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General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon (c/n 6H-93)
Belgian Air Force
Dübendorf Air Base (LSMD)
03 September 2003
The Belgian Air Force procured a total of 136 F-16A and 24 F-16Bs in the eighties. Many of the F-16As received an MLU (mid-life update) with more modern avionics, improved radar, enhanced weapons systems and better electronic warfare capabilities. The upgraded F-16As were designated as F-16AMs.
Included was serial FA93, a Block 15R F-16AM delivered in 1980. Operated by the 31st Tiger Squadron, it was captured rocketing out of runway 11 at Dübendorf during a visit of six of the type to Switzerland, still wearing a special colour scheme that dated back to the 2003 NATO Tiger Meet at Cambrai Air Base in France in June 2003.
A few months later, FA93 was sadly involved in a fatal mid-air with sistership FA122, when both aircraft collided during a low-level high-threat exercise over Marche-en-Famenne, Belgium, in December 2003. For some reason, the pilot of FA93 did not eject and was killed in the accident, while the pilot of FA122 successfully ejected and sustained minor injuries only.
What would become arguably the most successful fighter aircraft since World War II started modestly, and like many late 20th-Century fighter designs, as a result of lessons learned in the Vietnam War. Among those lessons was that large, heavy fighters were not always the answer: the F-4 Phantom II, while a superlative aircraft, had often found itself outclassed by smaller, more nimble North Vietnamese MiG-17s and MiG-21s. The call for the US Air Force to develop its own lightweight fighter was spearheaded by fighter pilot and air combat theorist John Boyd. At first, Boyd’s proposals were dismissed by the USAF, who feared losing funding for the F-15 Eagle then in development. Boyd and others were able to convince the USAF of the usefulness of a light, cheap fighter as a complement to the heavy, expensive F-15, and finally the USAF agreed to issue a requirement for a Lightweight Fighter (LWF)—though with no guarantee that it would actually buy it.
Both General Dynamics and Northrop responded with designs, which would become the YF-16 and YF-17 Cobra. The first YF-16 was rolled out in December 1973, and first flew in January of the next year—accidentally, as the prototype veered off the runway and the test pilot felt it safer to takeoff rather than try to steer it back. The YF-16 won the flyoff against the YF-17, and the USAF selected it to go into service as the F-16 Fighting Falcon. Simultaneously, the YF-16 won a flyoff for the Multinational Fighter; the MNF was planned to be the successor to a number of aircraft in NATO service, and the competition between the YF-16, YF-17, France’s Mirage F.1M, and the SEPECAT Jaguar was fierce. Once selected, production of the F-16 would be vastly expanded, with it not only being produced in the United States, but also in the Netherlands and Belgium as well (to be followed later by Turkey and South Korea). In a short time, the F-16 had come a long way.
Production F-16s differed from the prototype by being slightly larger and heavier, though the initial production batch retained the “small tail” tailplanes of the prototype. Though heftier than the prototype, the F-16 retained the basis of Boyd’s ideal lightweight fighter: it was extremely maneuverable, to the point that a number of early F-16s crashed as the aircraft could take more than the pilot. Its maneuverability is due both to a favorable thrust-weight ratio and its deliberately unstable design: the F-16 was one of the first fighters to employ a wholly-fly-by-wire control system, with the hydraulic controls of older fighters being replaced by microprocessors controlled by a central computer. The microprocessors are able to make the dozens of decisions per second required by the design. For this reason, the F-16 is also known as the “Electric Jet.” General Dynamics had attempted to mitigate these effects on the pilot by reclining the ejection seat backwards and moving the control stick to the side. The pilot also has superb visibility due to the F-16’s bubble canopy.
The Fighting Falcon’s baptism of fire would not take long. Israel, which had been among the first to purchase the F-16, scored the type’s first air-to-air kill over Lebanon in 1981, as well as its first significant strike mission, the raid on Iraq’s Osirak reactor. In the following year, Israeli F-16s scored possibly as many as 30 victories over Syrian MiGs during the 1982 Lebanon War. Pakistani F-16s were to see limited action during the Soviet-Afghan War, shooting down 10 Afghani and Soviet aircraft that strayed into Pakistan’s airspace. For the United States, the F-16 would see its first action in the First Gulf War, though here the USAF used the Falcon’s large payload in strike missions; USAF F-16s saw no aerial action during this conflict.
By the early 1990s, the USAF relegated its F-16A models to the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, reequipping its units with later mark F-16Cs. Many of the ANG’s F-16As were upgraded to ADF standard. The last USAF F-16A left service around 2000; aircraft not placed in storage at AMARC in Arizona have been sold to other nations, while some are scheduled for conversion to QF-16 drones.
