If your opponents are flying day-only MiG17s, or French Mirages, then you shouldn't need two-seat Phantoms or other all-weather interceptors.
Trouble was, as you say, if the USAF and USN weren't buying it, no one wanted it.
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My Twilight claim to fame: I ran "Allegheny Uprising" at Allegheny College, spring of 1988.
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