Aerodata International aircraft monographs are self-contained 20 page A size booklets containing 1/72 seale multi-view plans, colour artwork, sketches, larg photographs and narrative (including technical data)—everything the modeller needs to know to check the accuracy of plastic kits or scratch-build tic. A special, additional wrap-around inside cover gives a brief outline history of the subject aircraft in Freneh aud German plus translations of the photo captions and drawing annotations in those same two languages, The series includes: his own replicas trom wood or pl No. 1 Focke-Wulf 1904 series dy Perer G. Cooksiey No. 2 re LX ML by Philip J. R. Moxes No. 3 51D Mustang by Harry Holmes No, 4 Messerschmitt Me 109E by Peter G. Cooksley No. 5 Hawker Hurricane 1 by Philip J. R. Moves No. 6 Republic P-47D Thunderbolt by Jolur B. Rabbets No, 7 Handley Page Halifax (Merlin-engined variants) by Philip J. R. Moyes No, 8 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress hy Philip J. R. Moves No, 9 dunkers Ju88A Series by Philip J. R. Moves No, 10. Avro Lancaster MK Ty Philip J. R. Moves No. [1 Consolidated B-24 Liberator by Philip J. R. Moves No. 12 Heinkel He ILL hy Philip J. R. Moyes No. 13 MeDonnetl Douglas F-15 by Philip J. R. Mayes No. 1d Me ell Douglas F-4 by Philip J. R. Moyes No. 15 Lockheed F-104 Startighter by Plulip J. R. Moves No. 16 General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Faleon by Philip J. R. Moves Plans and artwork by Alfred Granger, MISTC Colour artwork by Roy Mills Acrodata International Publications and their contents are copyright Vintage Aviation Publications Lid., VAP House, Station Tields, Kidlington, Oxford, England, and no part may be reproduced in any way without the prior permission of the publishers. Trade enquiries would be welcome, but the publishers regret that they cannot deal with readers’ enquiries concerning the content of Aerodata International Publications Printed by Visual Art Press Limited, Oxford, England First published 1981 ISBN 0.905469 313GENERAL DYNAMICS F-16 FIGHTING FALCON By Philip J. R. Moyes Fig. 1 Am F164 (lef and a two-seat F-16B fighter/trainer. |All photographs courtesy General Dynamics. eatsip. 4 Ja sis view of the second ¥F-16.0n test the marque’s superbly: blended wing fuselage is ween to advantage, Note the aperture forthe 2mm ‘simon in the port stake, ‘One of the most important combat aircraft of the 1980s and beyond, the F-16 Fighting Falcon represents a highly successful atempr by General Dynamies to pro- duce a new-generation, single-engined, single-seat, multi-rote lightweight tactical fighter to complement the relatively heavy, elaborately equipped and expensive MeDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle (Aerodata International No 13) The Fighting Falcon’s manoeuvrability and combat radius exceed that of all threat aircraft while operating in the air superiority role: In an air-to-surface role, it has an exceptional mission radius of over 500 nautical miles (926km), superior weapons delivery accuracy, and aan excellent self-defence capability. Because the F-16 is small, iis difficult to detect, visually or with radar, and hard to hit. ‘Contributing to its superiority in the air combat rote and providing the basic qualities required for the air-to- around role are the low wing loa igh-thrust engine ~ the Pratt & Whitney F100 which was developed and proved on the F-1S — and rugged structure. Added 10 these essential qualities are an advanced digital fire con- trol and stores management system and nine store sta tions with capacity for the carriage of up 10 15,2001b ) of external stores. The result is a superior to-air round tactical fighter. The -16 has been dubbed the Swing Force Fighter because of its ability to easily swing from one role to another. Spanning 32ft 10in (10008mm) overall with tip- mounted AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, 4941 5.9in (15085mm) long and having a basie design gross weight ‘of 22,5001b (10206kg), the altogether exciting Fighting Falcon was originally begun as a technology demon- strator, two prototypes being ordered in April 1972 under the United States Air Force’s Lightweight Fighter (LWE) programme. The first YF-16 flew on 20 Januar 1974 followed by the second on 9 May, by which time the LWP programme had become the Air Combat Fighter (ACF) programme with the promise of an initial USAF order for 650 of the winning design, with an ex- tensive support depot in Europe. ‘The F-16 was eventually declared the winner of the ACF competition in January 1975, the main factors, Cc)aor