F-16As are among the most prolific fighters in the world, in service worldwide, flown by ten nations, three of which are in NATO. These aircraft (save those flown by Venezuela) have been significantly upgraded to F-16 MLU (Mid-Life Upgrade) standard, making them equivalent to F-16Cs. Besides Israeli and Pakistani kills in the type, a Dutch F-16AM shot down a Serbian MiG-29 during the Kosovo War in 1999. Other NATO F-16AMs have seen service over Bosnia, Kosovo, and Afghanistan. These older models of F-16s will remain in service until probably 2020 at least, to be replaced by the F-35A Lightning II.
80-0499 is an early "small tail" Block 10 F-16A, delivered to the 474th Tactical Fighter Wing at Nellis AFB, Nevada in 1981. When the 474th deactivated in 1989, it was transferred to the 184th TFW (Kansas ANG) at McConnell AFB, and then to the 162nd TFG (Arizona ANG) at Tucson in 1991. It would remain there until 2000, training both American and foreign fighter pilots in the F-16, until it was retired with the remaining Block 10 F-16s. It would remain stored at nearby AMARG at Davis-Monthan AFB until 2017, when it was donated to the Pueblo Weisbrod Museum.
For an aircraft that spent 17 years in the Arizona desert, 80-0499 looks very nice, in standard F-16 camouflage and with the 162nd FG's distinctive Arizona flag tail marking. It is configured with two AIM-9L Sidewinders and two external fuel tanks. This was a treat for my friend Darren who was my driver for our 2020 vacation--he's from Arizona.
USAF F-16C 89-2030 of the 510th Fighter Squadron based at Aviano AFB, Italy comes in to land at RAF Lakenheath
87370553 :Piction ID--Convair Model 48 Charger with pilot 09/25/1964---Please tag these photos so information can be recorded.---- Digitization of this image made possible by a grant from NEH: NEH and the San Diego Air and Space Museum
While the F-16A had proven a success, its lack of long-range missile and true all-weather capability hampered it, especially in projected combat against the Warsaw Pact over Central Europe. General Dynamics began work on the upgraded F-16C/D version, with the first Block 25 F-16C flying in June 1984 and entering USAF service that September.
Externally, the only ways to tell apart the F-16C from the F-16A is the slightly enlarged base of the tail and a UHF radio antenna at the base of the tail. The intake is also slightly larger, though later marks of the F-16A also have this feature. Internally, however, the F-16C is a significantly different aircraft. The earlier APG-66 radar was replaced by the APG-68 multimode radar used by the F/A-18, which gave the F-16C the same capability to switch between ground-attack and dogfight mode and vastly improved all-weather capability. Cockpit layout was also changed in response to pilots’ requests, with a larger Heads-Up Display and movement of the radar display to eye level rather than between the pilot’s legs on the F-16A. The F-16C would also have the capability to carry the AIM-120 AMRAAM, though it would not be until 1992 that the missile entered service. Other small upgrades were made throughout the design, including the engine.
The Block 25 initial production was superseded by the Block 30 F-16C in 1987, which gave it better navigation systems, and the capability to carry the either the General Electric F110 or the Pratt and Whitney F100 turbofan. The Block 40/42 “Night Falcon” followed in 1988, equipped with LANTIRN night attack pods, followed by the Block 50/52, which was a dedicated Wild Weasel variant. In USAF service, the latter are semi-officially known as F-16CG and F-16CJ variants.
The F-16C had replaced the F-16A in nearly all overseas USAF units by the First Gulf War in 1991, and as a result, the aircraft was among the first deployed to the theater in August 1990. During the war, the F-16C was used mainly in ground attack and strike sorties, due to delays in the AIM-120, but it performed superbly in this role. USAF F-16s finally scored kills in the F-16C, beginning in 1992, when an Iraqi MiG-23 was shot down over the southern no-fly zone; the victory was also the first with the AMRAAM. Four Serbian G-4 Super Galebs were shot down over Bosnia in 1994. F-16Cs had replaced the F-16A entirely in regular and Reserve USAF service by 1997, and further service was seen over Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya by 2012. Subsequent upgrades to USAF F-16Cs with GPS allow them to carry advanced precision weapons such as JSOW and JDAM.
Whatever the variant, the F-16 is today the most prolific combat aircraft in existence, with 28 nations operating the type (17 of which operate F-16Cs). Over 4450 have been built, with more in production; the F-16C is also license-produced by Turkey and South Korea. It also forms the basis for the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter for Japan, though the F-2 is significantly different, with a longer nose and larger wing. Though the USAF projects that the F-16C will be replaced by the F-35 beginning in 2020, it will likely remain in service for a very long time.
This F-16 is actually the combination of two airframes: F-16C 84-1228 and F-16B 78-0105, so it is something of a "Frankenfalcon," with the forward half from the F-16C and the rear the F-16B. 84-1228 was a F-16C delivered to the USAF in 1985 to the 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing at Shaw AFB, South Carolina; on January 5, 1989, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair when the pilot hit birds on takeoff. Though the pilot was able to abort the takeoff, 84-1228 ran off the runway and exploded. The pilot was able to escape, but the F-16 behind the wingroot was a burned-out wreck.
