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Originally we only planned to do a report on the current USAF F-16 force (See Profile #03), but as we started to scan slides to illustrate the report, we realized that by only concentrating on the current stuff we would miss an opportunity to cover some well known units.
Eighteen Wings and/or Groups have ceased operating the F-16, and that doesn't include the 363rd Fighter Wing, 58th Fighter Wing and the 343rd Fighter Wings.
|
The
184th TFG was one of two training unit's for the ANG's F-16 force, the
other being the Arizona ANG's 162nd TFG (which is still operational).
In
1994 the 184th converted to B-1B Lancers.
Here a pair of Kansas Jayhawks F-16B's preparing to launch on a training
mission 22nd March 1988. |
©
Doug Slowiak- Vortex Photo Graphics
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CREDITS
This Profile would not have been possible to do without the photographic assistance of the many photographers who allowed us to use their slides. Therefore we would like to offer our thanks to:
Alec Fushi (Flightline Photography), Don Logan, Doug Slowiak (Vortex Photo Graphics), Brian C Rogers, Daniel Soulaine, Jerry Geer, Matt Geer, Philippe Colin, Craig Baldwin, Kevin Jackson, Peter Rolt, Jarrod Wilkening, Bruce Trombecky, Fred Krause, Tom Kaminski, Duncan Adams, Steve Hill (EMCS), Kevin Patrick and Robert Greby.
| SOURCES
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USAF & Navy '99 (Mach III plus publication) |
World Air Power Journal (various issues) |
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349 Net website |
USMIL (Aviation Associates) |
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J.Baugher's Serial website (F-16 Production lists) |
MIL-SPOTTERS Forum |
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A note about designations, we've used the last known designation i.e. Fighter Wing (FW), Fighter Group (FG) and/or Fighter Squadron (FS). Other than that it can get very confusing as most units have had several designation changes, also here are a few dates of importance!!
This can get very confusing and probably need's better treatment than this! (Maybe at a later date we'll do a page on this subject...) If you've got any corrections to the info presented here please do get in touch. Of course all errors in the text/tables and/or captions are entirely our fault ( Well mainly Tim's.....)
By the same rule, units that have not changed designation but have changed base and/or tailcode HAVE been include here. i.e. 31st Fighter Wing moved to Aviano AB from Homestead and changed from HS to AV tailcodes (also changed commands from ACC to USAFE).
| 23rd Wing | Pope AFB, North Carolina | FT | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
74th
FS Blue/White |
|||||
| Type/Remarks | Activated 1 June 1992 as first USAF Composite wing with F-16C/D Block 40's. Wing deactivated 1998/99? | |||||
| 31st Fighter Wing | Homestead AFB, Florida | ZF/HS | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
306th
FS Yellow |
307th
FS Red |
308th
FS Green |
309th
FS Blue |
||
| Type/Remarks | Received first F-16A/B Block 15's October 1982. Tailcode changed from "ZF" to "HS" in 1985. 1990 unit converted to F-16C/D Block 40's and was deactivated 1993. Wing number transferred to USAFE at Aviano. | |||||
| 56th Fighter Wing | MacDill AFB, Florida | MC | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
61st
FS Yellow |
62nd
FS Blue |
63rd
FS Red |
72nd
FS Black |
||
| Type/Remarks | Second USAF unit to convert to F-16's (A/B Block 10's), October 1979. Converted to Block 30 C/D's 1990. Previously a TFW/TTW redesignated FW in 1991. 1994 Squadron/Wing numbers transferred to Luke AFB, replacing 58 FW. | |||||
| 474th Tactical Fighter Wing | Nellis AFB, Nevada | NA | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
428th
TFS Blue |
429th
TFS Yellow |
430th
TFS red |
|||
| Type/Remarks | Block 1/5 F-16A/B's replaced F-4's November 1980. Unit later used Block 10's. Wing inactivated September 1989. | |||||
| 23 WG FT | F-16C
Block 40E 89-2042/FT from the 74 FS. The 23 Wing was a composite unit
and operated C-130's and A-10's in addition to F-16's. All wing aircraft
