General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon

[Joe Copalman]

Singaporean flagship.

[Daniel DeSart]

[jslugman]

Nice and easy for Red 53.


USAF General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon 89-2053 by James O'Rear acm2188 by James "JSlugman" O'Rear, on Flickr

[Brian Lockett]

General Dynamics F-16s visiting Luke Air Force Base on January 28:

Iowa Air National Guard General Dynamics F-16D Block 30J Fighting Falcon 87-0388 of the 124th Fighter Squadron Hawkeyes based at Air National Guard Base Des Moines.

General Dynamics F-16C Block 42B Fighting Falcon 88-0423 of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron Green Bats based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada

General Dynamics F-16D Block 52P Fighting Falcon 92-3926 of the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron Green Bats

General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon 88-0419 of the 419th Fighter Wing based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah

General Dynamics F-16C Block 40B Fighting Falcon 88-0436 of the 4th Fighter Squadron Fightin' Fuujins based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah

I have more pictures of the exercise at Luke AFB on January 28 at http://air-and-space.com/20110128%20Luke.htm

[Brian Lockett]

Taiwanese Air Force General Dynamics F-16As of the 21st Fighter Squadron Gamblers at Luke Air Force Base on January 28:

F-16A Block 20 Fighting Falcon 93-0704

F-16A Block 20 Fighting Falcon 93-0708

[Brian Lockett]

Singapore Air Force General Dynamics F-16s of the 425th Fighter Squadron Black Widows at Luke Air Force Base on January 28:

F-16CJ Block 52 Fighting Falcon 97-0112

F-16C Block 52 Fighting Falcon 94-0270

F-16D Block 52 Fighting Falcon 94-0282

[Jeff D. Welker]

Singapore Air Force General Dynamics F-16s of the 425th Fighter Squadron Black Widows at Luke Air Force Base on January 28:

F-16CJ Block 52 Fighting Falcon 97-0112

Hey Brian - I need your help learning to interpret these tail markings and squadron affiliations. I took a photo of the exact same F-16 on Friday. I tried to use the Globemaster Tail Codes website (http://www.globemaster.de/tailcodes.html) to decipher this information with no joy. Heck, I kept getting a "no information found" reply from Tail Codes every time I tried to research a particular plane - I'm sure I must have been entering my information incorrectly; however, Tail Codes is not clear enough on data entry for a newbie like me.

As positive note, I think I have figured out how to determine the particular base (i.e. LF = Luke Field), but beyond that I'm lost. Also, what is the "block" designation you cite on most of your photos? Finally, is there a similar way to look-up commercial/private aircraft?

Sorry to be so dense; however, I would like to be more informed. Any help you (or anyone else) could offer me would be appreciated. I tried looking on the site for a FAQ sticky that addressed these types of questions, but did not find anything - sorry.

Thanks;

Jeff

PS/Administration - If this post should stand on its own or as part of another thread, please feel free to move and chasten me accordingly 

[Brian Lockett]

Hey Brian - I need your help learning to interpret these tail markings and squadron affiliations. I took a photo of the exact same F-16 on Friday. I tried to use the Globemaster Tail Codes website (http://www.globemaster.de/tailcodes.html) to decipher this information with no joy. Heck, I kept getting a "no information found" reply from Tail Codes every time I tried to research a particular plane - I'm sure I must have been entering my information incorrectly; however, Tail Codes is not clear enough on data entry for a newbie like me.

As positive note, I think I have figured out how to determine the particular base (i.e. LF = Luke Field), but beyond that I'm lost. Also, what is the "block" designation you cite on most of your photos? Finally, is there a similar way to look-up commercial/private aircraft?

Sorry to be so dense; however, I would like to be more informed. Any help you (or anyone else) could offer me would be appreciated. I tried looking on the site for a FAQ sticky that addressed these types of questions, but did not find anything - sorry.

Thanks;

Jeff

[/quote]

The colored bands on the vertical stabilizers can be used to identify the squadron assignment of the F-16s at Luke.  PHXSpotters has a page about the F-16 squadrons at Luke: http://phxspotters.com/airports/luke-afb-luf/

Block numbers identify specific configurations of certain aircraft types.  Joe Baugher's serial number web site (http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/usafserials.html) has information for identifying block numbers for particular serial numbers.

[Jeff D. Welker]

Chris & Brian - Thanks guys that helped a bunch.

[jslugman]

If you want specifics on the block designations for the Viper check out F-16.net with more info than you'll ever want on all variants and users of the F-16.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions.html

[Jeff D. Welker]

If you want specifics on the block designations for the Viper check out F-16.net with more info than you'll ever want on all variants and users of the F-16.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions.html

Will do James - Thanks.

[Ned Harris]

AATC F-16C s/n 84-1278 KTUS 2/1/11.


_MG_7103 F-16C  s/n 84-1278 by Ned Harris, on Flickr

[bilwor]

Great shootin' with you again, Ned. Welcome back to the world of Aviation Photography. See you Saturday.

[wingsnstuff]

Ned, great shot (as usual).  I noticed that the hard point on the port wing is missing Sidewinder (or something).  Wonder if this guy got a practice shoot?

[Chris Kennedy]

If you want specifics on the block designations for the Viper check out F-16.net with more info than you'll ever want on all variants and users of the F-16.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions.html

I just took a look at this site and there is a ton of good information there.

However, I was looking up some of the aircraft I recently shot photos of at Luke and they have a whole lot of them assigned to the wrong squadrons, based on the tail flashes in my photos. I assume there have been a lot of changes and they haven't updated them recently.