You Have To Start Somewhere - The F-16 is 40!

"f86sabre" (f86sabre) 03/30/2014 at 22:14 • Filed to: Planelopnik, f-16

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The YF-16 hitting the tanker in 1975. Intended to be a tight turning, basic and affordable aircraft the original F-16 was intended to be a lightweight day fighter. There was even some talk, albeit quickly dismissed, of leaving the aircraft in its red, white and blue paint.

ttyymmnn > f86sabre 03/30/2014 at 22:17

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Almost 40 years ago. Hard to believe.

JR1 > f86sabre 03/30/2014 at 22:19

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Should be embigged. Too cool

f86sabre > ttyymmnn 03/30/2014 at 22:20

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First flight was Jan 20, 1974 per the wiki. The F-16 is 40!

oldirtybootz > f86sabre 03/30/2014 at 22:21

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Amazing to think that this predates the Panther platform. Like SVT Cobras or C5 Vettes, this was one of the 'Murican lust machines of my youth.

The Transporter > f86sabre 03/30/2014 at 23:00

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The YF-16 was such a basic fighter, it only had a fixed ranging radar for the gunsight.

The Transporter > JR1 03/30/2014 at 23:11

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Embiggened!

NotUnlessRoundIsFunny > f86sabre 03/31/2014 at 00:08

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Amazing! Still looks good today, too.

Highly recommended reading, for those interested in fighter planes and the development of the F-15, F-16, and others, is:

Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Boyd was apparently a very, very interesting character, and very influential (or so my military pilot friends tell me, anyway). Great book.

doodon2whls > f86sabre 03/31/2014 at 06:55

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The 'Viper' holds a very special place in my heart for some reason. I think the design is timeless, but hate how they ruined the lines with those conformal fuel tanks more recently. There is just something 'je ne sais quoi' about it.

As a young Airman, I was offered an incentive flight in one of our wing's brand new F-16D Block 50 aircraft. The unholy acceleration and g-forces that aircraft can generate are mind boggling - almost literally.

Long live the Viper!

user314 > doodon2whls 03/31/2014 at 11:58

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See, I like how the plane looks with CFTs: