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Thread: The F-16N (Navy)

  1. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by GyroF-16 View Post
    Thanks for the invite, LL. Pardon my slow reply - It was quite a long article, and took me a few overnights on the road to finish it.

    Overall, nice story. The Navy guy flew a light airframe Viper with a pretty big engine, clean, in an exclusively air-to-air mission. Sounds like fun, when your body is young, and your neck is (yet) undamaged. I flew similar, slightly heavier F-16s with even bigger engines for my career in the AF. The biggest challenge as an F-16 pilot was maintaining proficiency in several missions at once - it always gave you something to work on for the next mission.
    A few observations:
    It was interesting to hear him talk about learning, as a prior F-14 pilot, to run the radar while flying the airplane. It reminded me of when we Air Force F-16 pilots used to chuckle at the F-15E pilots who’d been convinced by their backseaters that just flying the airplane was a full-time job, and the Weapons System Operators were essential for operating the radar, running the air-to-ground targeting pod, and talking on the radio. Because Viper pilots routinely did all those things simultaneously. Just another insight into different “cultures” and expectations.

    The author of the article sounds like a good guy to share a beer with and trade stories with the bar for an evening.

    Here’s me, “back in the day” leaving the tanker to go back into Iraq.
    This. Thread. Is. Awesome.
    #RESIST

  2. #12
    Very cool article and thanks for posting.

  3. #13
    Site Supporter SeriousStudent's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Texas
    Quote Originally Posted by GyroF-16 View Post
    ......

    Here’s me, “back in the day” leaving the tanker to go smite mine enemies.

    Attachment 48878
    Fixed it for ya.

    (There's face-shooting. And then there's face-shooting with a six-barrel M61 Vulcan 20mm cannon.)

    And by the way - much respect. As if it even needed to be said.

  4. #14
    I Demand Pie Lex Luthier's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2015
    Location
    Northern Tier
    Quote Originally Posted by GyroF-16 View Post
    Thanks for the invite, LL. Pardon my slow reply - It was quite a long article, and took me a few overnights on the road to finish it.

    Overall, nice story. The Navy guy flew a light airframe Viper with a pretty big engine, clean, in an exclusively air-to-air mission. Sounds like fun, when your body is young, and your neck is (yet) undamaged. I flew similar, slightly heavier F-16s with even bigger engines for my career in the AF. The biggest challenge as an F-16 pilot was maintaining proficiency in several missions at once - it always gave you something to work on for the next mission.
    A few observations:
    It was interesting to hear him talk about learning, as a prior F-14 pilot, to run the radar while flying the airplane. It reminded me of when we Air Force F-16 pilots used to chuckle at the F-15E pilots who’d been convinced by their backseaters that just flying the airplane was a full-time job, and the Weapons System Operators were essential for operating the radar, running the air-to-ground targeting pod, and talking on the radio. Because Viper pilots routinely did all those things simultaneously. Just another insight into different “cultures” and expectations.

    The author of the article sounds like a good guy to share a beer with and trade stories with the bar for an evening.

    Here’s me, “back in the day” leaving the tanker to go back into Iraq.

    Attachment 48878
    Please pardon me if you heard me mutter "Fu$* Yeah!" under my breath just now.
    "If I ever needed to hunt in a tuxedo, then this would be the rifle I'd take." - okie john

    "Not being able to govern events, I govern myself." - Michel De Montaigne

  5. #15
    Abducted by Aliens Borderland's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Camano Island WA.
    I briefly talked to my relative after I sent him this link. He didn't know some of this stuff and his entire civilian job revolves around the F-16. What he did say was the current production was designated the F-16V for Viper. That's how it's know in the military these days. That's all he said. I'll have to get him drunk the next time I see him and get some classified info. He loves to drink beer, lots of beer.
    Last edited by Borderland; 02-18-2020 at 10:31 PM.
    In the P-F basket of deplorables.

  6. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Borderland View Post
    I briefly talked to my relative after I sent him this link. He didn't know some of this stuff and his entire civilian job revolves around the F-16. What he did say was the current production was designated the F-16V for Viper. That's how it's know in the military these days. That's all he said. I'll have to get him drunk the next time I see him and get some classified info. He loves to drink beer, lots of beer.
    It's been called the Viper forever unofficially-ish but sounds like it's also being called the Viper officially with the V model. Silly pants!

    I saw the Greek Vipers with conformal tanks being flight tested in the early 2000s. I missed all the fun F-16 projects when I got into the industry.

    F-16XL and AFTI were very cool.




    Edit: F-16N was news to me, thanks for sharing. Got through half the article, will finish tomorrow. Even learned something about the F-20, which I had a crush on back in the day.
    Last edited by rayrevolver; 02-18-2020 at 11:25 PM.

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