General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
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General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon 1974 The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force. Designed as a lightweight, daytime fighter, it evolved into a successful multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Though no longer being purchased by the U.S. Air Force, improved versions are still being built for export customers. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corporation, which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta. The Fighting Falcon is a dogfighter with numerous innovations including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while under high g-forces, reclined seat to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot and the first use of a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire flight control system that makes it a highly nimble aircraft. The F-16 has an internal M61 Vulcan cannon and has 11 hardpoints for mounting various missiles, bombs, pods, and fuel tanks. Although the F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", it is known to its pilots as the "Viper", due to it resembling a viper snake and after the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter. Photo 03, Pease AFB 2010 |
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General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
Photo 424, USS Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum NYC, 2010 |
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General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon
Photo 436, USS Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum NYC, 2010 |
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General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon Photo 04, Pease AFB 2010 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund1 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund2 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund4 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund5 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund6 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund7 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund8 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund9 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund10 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund11 |
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The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, Hascom AFB 2002 Photo thund12 |
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