Fig. 4 The second VP-16 formating with to Convair P1064 Delta Darts behind its selection being its overwhelming performance and life cycle cost advantages over its competitor, the Northrop YF-17. Six months later, the F-16 was chose by four European members of NATO ~ Belgium, Den mark, Holland and Norway — to replace their ageing Lockheed F-104s (Aerodata International No 15). Also during that year came the start of a vast co-production programme — the largest international military co- production programme in history ~ wherein the in dusiries of the United States and the four European nations just mentioned would share in the manufacture of the F-16, Today, assembly lines are in operation at Fort Worth, Texas; Gosselies, Belgium; and near Amsterdam, Holland. There are 33 major subcontractors in the four European industrial partner nations, and these firms, in turn, have placed second tier F-16 subcontracts with nearly 400 additional European firms. General Dynamies, prime contractor for the Fighting Falcon, hhas placed subcontracts for F-16 work with some 4,000 US firms. ‘Some idea of the fine production rate is given by the fact thar by August 1980 over 200 F-16s had rolled off the three production lines. At Fort Worth an unsurpass- ed quality mark was achieved when a truly “perfect Fighting Falcon was delivered to the USAF — a machine which was found to be absolut igorous acceptans free of even testing on the 64 ground and in flight. This rare milestone is considered virtually impossible to achieve because of the complex nature of the aircraft, and as far as is known it was the first time in the Fort Worth Division's entire history that it had delivered a plane with absolutely no discrepancies. In August 1978 Israel announced her intention of ac quiring F-16s as the newest addition to her fighter force. Seventy-five aircraft were specified for the first buy with potential for more later on. The F-16 has been in opera: tional status with the USAF and the Air Forces of Holland and Belgium since 1979, and with the Danish, Norwegian and Israeli air forces since 1980, The F-16 is due to enter service with the Egyptian Air Force in early 1982, and at the time of writing (March 1981) has also been ordered by the South Korean Air Force, Three countries currently considering possible purchase of F-16s are Austria, Australia and Spain, Total currently planned F-16 production runs to more than 1,850 airerafi of which 1,388 are for the USAP The Fighting Falcon incorporates a number of technologies and design innovations which have not previously been combined in a single aircraft. These in- clude Forebody strakes to generate vortices that permit buffet-tree, divergent-free flight at high angles of at tack; wing-body blending for both increased lift and in- ternal volume for fuel and essential mechanical and avionic equipment; fly-by-wire — a complete electronicFig. S This F164 may well be the fist defect. fice (roll-out to very) milter ercraf ever produced: Tail conten “#1.” signify Hill TPR Lah ig. 16s om the production line at Bort Worth, flight control system; relaxed static stability — control- conligured vehicle; variable wing camber ~ automatic leading-edge manoeuvring flaps; side-stick controller easy and accurate control at high ‘e’; high accelera tion/high visibility cockpit tailored to meet the pilot’s needs, The technologies applied to the F-16 were selected and integrated in such a fashion as to simplify the air craft and reduce weight by several thousand pounds, thus reducing the basic cost. In addition, the light weight of the aircraft is achieved without extensive use fof exotie materials or degradation in strength. The modular design approach — the forward fuselage, the inlet, the centre fuselage, the aft fuselaxe, tail unit, and the wings are designed as modules — provides for case of manufacture, growth and upgrading of technology. The airframe is basically of conventional, riveted sheet metal construction and is over 80% aluminium with selective use of graphite com posites, Fusclage construction is of sheet metal skins stiffened by formed and built-up sheet metal frames and longerons. In areas wher ional requirements dictate, integrally _ machined bulkheads, spars, or beams are used. Each wing skin is a single machined plate. Bonded construction is limited to the wing control surfaces, rudder, leading edge of the vertical fin, horizontal tail, and secondary structure Design load limit of the F-16 is 9g with 100% internal fuel, in contrast to current fighters with design load limits of 6.58 to 7.32 with 60 to 80% internal