The F-16 has been my favourite jet since I was a teenager. It's one of the most beautiful kinetic art engineering masterpieces ever to be created by humans. She's one beautiful bird.
She is and thanks for commenting! If you haven't yet, check out my other video on the F-16XL: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-6l3Ixa_WmSg.html
Reminds me of me and my brother when we were kids. We both had small scale models of the f-16 in full combat air patrol load out (two wingtip sidewinders, two large drop tanks under inner hard points, and two medium ones. No centerline though.)
👍 I have always thought the F-16 was the best looking fighter jet. The fact that it is still relevant after over 40 years attests to how well it was designed and engineered.
Maybe the F-16 is the best all-around PLATFORM; best fighter-bomber in one airframe so far (F-35). The F-15C, however, is a cold-blooded assassin of a FIGHTER; it is the most successful (so far) fighter plane ever, having never been shot down in a2a combat.
Im 14 and will be applying to a glider class in a few months. First steps on the way to (If I'm lucky - Poland has only 48 of these ) fly the viper. It has always been my favourite jet - such a milestone . Anyway - great video!
I've always loved the F-16. Seeing the Thunderbirds flying F-16s cemented my love for this beautiful jet. I've heard of it referred to as the "Ferrari of Fighter Jets." It would be cool if you would make a video on all of the variants that are in use - like the way Isreal uses conformal fuel tanks or the latest upgrades in the F-16V Viper. I can't get enough of this plane.
Mark Cuban is the only civilian in the entire world to own a F-16 to date. It was nicknamed Mavy - D (short for Mavericks as for the Dallas NBA team). Fun fact: Mark's father Norton Cuban lead the team who designed the upholstery for the F-16C / D).
James Nicklin thank you, it was a challenge as to what to include and as you say it’s a long running program. Again thanks and thanks for subscribing! More videos on the way.
It’s a huge tribute to the greatness of the viper that it kept a magnificent, inexpensive, highly capable competitor (the F-20 Tigershark) with an extensive history of reliability and sales (as the F-5) from ever being bought
If the USAF knew that the F-16 would be relegated to the "mud mover" role, would they still have chosen the F-16? In Canada, the F-16 would have been our jet if it had dual engines. So the CF-18 was our choice back in the late 70's early 80's. And STILL is our choice in 2020 as we are STILL buying these F-18's from Australia. IIRC We have 3 of them so far and will get 25 total, 18 flyable airframes and another 7 parts aircraft. They originally bought 57 F/A-18A singles and 18 F/A-18B tandem seats in 1984. We had bought 98 A's, and 40 B's, with 20 unexercised options. Pull out the Aussie software, swap out the ejection seats add a few ancillaries and voiala, a CF-188 you have. In the 00's after our F-18's were proven lacking in the 1991 Gulf War and the 1998 Kosovo war, similar issues to what the F-14 experienced during the Gulf War, insufficient Identification Friend/Foe(IFF) and lacking Link systems to communicate with other Coalition platforms. We had sent 26 CF-19s to the Gulf as part of Operation Friction. This was the first time Canada had participated in combat air ops since the Korean War. Sweep and clear missions in support of coalition forces, they also flew 56 bombing missions dropping dumb bombs behind enemy lines. We brought the best of our fleet up to F/A-18 C/D specs in the 00's and finally could drop Precision Guided Munitions. The USAF f-16 with its brand new LANTIRN pods performed magnificently in GW-1. It really is amazing how the F-16 has evolved. From a 17,000 pound mission weight YF-16 with a 24,000 pound thrust engine, up to the newer GE F110-GE-132 turbofan, making 32,500 pounds thrust which is need for the newer heavier variants that feature Conformal Fuel Tanks(CFTs)(Block 60 fighters offer a mission radius of 1,025 miles - a 40% range increase over F-16s without CFTs.) on the F-16E/F built for the UAE. 22,000 pounds empty, 29,000 pounds normal loaded (air-to-air mission), 48,000 pounds maximum takeoff weight. All with an engine shared by the F-15C/D air superiority fighter(not a pound for air to ground and barely enough pounds to keep the wings structurally sound), the F-15E "dual role" aircraft and the new F-15EX. The commonality of engines with F-15 and the promise that any and all F-16 buys by the USAF would be IN ADDITION to the F-15 program and NOT INSTEAD of F-15's, and of course its stellar performance really helped in the F-16s procurement by the United States.
Too nice video about F-16 which clearly explains its superior characteristics shared by excellent aviation ( pilot photog)channel...it's lethal, powerful fighter it's upgrade, progressives in continues nice explained about two names( fighter falcon) ( Viper)( electric jet)...another names...its shown surprising of its powerful characteristics. I think they are in correct evaluating ..thanks for sharing...👍👍👍👍🦅🇺🇲🦅👍👍👍
This channel is a great Military Aviation encyclopedia. In it's role with the US Navy does it take off from land, or is there a version with arrester hook?
Thank you, there was a navailized version of the F-16 proposed but I don't think it ever made it past the prototype stage. The Viper would need some structural strengthening of the landing gear and airframe to perform routine carrier operations. Thanks for commenting!
