[sukhoi-30mki]

Image: Lockheed Martin.

[DoughtyOne]

If you feel like it, join in the Free Republic Caucus (each day)

Thank you.

Be sure to read the rules and follow them so your candidate will benefit from you vote.

LINK

[doorgunner69]

A classic fighter if there ever was one.

Years ago, I had a second story office in a converted hangar at Pt Mugu.

Getting ready for an air show, exhibit planes were coming in. Right below my window some Air National Guard pilot brings his F-16 in. I thought he was coming in too close to the hangar wall, but he swung the thing around like a sports car. Amazing how small it looked from right above it.

He looked so comfortable even taxiing the thing, you know it was fun to fly.

[Talisker]

Astronauts used to get one of these birds assigned to each of them to fly, to keep their skills up.

[equaviator]

[Londo Molari]

IMO, the F-16 just looks like a fighter aircraft. It looks the part with its classic lines and no nonsense look. The P-51 and the F-86 have the “look” as well.

[PLMerite]

Airplane Porn!

Loaded for bear.

[PLMerite]

Polish F-16:

[PLMerite]

[PLMerite]

Ooopsie!

[PLMerite]

Paki F-16 in B-52 mode:

[PLMerite]

Polish F-16 Block 52:

[PLMerite]

F-16 XL:

[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.