fuel concentrated loads or fune- 6sFig. 7 The #240 pictured with an array of bombs, fuel tanks and nn and lage eapactt a re Ore ute TANK i 8370 GAL) ee ALC Homes cae TER WARD POINT CAPACITY = 15200 L6S 66 Standard armament of the Fighting Falcon is a 20mm. rapid-fire (6,000 rounds per minute) Vulcan M61 can ron, housed in the port leading edge strake, and AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red heat-seeking air-to-air missiles (AAMs). Six AIM-95 can be carried on external store stations and need not be down-loaded for air-to-surface missions. Sparrow and Sky Flash all-weather AAMs have also been launched from a F-16 prototype. The Fighting Falcon is also capable of deploying a wide range of other external ordnance, from USAF inventory missile launchers and bomb racks carried on its nine ordnance stations — one of which is located on the fuselage centreline, six being under the wings and two on the wing tips. The pylons can accommodate a max imum payload capacity of 15,200Ib (6,895kg) of fuel tanks, conventional free-fall” bombs and dispenser weapons, the latest in laser and TV-guided munitions, countermeasure pods, and other special payloads, The F-16's avionies complement is desivned to pro. vide effective performance for both air-to-air and air face missions. The tire control system — in head-up display, and pilot controls hhas been configured for “eyes out of the cockpit” operation to eliminate any requirements for the pilot to look away from the target. The key fire controls have been integrated 10 provide the pilot with quick-reaction, fingertip control of displays and weapons trom the throttle, flight control stick, and integrated stores management set cluding radarPLATE 1 ‘GENERAL DYNAWICS F164 FIGHTING FALCON TA'TSVAN HAGANA LEISRAEL/HEYL HA'AVIN {igmAaeL DEFENCE FORCE/AIN FORCE) SCALE 1/98 orHEAD UP DI PLATE 2 D STANDBY (HUD) GLASS GENERAL DYNAMICS MAGNETIC Q F-16A FIGHTING FALCON OCK COMPASS \ OXYGEN FLOW COCKPIT LAYOUT 8 INDICATOR 6 STANDBY ATTITUDE INDICATOR yoRAUIIG FUEL FLOW INDICATOR 7 PRESSURE a INDICATORS -UHF CHANNEL @ FREQUENCY / i eeu Furl Nogaro \eru cue TACHOMETER / / RPISATON Nozze —// a Soztin / si osir PRESSURE INDICATOR ALTITUDE @ i ATTITUDE AIRSPEED/MACH ff DIRECTOR — STORES “ INDICATOR INDICATOR (i, CONTROL ‘5 TS PANEL FUEL quantity \inoicator // " LANDING oo Gi) GEAR “aa oahu OXYGEN CONTROL PANE LY S Canopy Jerrison Haoue gy _# A:Srangen. 69Seale lhe PLATE 3 GENERAL DYNAMICS F-I6 A FIGHTING FALCON die eel ene ur 2 ® _SREEN NAVIGATION LIGHT @) = see =e | @ ry’ ED NAVIGATION LIGHT pr aes ey bos | le alee a” as ——— @ wren wae GOARTE om 1F 4H com tower ANTeANh © A.Granger. wistc @ wx von —2 te oncen navicarion voit (9) se nt . Jz oN © Heer REARSSECTION G a ® ses ion OF Licht ~ ITE FonMON LICHT i) JG "FLOOD LIGHT FOR AR REFUELING ‘acum upren anew) ne ser08 hoor )omeaT wanna set conmncarions ‘sasuaon secrion or Nozze meouceo { srteooaes rau oro) 1PLATE 4 GENERAL DYNAMICS F-16B FIGHTING FALCON REAR COCKPIT LAYOUT RADAR DISPLAY (1 STANDBY ATTITUDE INDICATOR (8 FUEL FLOW INDICATOR 16 VERTICAL VELOCITY INDICATOR UHF CHANNEL (@) FREQUENCY INDICATOR TACHOMETER (9) NozzLe POSITION INDICATOR rust @ UANTITY INDICATOR SIDE STICK OVERRIDE LAMP“! SIDE STICK SELECTOR INDICATOR 2 a0) 3) ACCELEROMETER 4 WHEELS DOWN Tal Md/stones Lrimerer \ c INDICATING LAMPS a CONTROL & ALTIMETER G9 erred OxyG PANEL ATTITUDE @ Flow: @ AIRSPEED DIRECTOR INDICATOR D Mach INDICATOR / INCEATOR HORIZONTAL a 7 see SITUATION. | figs / Apnestnc® |___) “ SUATON ey 2 e piece 1 NEU RAULIC : : caution” — | PRESSURE LANDING GEAR HANDLE AMP Noewrons a PANEL 3) w FUEL SYSTEM CONTROL PANEL| 5 LIGHTING CONTROL EL a GROUND SAFETY LEVER (IN SAFE POSITION) a EMERGENCY OXYGEN RELEASE CONTROL gp Roe EMERGENCY OXYGEN PANEL MANUAL CONTROL SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTMENT SWITCH EJECTION SEAT (BOTH COCKPITS) w A.Granger. wisre 2) EJECTION HANDLE INERTIAL REEL LOCK/UNLOCK @j) MANUAL LEVER)Fig, 10 he oo-sear B model a Fore Worth om 31 January 1980. The firs 1A ned brah. This pa svat insignia on the uper anf cirfaces 0 in tex from Bort Worth in 1980, 1 carried USAF isla on thePLATE 5 A. USAF F164 of 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, Mil AFB, BAC. Fist F-168 supplied 10 Irae Defence Force/Air Force (a Tyvah Hagana Le Tsrael/Heyt HaAvie). D. FI6A of Royal Norwepian Ale Force (Kongelige Lattiorsvaret) Belgian Air Force (Force Aévienne Belge) F164, F. F161 2seater of Royal Danish Air Force (Kongelige Danske Fiyyevien). G. F164 of Royal Netherlands Air Force (Koninklijke LachtenachTig. 