Toys and Models F-16 Thunderbirds in Formation

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact single-engined jet fighter aircraft manufactured by General Dynamics and later Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force (USAF). Though designed as a lightweight fighter it has evolved into a successful multirole aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven its worth in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. The Falcon is the largest Western fighter program with over 4 000 aircraft built since its production in 1976. Though no longer produced for the Air Force it is still being made for export. Its relatively low cost and high performance has made it popular in the United States and allied nations. USAF pilots gave the F-16 the unofficial nickname of Viper in homage to the fictional Battlestar Galactica starfighter. Aside from serving with air forces in 24 different countries the Falcon is also the current aircraft of choice of the USAF Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron. In March 1982 it was announced that the Thunderbirds would trade in their T-38 Talons for F-16 Falcons. The team sat out the 1982 airshow season to spend the year retraining and transiting over into the new aircraft. Transition to the F16 was completed in November 1982 and the first public demonstration took place in April 1983. In 1992 the squadron switched to the C version of the F-16 being the last active duty unit to use the A model. The F-16C is nearly identical to the F-16A but has upgraded avionics and radar systems making it superior to its predecessor. Additionally it is the only fighter to win both of the Air Forces premier competitions namely Gunsmoke (air-to-ground) and William Tell (air-to-air). The Falcon has remained with the Thunderbirds for the last 20 years the longest performance era of any one aircraft.- SKU: TAM347

Manufacturer Part Number: CF016TF The F-16 Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). It was designed as an air superiority day fighter, but has evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Since production started in 1976, over 4,500 aircraft have been built. A number of innovations were introduced with the F-16 including a frameless bubble canopy for better visibility, side-mounted control stick to ease control while maneuvering, a seat reclined 30 degrees 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. The F-16 is currently in active duty with the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command, and Air National Guard units. It is also used by the USAF aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds, and as an adversary/aggressor aircraft by the United States Navy. The F-16 has also been procured to serve in the air forces of 25 other nations. This specific F-16 is painted in the Thunderbirds paint scheme. The Thunderbirds are the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF), based at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, Nevada. They tour the United States and much of the world, performing aerobatic formation and solo flying in specially marked aircraft. The collection features six F-16 Thunderbird models in formation. This handcrafted model is painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by our skilled craftsmen with a wealth of detail and makes a great gift for any veteran, aviation enthusiast or history buff. Scale: 1/72 scale model Wing Span (inches): 4.5 Length (inches): 7.5 Material: Mahogany Wood