F-16 Ageless classic

[Wigzy]

ACC's 2024 East Coast Viper Demo Team chose to show a 20th Fighter Wing F-16C Block 50 in the colors of the first prototypes which flew 50 years ago. As you can see the 'Lawn Dart' has hardly changed its appearance confirming that when an aircraft looks good it usually is (there are exceptions like the A-10, of course). Here it is at Vero Beach Airport FL heading out this month for a nearby show while the first prototype is seen at Alconbury in June 1975 and the second at Mildenhall in May 1977, Both were en route to the Paris Air 4. 91-0395 F-16C 55 FS 20 FW Shaw spcl marks - Vero Beach 10NOV2024 IMG_0719 by John Wigzell, on Flickr

3. 91-0395 F-16C 55 FS 20 FW Shaw spcl marks - Vero Beach 10NOV2024 IMG_0688 by John Wigzell, on Flickr

1. 72-01567 YF-16 AFFTC:GD Alconbury 28JUN75 by John Wigzell, on Flickr

2. 72-01568 YF-16 AFFTC:GD Mildenhall 29MAY77 by John Wigzell, on Flickr

[paddyboy]

Lovely quartet of shots there, John

As you say, if it looks right, it probably is right

Thanks for posting

Paddyboy

[mancman]

The last shot at Mildenhall shows how advanced the design was for the time and contrasts nicely with the typical cars we drove at the time, eg. Vauxhall Chevettes.

[raptor9]

Very nice. Saw them at Paris Air Show on their first appearance.

[Thunder]

If you carry on the flags of the operator’s past and present you’d have to install a very long para brake housing

[Thunder]

If you carry on the flags of the operator’s past and present you’d have to install a very long para brake housing

minus the Iranian

Poland
Portugal
Greece
Turkey
Italy
Slovakia
Bulgaria
Romania
Egypt
Morocco
Jordan
Israel
Bahrain
UAE
Oman
Pakistan
Thailand
Indonesia
South Korea
Chile
Argentina
Venezuela
Iraq
Ukraine
Taiwan
Singapore
Japan(F2)

pretty impressive……..

[Snoop 95]

Always liked the F16. They say if something looks right then it is and to me the F16 is 100% right. As above the volume of them in use around the world even now, is testament to its capability and reliability.

[Alf]

Iran would have been a major F-16 operator, in 1976 they were going to get 160 with options on another 140… then the revolution happened.

[Mustang531]

Thanks for sharing these, nice to see them. Love the earlier shots, so long ago and reminders about the cars too. My parents had Vauxhall's for many years, my Dad's last one was a Chevette, but there is a Viva in the line up, both my parents had a few of them over many years.