Fifty Years in Service

January 21, 2024 by 371fg Leave a comment

Where does time fly? It’s the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the F-16 fighter jet on this day, January 20, in 1974!

The F-16 Fighting Falcon Turns 50 Today: Past, Present And Future Of The ‘Viper’

It’s something even the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) noted, despite the type never having been in British service:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240119-the-f-16-at-50-why-its-still-in-demand

I first met the Viper in 1987 in the 432nd Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) at Misawa Air Base, Japan, FY 1985 F-16C Block 30 Smallmouths fresh from the factory.  For the 14th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) it was the first variant of the Viper the squadron operated.

14TFS F-16C Block 30 serial number 85-1560 is ready for a sortie at Misawa AB, Japan in September, 1987. Note the small, blue BDU-33 practice bombs mounted on a triple ejector rack beneath the wing, for use at the nearby Ripsaw Range just north of the base. (Courtesy NABE3’s Aviation Photo Gallery)

The Smallmouths lasted in Misawa service until around 1991 when some FY 1987 Block 30 Bigmouths (large air intake yielded more thrust for that wonderful GE engine) arrived, formerly serving with the Flying Fiends of the 36th TFS at Osan Air Base in Korea, arrived on station.  This change then pushed the squadron’s Smallmouths back Stateside, where they served with the 56th Tactical Fighter Training Wing (TFTW) at MacDill when one of the Viper RTUs was there.

From MacDill, those Smallmouth tails went to various units in the Air National Guard (Sioux City, Iowa and Sioux Falls, South Dakota come to mind among others), and the AF Reserve Command (AFRC) at Carswell in Texas.  At least one of the original Samurai Viper fleet, 85-1553, was reportedly still flying in the 457th Fighter Squadron (AFRC) in Texas as of November, 2021. (see F-16.net, F-16 database return for 85-1553, accessed 20 Jan 2024)  The 457 this due to convert to the F-35 now, so # 553 will likely soon be flown out to pastureland at the Boneyard in Arizona if she hasn’t already, perhaps the last of the original Samurai jets to fly.  From 1987 to at least 2021 is a pretty good stretch for service of a combat aircraft!

Meanwhile, back at Misawa, the Bigmouths saw off the Bear as the Cold War ended and in the early post-Cold War years.

Four F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft of the 432nd Fighter Wing fly in fingertip formation over Misawa Air Base. The aircraft, which represented the wing in the worldwide fighter gunnery meet Gunsmoke ’91, are armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. (NARA & DVIDS Public Domain)

The Bigmouths didn’t stay long though, as in 1995 the unit transitioned to the Block 50 which as the time was the variant optimized for the Suppression of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD) mission.  These jets have served well over the years.  In June, 2019, one of the Block 50’s operated by the Samurai, # 808 (serial number 90-0808, aka BOB), became the first Block 50 to reach 10,000 flying hours, serving as the wing flagship.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Gage Putman, a 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit dedicated crew chief, holds up the 14th Fighter Squadron call sign, “wood,” while posing for a photo at Misawa Air Base, Japan, June 10, 2019. If the jet were a patient in a hospital, the crew chief would be his primary doctor. Crew chiefs have many duties including day-to-day maintenance, diagnosing malfunctions, replacing components, detailed inspection, record keeping and administration. (Photo by Airman 1st Class China Shock) (via Stars and Stripes)

The USAF and reserve components still operate some 800 F-16s, and new aircraft are being produced for the air forces of Bahrain and Slovakia.  How many decades the Viper will ultimately fly in service remains to be seen, but it will likely be a while!

Happy anniversary, Electric Jet!  Semper Viper!

Related Posts:

14TFS Order of Battle: https://14tfs.wordpress.com/2014/06/06/14tfs-order-of-battle/

Still Soldiering On: https://14tfs.wordpress.com/2021/02/16/still-soldiering-on/