Rather than completely scrap it, the front section was cut off and mated with the rear section of 78-0105. This F-16 had crashed into the Gulf of Mexico in 1981 while assigned to the 56th Tactical Fighter Training Wing at MacDill AFB, Florida. The crew ejected successfully and the F-16 was recovered from the water, but the nose was considered unsalvageable and scrapped. The two sections were put together as a ground instruction trainer, but since the aircraft could not be powered up, the "Frankenfalcon" was of little use even as a trainer. It was returned to General Dynamics for disposal, and it sat forgotten in the company plant until 2016, when it was donated to the Joe Davies Heritage Airpark.
For something put together from two wrecks, the aircraft looks pretty good, though it lacks landing gear. (78-0105 still had its gear intact, so why it was removed is unknown.) It also lacks any national markings, and the camouflage is somewhat close to an aggressor scheme, or Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16s. (Joe Davies seems to have an inventive approach to painting some of its aircraft.) The name "Salty Dog" comes from 78-0105's inadvertent bath in the Gulf of Mexico!
PictionID:52595657 - Catalog:Mohrlock_0047 - Title:Convair ejection seat mfr 063-59 - Filename:Mohrlock_0047.tif - ---Image from the Hugo Mohrlock collection----- Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
F-111F. C.N. (June 1980) 377 crashed into the southern face of the 1620 foot peak Sgurr na Stri, Strathaird on the Isle of Skye off the north west Scottish mainland on the night of 7 December, 1982, both crew killed (TFR mission?) Photo Credit's: Unknown to me (Kodachrome Slide dated June 1980)
3 March 1994, RAF Kinloss
Back in the day when the Netherlands Air Force had no less than eight frontline F-16 Squadrons, including 314 Squadron based at Gilze-Rijen. The Squadron deployed six of its aircraft to RAF Kinloss to take part in the first Joint Maritime Course of 1994. Scanned from a print.
FA-70 General Dynamics F-16AM Belgian Air Component. Returning home from the 2017 RIAT. RAF Fairford 17th July 2017
FA-123 Belgian air Force SABCA (General Dynamics) F-16AM MLU Fighting Falcon c/n 6H-123 ex 89-0001
"The Belgian Air Force F-16 Solo Display Team for 2015-2017 based at Kleine Brogel AB"
General Dynamics F-16C "Fighting Falcon" 86-0299 (WA-99)
64th Aggressor Squadron (64 AGRS), Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada
86-0299 General Dynamics F-16C Block 32D Fighting Falcon
MSN 5C-405.
Repainted in digitized ‘Ghost’ livery (blue and grey) by 567th AMXS at Hill AFB, Utah and returned to 64th AGRS at Nellis AFB, Nevada 3rd June 2020.
86-0299
WA-99
F-16C-32-CF
5C-405
64th AGRS
Active
Aug 2007
Feb 2021
digital ghost c/s
A pair of F-16C`s from the 18th AGRS Blue Foxes follow each other through the low level training area and through this canyon in California while the jets were temporarily based at Nellis AFB in Nevada
Palm Springs Air Museum - 16 AUG 2016
US Navy General Dynamics F-16N Block 30C Fighting Falcon 163277 on display at the Palm Springs Air Museum.
This aircraft is displayed with a light gray and olive drab splinter paint scheme and NFWS markings, though this aircraft never operationally flew with this paint scheme.
It is painted identically to F-16N BuNo 163269 which did have this paint scheme.
Piction ID: 83794556 Tomahawk cruise missile in vertical launch from SSN-688 class submarine--Please tag these photos so information can be recorded.---Note: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.)--Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum
88486887 :Piction ID--Tomahawk missile being transported near Boeing B-52---Please tag these photos so information can be recorded.---- Digitization of this image made possible by a grant from NEH: NEH and the San Diego Air and Space Museum
F-111E. C.N. E-231. 79th TFS based at RAF Upper Heyford. Last flew with the 55th TFS. Withdrawn from service to AMARC 2 September, 1993 as AA FV0176. Departed AMARC 19 December, 2011 to HVF West LLC Gov't Demil (scrapped). Photo Credit's: Unknown to me (Kodachrome Slide dated 18 July 1978).
USAF 93-0540 - General Dynamics F-16C Block 50Q Fighting Falcon - US Air Force
at London International Airport (YXU)
during the 2018 London Air Show
USAF 55 FS 'SW' - VIPER demo-team
PictionID:54636927 - Catalog:14_035148 - Title:GD/Astronautics Details: Azusa Harness Mock Up Date: 01/09/1964 - Filename:14_035148.tif - - ---- Images from the Convair/General Dynamics Astronautics Atlas Negative Collection. The processing, cataloging and digitization of these images has been made possible by a generous National Historical Publications and Records grant from the National Archives and Records Administration---Please Tag these images so that the information can be permanently stored with the digital file.---Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum