Summary: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team unveiled a new paint scheme replicating the original YF-16 prototype. The 412th Test Wing completed the paint job in under eight weeks, unveiling it at Edwards AFB.

Key Points: 

-The scheme honors the 1974 prototype with slight modifications, such as "20th Fighter Wing" replacing "General Dynamics."

-The team will celebrate the anniversary at 25 shows across four countries in 2024. The F-16, with over 400,000 combat sorties and 19 million flight hours, remains a significant aircraft since its 1979 service entry.

F-16 Viper Team Unveils Stunning 50th Anniversary Paint Scheme

To mark the 50th anniversary of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the United States Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team announced that it had adopted a new paint scheme for its aircraft—one that replicates the red, white, and blue livery of the YF-16 prototype that made its maiden flight way back in 1974. The F-16 team collaborated with the U.S. Air Force's 412th Test Wing, which was able to finish the paint job on the Fighting Falcon aircraft in less than eight weeks. The process normally would take around three months!

The team unveiled the new paint scheme at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California, on Wednesday.

"When I was hired to be the commander and pilot in the summer of last year, I had made it known that I hoped to find a way to get our airplane painted in the prototype scheme to take America back to the beginning of the story that started 50 years ago," said Capt. Taylor “FEMA” Hiester, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team commander and pilot, in a statement to Lockheed Martin.

By all accounts, the 412th Test Wing more than delivered.

“The importance of this YF-16 paint scheme is celebrating 50 years of the F-16 Viper,” explained Tony Accurso, 416th Flight Test Squadron logistics manager, Air Force veteran, and director for the Edwards AFB F-16 50th Anniversary event.

“Everyone at Edwards has a big sense of pride for not only supporting the Viper Demo Team but also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the F-16 which began right here at Edwards in 1974,” added Accurso, who acted as the liaison between the team and the 412th TW.

Historical Accurate With Some Changes for F-16

Aviation buffs and F-16 enthusiasts should be able to spot the attention to detail that went into paying homage to the original YF-16 prototype while also noting that the demo team's aircraft has a few subtle differences. The team had opted to make a few slight changes to differentiate the new aircraft, including swapping out the term "General Dynamics" for “20th Fighter Wing”. At the same time, “Viper Demo” was added to the tip of the vertical stabilizer.

"The only way that we were able to get started was with the support of the leadership at the 20th Fighter Wing, the home of the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, who believed in the importance of this project and supported the vision that we had in mind," added Hiester, who will be spending quite a bit of time in the cockpit this year.

For the 2024 season, the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team will represent Air Combat Command and the Air Force at 25 shows in four countries, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

A Year of Milestones

2024 is, of course, a big year for the F-16. In January, Edwards AFB hosted a celebration of the F-16 Fighting Falcon—marking the fifty years since the aircraft made its maiden flight.

Since it first entered service in 1979, the Fighting Falcon fought in over 400,000 combat sorties with a combined 19 million flight hours. 4,600 aircraft have been built since production was approved in 1976. Although the U.S. Air Force no longer buys it, Lockheed Martin still manufactures the F-16 for foreign customers.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites, with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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