wore the Sharks Mouth and FT tailcode. © Daniel Soulaine |
31 FW HS | Pictured here is a 31 TFW F-16A Block 15Q 83-1077, but the unit did re-equip with the C/D model. Originally tail coded ZF, they changed to HS in 1985 to reflect the base name, HomeStead. © Craig Baldwin |
 |
 |
||
| 56 FW MC | F-16C
Block 30F 87-0236/MC from the 63 FS/56 FW, a training unit. The 56 FW
title is still active at Luke AFB where they're still in the training
role but under Air Education and Training Command. © Alec Fushi |
474 TFW NA | 474 TFW F-16A Block 10C 80-0492/NA. The Wing previously operated F-111's and F-4's (F-4's in the training role) Deactivated in September 1989. © Doug Slowiak/Vortex Photo Graphics |
 |
 |
| 50th Tactical Fighter Wing | Hahn AB, Germany | HR | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
10th
TFS Blue |
313th
TFS Orange |
496th
TFS Yellow |
||
| Type/Remarks | Received F-16A/B Block 15's July 1982. Converted to F-16C/D Block 25'S 1986. Deactivated 1991 | ||||
| 81st Tactical Fighter Wing | RAF Bentwaters, UK | WR | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
527th
AS Red/Yellow |
||||
| Type/Remarks | January 1989 received F-16C Block 32's to replace it's F-5E's. Deactivated 1990 | ||||
| 86th Fighter Wing | Ramstein AB, Germany | RS | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
512th
FS Green/Black |
526th
FS Red/Black |
|||
| Type/Remarks | Received first F-16C/D Block 30's December 1985. Block 40's arrived 1993/94. 1994 designated as 86 Wing. Wing converted to Airlift Wing 1994/95. | ||||
| 401st Tactical Fighter Wing | Torrejon AB, Spain | TJ | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
612th
TFS Blue/White |
613th
TFS Yellow/Blue |
614th
TFS Red/Blue |
||
| Type/Remarks | F-16A/B Block 15's arrived April 1983, upgraded to C/D Block 30's 1989. Deactivated in 1991 | ||||
| 50 TFW HR | F-16C
Block 25E 84-1295/HR photographed at Excalibur '89 held at RAF Lakenheath.
The 50 TFW was the first USAFE unit to receive F-16's in the form of Block
15's. © Unknown/Peter Greengrass Collection |
81 TFW WR |
Previously base at RAF Alconbury flying F-5E's the 527 AS moved to RAF
Bentwaters January 1989. F-16C Block 30A 86-0229/WR (The WR tailcode stood
for Woodbridge, which was a co-located base to Bentwaters. © Peter Rolt |
 |
 |
||
| 86 FW RS |
Lifting of from RAF Fairford is F-16C 85-1546, a Block 30B. The 86th previously
flew F-84's,F-102's and F-4's until its first Falcons arrived in December
1985. © Peter Greengrass |
401 TFW TJ | F-16C
Block 30E from the 612 TFS 'Fighting Eagles', based in Spain at Torrejon
AB until inactivation after 'Desert Storm' in 1991 © Peter Greengrass |
 |
 |
| 507th Fighter Group | Tinker AFB, Oklahoma | SH | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
465th
FS Blue |
||||
| Type/Remarks | 1988 began re-equipping with F-16A/B Block 10's from F-4D's. Converted to KC-135R's in 1994 to become 507 ARW. | ||||
| 906th Fighter Group | Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio | DO | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
89th
FS Red/Black |
||||
| Type/Remarks | Converted to F-16A/B Block 10's in October 1989. Deactivated September 1994. The 89th is now an Airlift Squadron. | ||||
| 926th Fighter Wing | NAS New Orleans JRB, Louisiana | NO | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
706th
FS Red |
||||
| Type/Remarks | Re-equipped from A-10's to F-16C/D Block Block 30's, 1992/93. Then in 1998/99 changed back to OA/A-10's. | ||||
| 507 FG SH |
F-16A Block 10A 79-0384/SH, 465 FS 507 FG. The SH tailcode stood for 'Sierra
Hotel' or in less polite language 'Shit Hot'!!. The 465th are now a Air
Refuelling Squadron flying KC-135R's. © Jerry Geer |
906 FG DO | 89
FS F-16A Block 10B 80-0474/DO. The 89th was one of the last USAF units
to operate Block 10's. Their now in the Airlift role flying C-141 Starlifters,
under the 445 AW. © Tom Kaminski |
 |
 |
||
| 926 FW NO | Originally
flying OA-37's and then A-10's, the 706FS went on to operate F-16C/D's
Block 30's until returning to the A-10 in 1998/99. F-16C Block 30B 85-1549/NO © Unknown/Peter Greengrass Collection |
||
 |
| 107th Fighter Group | Niagara Falls, New York | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
