I saw that the F-5 is currently on sale. I have a few DCS modules and have flown it casually over the last few years.

I have:

F-15C
SU-27
A-10A
Huey

I don't have a super huge amount of time to learn a very complicated aircraft right now. I figure the F-5 is simple enough to get my feet wet flying the high fidelity flight model. Would this aircraft be a good buy for me? I noticed that the bundle gets you the campaign and the Vegas area. Would I be missing out if I just got the jet by itself?

I like the NTTR map, but it does get old quick. But the quality is so much higher and it is great to fly somewhere outside the decade + old map. So I'd say it is worth it. Can't comment on the F-5E.

The F-5 is a lot of fun to fly, but its more of a gunfighter with 2 rear aspect heaters, and it is a tactical challenge if used in a more modern setting. It's simple, with TACAN navigation, a single UHF radio, and simple weapon selection. It's also a decent bomb truck, albeit with a depression sight instead of CCIP. It's not my favorite ride (as far as fighters go, I prefer the Mirage, and I like the Viggen for bomb trucks), but the module is well made and it is fun to fly.

I haven't tried the BFM campaign, but using the F-5 as an aggressor makes perfect sense, as the rules of engagement can prevent the BVR mismatch with 4gen fighters, and also probably negate some of the disadvantage that comes with having only 2 rear aspect missiles. As for Nevada, I think it's a great theater, at least until SoH is released. If you don't want to stick with training, you can set up a scenario on the range to be like northern Iraq, and you can do some fantasy type scenarios like attacking/defending the Hoover dam or dropping troops at the Bellagio. It all comes down to what you make of it.

So yes, I think the package deal is worth it.

F-5 and NTTR are both good buys. The NTTR map has a good deal of space, and if you know the old map like the back of your hand you can look forward to actually being able to get lost or have to navigate.

The F-5 is indeed simple to learn, including start up and fun to fly. There a re a few things to remember while flying it (don't leave flaps in auto all the time, managing fuel tanks, radar and RWR warm up, etc), but you should get everything with some seat time. It fits in pretty well with DCS units too. Not as much at home as the FC3 era planes, but you can set up interesting missions. The MiG-21, Su-17, F-4, B-52, and MiG-23 are the aircraft I tend to make the most use of in F-5 missions.

There are some negatives in that cooperating with your wingmen can be difficult in this aircraft. For some reason you have more ground attack oriented commands than those for a fighter, which can obviously be troubling if you're doing A2A. Your AI wingmen also don't really communicate well with you in a fight, and many on many combat can get messy if you don't micromanage your wing. There is also some discussion on the ED forum over the RWR modeling as well because as it is coded in DCS, the RWR will hide emitters from you depending on the search mode it's in. This is very strange compared to most western RWR's and I'm pretty much convinced that it's modeled incorrectly. Belsimtek is standing by its modeling as far as I know. There is a user made mod to change the RWR behavior.

Its one of the better modules. Not perfect, as Belsimtek wont fix some long standing defects, but worth the price at the discount.
I fly it as my #1.

It has been a long time but I did R&O on the inertial nav system for the F-5.

What is the deviation on a 4 hour flight?

Have had it since it came out as well as most all the modules, but fly it very little. Not one of my favorites.
BadBud

Was that work part of the last upgrade that was done for the CF-5 (with the Litton LN-93)?

The DCS version of the F-5E is a very basic one and doesn't have any INS, we pretty much have to use the TACAN or the good old dead reckoning approach to NAV.

I took the plunge and bought just the plane. I haven't flown enough of the default terrain to get bored of it yet.

It was in the mid 70s and was a Sperry instrument. Memory is not what it once was but 825 rings a bell.

Also used in the Sea King.

It is defo worth it at the current price