American two-seat multi-role fighter aircraft F-16D Fighting Falcon COBI 5914 - Armed Forces 1:48

Did you know:

• In 1967, forward-thinking Colonel John Boyn assembled a team of outstanding engineers known as the "Fighter Mafia" to develop a lighter, more maneuverable, and more affordable aircraft to replace the aging F-104.
• The development of the aircraft was based on the "Energy and Maneuverability" theory by brilliant mathematician Thomas Christie.
• When the right people come together, the right thing is created — and that was the versatile F-16 fighter, which had no rival at the time it entered service with the United States.
• From the very first tests, it was clear that the engineers had succeeded in building an exceptional aircraft that continues to dominate the skies more than 50 years after its first flight.
• The fighter was designed to operate in any weather, day or night.
• The aircraft’s structure can withstand 9G forces — even with full fuel tanks.
• Producing one F-16 requires 2,500 hours of labor (assembly + testing). Each aircraft contains 45,000 meters of electrical and optical wiring.
• The D version is a two-seat variant intended for training and select combat missions.
• The Falcon is equipped with an advanced system for jamming enemy weapons. More than 4,500 units have been produced in various versions.
• The price of one aircraft, depending on configuration, is around CZK 500 million.
• The U.S. 64th Aggressor Squadron based at Nellis Air Force Base is dedicated to combat training, simulating enemy forces. The squadron operates approximately 30 F-16D aircraft for this purpose.

Technical specifications:

• Dimensions: wingspan 9.45 m, length 15.02 m, height 5.09 m
• Weight: 9,207 kg empty, 21,772 kg maximum
• Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 jet engine with 64.9 kN thrust (max. 105.7 kN)
• Fuel tank capacity: 3,104 kg
• Maximum speed: 2,145 km/h
• Climb rate: 255 m/s
• Maximum flight altitude: 18,500 m
• Combat radius: 550 km
• Maximum range: 4,800 km
  
• Armament: built-in M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon, 20 mm caliber (510 rounds) + missiles on external mounts up to 7,711 kg
• Crew: 2 persons

From the memories of trainee pilot Paul Anderson:

“The aggressor’s F-16 seemed to stand still. I saw it emerge from a contrail 50,000 feet above me, slowly turning toward me — and I couldn’t do anything about it. That’s my first memory of a simulated dogfight with a pilot nicknamed King Kong. He skillfully used the airspace and everything at his disposal. They knew their ranges by heart, every landmark to hide behind, and anything they could exploit — and they were there to punish you at every turn.”