136th
FS Red |
||||
| Type/Remarks | Converted from F-4D's to F-16A/B Block 10's in 1990/91. Subsequently upgraded to ADF. Gave up it's Vipers in 1994 to become a ARS flying KC-135R's. | ||||
| 125th Fighter Wing | Jacksonville IAP, Florida | FL | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
159th
FS Low-Viz |
||||
| Type/Remarks | Started Converting to F-16A/B Block 15' in 1986, but did not finish until April 1988. 1990 upgraded to ADF standard. Converted to F-15A/B's in 1995/96. | ||||
| 142nd Fighter Group | Kingsley Field, Oregon | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
114th
FS Low-Viz |
||||
| Type/Remarks | F-16A/B Block 15's began arriving late 1988. First ANG unit to receive ADF's in 1989. 1998 converted to F-15C/D's. | ||||
| 156th Fighter Wing | Muniz ANGB, Puerto Rico | PR | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
198th
FS Red/White/Blue |
||||
| Type/Remarks | During 1992/93 converted to F-16A/B ADF Block 15's from A-7's. Replaced it's F-16's in 1998/99 with C-130's becoming 198th AS/156 AW. | ||||
| 182nd Fighter Group | Greater Peoria Apt, Illinois | IL | |||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
169th
FS Low-Viz |
||||
| Type/Remarks | 14 March 1992 saw the unit converting from OA-37's to F-16A/B ADF Block 15's. 1994 swapped it's F-16's for C-130E's to become an Airlift Squadron/Wing. | ||||
| 184th Fighter Group | McConnell AFB, Kansas | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
127th
FS Low-Viz |
161st
FS Low-Viz |
177th
FS Low-Viz |
||
| Type/Remarks | 161 TFTS created to operate F-16A/B Block 10'S along side the F-4D which equipped the other Squadrons. The F-16 eventually equipped all the squadrons by March 1990. 1990/91 re-equipped with C/D Block 25's. Converted to a Bomb Squadron/Wing operating B-1B's | ||||
| 191st Fighter Group | Selfridge ANGB, Michigan | ||||
| Squadron Tail Colour |
171st
FS Yellow/Black |
||||
| Type/Remarks | Conversion to F-16A/B Block 15's completed in July 1990, and eventually upgraded to ADF's. 1994 converted to C-130E's. | ||||
| 107 FG |
F-16A ADF Block 15E 81-0736. Until its inactivation the 136th had
been involve in air defence of the US since the 1950's, flying various
types including F-101's and F-4's. They gave up their Vipers for KC-13R's
in 1994. © Daniel Soulaine |
125 FW FL |
F-16A ADF Block 15C 81-0681 159 FS, 125 FW, Florida ANG. The 159th later
added FL tailcodes to their a/c. The 159th are still in the air defence
role but flying F-15 Eagles. © Jerry Geer |
 |
 |
||
| 142 FG | F-16B ADF Block 15P 82-1046, 114 FS, 142 FG, Oregon ANG, photographed at the Last Chance at Kingsley Field. The 114th was involved in the task of training air defence crews for the ANG. Originally a Tactical Fighter Training Squadron they redesignated March 1992 as a Fighter Squadron. © Peter Rolt |
156 FW PR | F-16A
ADF Block 15C 81-0685/PR. The 198th operated in the tactical role (signified
by their PR codes) despite being equipped with the ADF variant. © Alec Fushi/Flightline Photography |
 |
 |
||
| 182 FG IL |
F-16A ADF Block 15M 82-0966/IL from the 169 FS, 182 FG, Illinois ANG.
Another unit not involved with air defence but still flying the ADF, the
169th had a dual-role battlefield mission. © Jerry Geer |
184 FG | Presently
flying something slightly larger than a Viper, the B-1B Lancer. The 184th
converted to a Bomb Wing in 1994. Before that they were a F-16 Training
unit. F-16B Block 10D 80-0632. © Matt Geer |
 |
 |
||
| 191 FG | F-16A
ADF Block 15E 81-0719, 171 FS 'Michigan Wolves', 191 FG, Michigan ANG.
The 171st now fly C-130E's in the airlift role. © Unknown/Peter Greengrass Collection |
||
 |
 |
Given only a couple of shades of grey paint, the ANG Viper units could still be counted on to provide some interesting tailmarks. |
Units that only changed designation, but stayed in same location and/or kept same tailcodes have NOT been listed here (They have been included in Profile #03 though). i.e. 58th Fighter Wing changed designation to 56th Fighter Wing but stayed at Luke AFB with LF codes.
For completeness (and seeing as their is only three of them), the other two are the 363 FW (now 20 FW) and the 343 FW (now the 354 FW).
