America's F-16 Turns 42: The Viper's Enduring Legacy

The National Interest ^ | 1/20/2016 | Dave Majumdar

[equaviator]

Photo: Two-ship of General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcons of the 191st Fighter Interceptor Group/171st Fighter Interceptor Squadron out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base, MI (c1993).

[Captain Rhino]

I was just thinking the same thing; the F-16 has a very elegant shape, like the P-51.

Heck of a lot longer service life, though. Forty two years and counting. Wow!

[zeugma]

I’ve always liked the look of the F16. Seems clean and purposeful to me.

[JoeFromSidney]

Remember, the F-16 won a competitive flyoff with the F-17, which later became the Navy's F-18. Too bad we don't do competitive flyoffs more often. Instead, we're stuck with things like the F-35, a "something for everyone" airplane, selected on the basis of a paper competition.