Cant deny the power in a dogfight the F16 has..and the ability to do low altitude penetration as done by Israeli F16s on an Iraqi reactor. It's a killer
s george thank you so much! I’m working on F-18 next but will put the F-117 on the list! I spent many hours as a kid playing the F-19 and then F-117 simulators on the Commodore 64.
It’s the gold standard of Gen 4. I believe it’s the greatest jet fighter that United States Has ever built 40+ years later it’s still the Swiss Army knife the American Air Force! Just a bad ass jet!
I find it curious how they call the F-16 a Mach2+ fighter.. but to get to Mach 2 it would have to have no ordinance and minimal fuel and flying at about a 40* dive from 30K feet in max afterburner. it can't push itself to Mach 2 in level flight... so it's weird that it's classified as a Mach 2 fighter.
Ben Nixey good point - I guess the thinking is that it could reach Mach 2 and the airframe could handle it but you are right - practically speaking it doesn’t hit Mach 2 in a typical sortie. Thanks for commenting!
@@PilotPhotog that's kinda what I thought too.. that the airframe could take it. Mach 2+ capable doesn't necessarily mean Mach 2+ achievable. great videos dude.
Its not only F-16 that is said a Mach 2 fighter but they don't reach that speed in battle configuration, only F-22 can almost reach that speed in battle configuration because its weapon is installed internally less drag on its airframe.
F-16 in my opinion is the most suitable fighter jet for the Greek terrain. In Greece we produce the Air Inlets, Engine Access Cover (MCID & NSI), Aft Fuselage, F1 Fuel Tank, and Side Panels (practically 1/3 of the aircraft). Now a new production line for the upgrade to Viper edition has been already installed. HAF has ordered the upgrade of 84 bock 52+ (advanced) into block 70. This production line will upgrade F-16 from other airforces in the general geographical area (Bahrain, Kuwait).
@@PilotPhotog I hope so if you ever have the time. Hellenic Airspace Industry has the second biggest assembly line of C130H after United States with over 1500 aircrafts.
even the RC scale models of F-16s are unstable af, but because of that, they can cut around the sky as if that is what its supposed to do. also, every F-16 RC model i have flown absolutely LOVES to be in the air and sometimes, i have a hard time bringing them down. lol... they even fly high alpha really well too which is unexpected since they are pretty unstable....... if you havent gotten the opportunity, get yourself a F-16 RC model. to save a few dollars and so you wont have to worry about working on a turbine engine and fuel, grab an EDF. right now, the E-flite 70mm F-16 in the Thunderbirds scheme seems like a decent one. its not too small and its not too big.... i have a couple of F-16s, but right now my favorite is a larger one. im sporting a big Freewing 90mm F-16C scale model. it flies really well and looks so good doing it.
Nice work dude.... It is still the backbone of pakistan airforce... F16s of paf shotdown 10 russian and afghan fighters and indian su30mki and mig 21 also
Can you feature the specification of f35 because i watch one video saying that it has no super cruise capability then if that is the case it is not considered as 5 gen fighter plane?
Thanks for commenting and the suggestion for a dedicated F35 video...I am actually working on that. To answer your question: No the F35 cannot super cruise - meaning it cannot go supersonic without using afterburners. However I have read that the F35 can go supersonic with afterburners and then go back to dry thrust and still remain supersonic. That could be the source of the rumor. As far as not being 5th gen - also not correct: Supercruise is a "nice to have" feature not a requirement for 5th gen. In this case 5th gen requirements generally mean some level of stealth and development that has taken place in the 21st century. So F35 is definitely 5th gen. There is your book of an answer lol, hope you subscribe and watch the F35 video when it comes out! I post a new video every Monday, 4th generation French Rafale fighter is next!
i usually hear it called Fighting Falcon....Viper is less common than Fighting Falcon from what ive heard. either way, i have never heard "Electric Jet", but i do understand why it would get that name.
It’s Because of the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. IE. Colonial. Viper. Space superiority Fighter. I prefer falcon. The pilots around 2005 or so. Started calling the viper. I still think of it striking with talons extended.
The f16 Vista program in early 90s we the general electric engines were testing 3d or multi directional thrust vectoring on f16. Some vids are out there showing it flying crazy how that thing can flip around a must watch way before the Russians claim father of thrust vectoring lol.
Thanks for commenting but the popularity is based on the number built. About 2,000 for the F-5 and over 4,500 for the F-16. I also have several videos on the F-5 if you haven’t seen them yet check them out.
I'm not a big fan, I know its capable but it's kinda blane. I mean it's been so engineered , it's in a class of it's own. Not many 4th gens can touch it
Too bad Canada won't pick the F 21 which is based on the F 16 since Lockheed now producing F 16s could set a aircraft factory in Canada as they planned for India one big marketing ploy hard to resist.
Under US$90 million/copy the F-35 is cheaper than the upcoming F-15EX based on procurement cost alone. Someone around the world will still use the F-16 in 2070, but I doubt it will be the USA.