12 The F-16°s coherent, pulse doppler fire control radar, furnished by Westinghouse Electric Corporation, pro- vides all-weather acquisition, detection and track of air- borne targets under clear or ground clutter en- vironments. For the air-to-surface mission, the radar provides real-beam and expanded ground map modes for all-weather target acquisition ay well as doppler beam sharpening for 8:1 improvement in azimuth resolution. Multiple weapon delivery modes provide delivery accuracies superior 10 other fighters under visual conditions and second only to the General Dynamics F-111 under blind-bombing conditions. The F-16 has a complete set of navigation equipment, including « highly accurate inertial navigation set. Com: munications include both UHF and VHF voice co munications sets. The aireraft also has a passive threat warning system with modular contermeasure pods to counter airborne or surface threats electronically The avionics and other subsystems incorporate ad- vanced built-in self-iest, fault isolation and condition indicators to reduce time and manpower needed for 11 ome time, the second VE-16 sported an experimental white and pate blue camouflage scheme, as shown bn this ght refueling scene. isolation and replacement of system components on the flight line, These and other efficient maintenance Features allow the F-16 to be supported with fewer direct ‘maintenance personnel than contemporary fighter ait- cralt. The F-16 has sufficient range to get to the battle with enough combat {uel allowance to stay with the fight. Compared with the present-day lighter aireraft it will replace, the F-16 has over twice the combat radius on an air superiority mission with each aireratt carrying. its design air-to-air armament and flying the same combat manoeuvres. One of its most attractive features is its un- paralleled fuel economy. It consumes one-half of the fuel of an F-4 Phantom and 17% less than an F-104 Starfighter when performing the same mission. During an exercise in 1980, a clean F-16 from Hill AFB, Utah, flew 125 to 150 miles 201 to 241km) into exercise airspace, stayed on station 25 to 38 minutes, entered several engagements requiring the use of afterburner, returned to base and landed with 1,000Ib (4S4ke) of the 6,900} (3130kg) fuel load remaining! 1sin Air Force Magazine, published by the US Air Force Association, Captain Wayne C Edwards, an F-16 instructor pilot with the 16th Tactical/Fighter Vraining Squadron at Hill AFB, says: “The F-16 un doubtedly belongs to a new generation. However, in terms of great fighters, most F-16 pilots b over the long run it will carve out its own place in the an ieve that nals of fighter aviation. 1 envision it becoming like the P-S1, F-86, or F-100 of previous generations very prolifi capabilities, and highly respected by the pilots lucky enough to fly it. There is, in my mind, simply no other airplane in the world today 1 would rather take into This is the airplane | med up with for the rest of my fyi well utilized because of its tremendous combat if it became necessary want 10 be te: days.” Essentially similar 10 the single-seat F-I6A. multi purpose fighter except for the aft cockpit is the two-seat F-16B fighter/irainer. The B model carries about 1,100 fewer pounds (499 fewer kg) of internal fuel but still sur- passes earlier figh: Scheduled to be available for delivery from 1983 is the 16/79, a private venture intermediate export fighter rs in agility, range and endurance. powered by the 18,000Ib (8165kg) thrust General Elec iric J79 engine and intended to replace the Northrop F-SE Tiger I1 in the air forees of those nations unable to afford ~ or barred from receiving — front-line aireralt like the F-16. The development aircraft, which first flew on 29 October 1980, is a modified pre-series F-16B, and has a revised fixed-ramp inlet and other major modifications to allow for the longer J79. SPECIFICATION ~ F-164 Powerplant: One 25,000Ib-thrust Pratt & Whitney F-100 turbofan with reheat Dimensions: Span with missiles 321 10in (10008mm), i (949mm) without missiles; length 49K 5.9in (15085mm); height 1641 .2in (S009mt) Weighs: Empty 15,1401b (6,870kg); maximum take-off 35,401b (16,060ks) Performance: Max speed at sea level, Mach 1.2; max speed at altitude, Mach 2-plus; service ceiling 60,000" plus (15,000m-plus), See text and diagram. ig. 16 tah eg tid-out study of un F161 with afterburner lit on its PW E100 wrbofan, 4 vortex Jeo the leading edge can be seen across tthe 1p of the inboard wing surface, underlining the ifegencraing capabilities of the sakes at low speed and hi ‘angles of attack,