Top Gun Maverick makes a big deal about pulling 9Gs. In the F-16, I was doing that every day.
The first operational F-16 was delivered to the 388th TFW at Hill AFB, Utah, in August 1978. Since then, over 4,500 of these great fighter aircrafts have been produced and the production line continues to build new F-16s.
My F-16 Experience
My pilot training class, graduating from Williams AFB in August 1980, included the first assignments to F-16 slots directly out of pilot training. Three of my classmates received assignments to fly F-16s at Hill AFB. I competed for a front-line fighter assignment, but an unforced error during my formation flying check-ride pushed me down the class ranking and into the OV-10 Bronco as my first assignment. While I was disappointed that I didn’t receive the F-16 assignment, my tour in the Bronco was a wonderful flying experience and I am happy my Air Force time took the path it did.
After three years of flying and instructing in the Bronco, I received my wished for F-16 assignment at Nellis AFB. I flew the plane for 3.5 years. I was fortunate to fly almost every day, Monday through Friday and plenty of weekends. In those days, the F-16 was the most advanced fighter jet in the U.S. inventory and the world. The jet is very, very powerful and hugely maneuverable. We flew both air-to-ground and air-to-air missions. It was wonderful, violent fun. Top Gun Maverick makes a big deal about pulling 9Gs. In the F-16, I was doing that every day.
There were several versions of the F-16 which I will break down below. I flew the F-16A Small-Tail.
Variations of the F-16
Single vs two seater
The different F-16 versions have several types of designation. A total of about 1,500 F-16A and F-16B aircraft were produced. The F-16B variant refers to the two-seat version. For the USAF, the two-seaters are flown primarily by the F-16 training squadrons. My active duty squadron, the 429 TFS, had just one assigned F-16B. It was used primarily for instrument check rides and airman-of-the-month incentive rides. Real fighter pilots fly single-seat, single-engine (tongue in cheek!).
Block designations
F-16s also have Block designations, with the first handful produced as Block 1 jets. About 200 Block 1s were produced, with half going to European Air Forces. Approximately 200 Block 5 aircraft were built, followed by 300 Block 10 jets. These blocks were built through 1980. In the interim, all Block 1 and Block 5 F-16s were upgraded to Block 10 specifications.
Small tail and big tail
Starting in November 1981, Block 15 F-16s came off the assembly line with significant airframe modifications and enhanced capabilities. Most noticeable was the larger horizontal tail stabilizers. The tail surface was increased by 30%. You can see the difference between “small tail” and “big tail” F-16s. Small tail jets have squared-off outside edges. The outer corner of the big-tail stabilizer is angled to prevent dragging during aerobraking after landing. The larger tail increased stability at higher angles of attack and reduced the potential for out-of-control events.
By the mid-80s, more advanced F16C/D models were coming off the assembly line. For me it is a small point of pride that my flying time was in the earliest version of the F-16, the small tail A and B models.
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Good project for you, Tim. Thank you for your service, sir!