FD AU 5

The_Sprinklez

Post subject: Re: FD AU 5

Posted: August 11th, 2023, 3:51 pm

Posts: 331
Joined: October 6th, 2018, 2:13 pm
Location: United States
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USA, General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon - Notional Have Glass V F-16 Schemes

Background Information:
Have Glass V refers to a system of paint and coatings used on modern F-16s of the US Air Force, Danish Air Force, and others which seek to apply the radar-absorbent properties of the F-35 to the Falcon. In USAF use, Have Glass V consists of an overall coat of Have Glass Grey (FS36170), usually with black or light grey markings. Full-color markings are still used on flagship jets (Wing/Squadron CC) and for special markings (on Danish jets, the Danish flag for example).

Drawing Information:
This drawing is a series of F-16 schemes using the Have Glass V system for units that operated F-16s at some point in time but no longer do, having been disestablished or transitioned to other types. Schemes are based on actual schemes used by these units on the F-16, but have been updated to align with not only the Have Glass V system but also current USAF tail codes, unit patches, etc.

Expanded Captions:
Top to Bottom, Left Column First

1. 163rd Fighter Squadron/122d Fighter Wing - Indiana Air National Guard
In our timeline, the 163rd Fighter Squadron operated F-16C/D Block 25s from 1991 to 2008 and Block 30s (Big Mouth) for a short period in 2009 before transitioning to A-10s. During this transitional period, the tail code changed from FW (Fort Wayne) to IN (Indiana) as their sister unit in Terre Haute, the 113th Fighter Squadron, transitioned to a non-flying wing leaving the 163rd as the sole flying unit in the Indiana ANG. In this timeline, neither of those transitions happened so the 122d continued flying Block 30s up to the present day.

The aircraft shown, T/N 86-0320, is an F-16C Block 30E and wears the standard scheme for 163rd FS aircraft during this period.

2. 194th Fighter Squadron/144th Fighter Wing - California Air National Guard
The 194th Fighter Squadron at Fresno first began flying F-16s in 1989, operating the F-16A/B Block 15 for a year or so before transitioning to the interception-focused F-16A/B Block 15 ADF. The ADFs were flown until 1995 when, as a part of a wider force-wide transition away from the type, the 144th swapped them for the newer F-16C/D Block 25. They continued flying the Block 25 jets until 2007, upgrading to the newer (but also Pratt & Whitney F100-equipped) Block 32s which they flew until transitioning to F-15C/D Eagles in 2013. In this timeline, the 194th continued flying Block 32 Falcons through to the present day.

The aircraft shown, T/N 87-0301, is an F-16C Block 32H and wears the "Flagship" 144 FW scheme which inverts the colors of the tail details.

3. 111th Fighter Squadron/147th Fighter Wing - Texas Air National Guard
In "real" life, the 111th FS replaced their F-4Ds with F-16A/B Block 15s in 1989, swapping them for Block 15 ADFs in 1992. Like their Californian comrades, the 111th transitioned from the ADF to the F-16C/D Block 25 in 1996. They continued flying Block 25 jets until they transitioned to MQ-1B Predators in 2008. In this timeline, the unit continued flying F-16s but transitioned to the much newer Block 52 sometime around 2010 when Block 25s were mostly retired from frontline duties.

The aircraft shown is T/N 93-0543, a Block 52Q aircraft wearing a semi-fictional "Flagship" scheme with full-color markings.

4. 162d Fighter Squadron/178th Fighter Wing - Ohio Air National Guard
In our timeline, the 162d Fighter Squadron transitioned from A-7 Corsairs to F-16C/D Block 30s (Big Mouth) in 1992. Becoming a dedicated F-16 training unit in 2000, the 178th trained active duty, Guard, and Reserve F-16 pilots as well as Dutch F-16 pilots from 2007 to 2010. They transitioned to MQ-1s in 2010 following a decision by the 2005 BRAC that did not take into account that the 162d was a training unit. In this timeline, they kept their Block 30 jets and continued their training mission.

This aircraft, T/N 87-0245, is an F-16C Block 30F aircraft wearing the "Flagship" scheme with full color tail art and "178 FW" on the tail.

Right Column
5. 184th Fighter Squadron/188th Fighter Wing - Arkansas Air National Guard
The 184th FS first adopted the F-16A/B Block 15 in 1988, flying them until transitioning to the F-16C Block 32 in 2001 (never receiving any two-seat F-16Ds). The 2005 BRAC dictated that the Wing transition to A-10s, and the last F-16 left Fort Smith in April 2007. In this timeline, they continued flying the Block 32.

The aircraft shown here, T/N 87-0293 "City of Paris", is an F-16C Block 32H bearing a semi-fictional "Flagship" scheme with "188 FW" replacing the T/N.

6. 114th Fighter Squadron/173d Fighter Wing - Oregon Air National Guard
The 114th FS, then a component of the 142d Fighter Wing, transitioned from F-4Cs to F-16A/B Block 15 ADFs in 1988 and continued its mission as a Formal Training Unit. The Squadron was transferred to the newly-activated 173d Fighter Wing in 1996 and, alongside their sister unit in Portland (the 142d Fighter Wing), transitioned to F-15A/B Eagles in 1998. In this timeline, they transitioned to F-16C/D Block 30s instead and were reequipped with newer F-16C/D Block 50 jets around 2015.

This aircraft, T/N 90-0827 "City of Swisley", is an F-16C Block 50B and bears the standard scheme for 114th/173d jets.

7. 89th Fighter Squadron/445th Fighter Wing - Air Force Reserve Command
The 89th FS at Wright-Patterson AFB began flying F-16A/B Block 10s in 1989, replacing the F-4 Phantoms they had flown since 1982. After only five years, the 89th Fighter Squadron was redesignated as the 89th Airlift Squadron and began transitioning to C-141 Starlifters in 1994. In this timeline, they continued to fly F-16s, eventually transitioning to F-16C/D Block 52s.

The aircraft depicted, T/N 92-3888, is an F-16C Block 52P bearing a "Flagship" scheme with "89th FS" in place of the T/N.

8. 138th Fighter Squadron/174th Fighter Wing - New York Air National Guard
In contrast to certain other ANG F-16 units, the 138th FS transitioned from A-10As to F-16A/B Block 10s in 1989 (the opposite of several other units which transitioned from F-16s to A-10s in the 2000s and 2010s). In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the 138th was chosen as the test unit for the proposed "F/A-16" upgrades which included a centerline 30mm GPU-5/A Pave Claw cannon and a purely-CAS mission. These upgrades failed horribly, however, due to a combination of factors which meant that the gun could not be precisely aimed. This project was quickly canned, with the unit transitioning to F-16C/D Block 30s in 1993. In another strange twist, the 138th downgraded from Block 30 jets to Block 25 jets in 1999 which not only meant new aircraft but a transition back to Pratt & Whitney engines from the General Electric engines of the Block 30s. Even more bafflingly, they switched back to Block 30s only five years later in 2004, remaining with this type until becoming an MQ-9 unit in 2010. In this timeline, the 138th kept their Block 30s but swapped them for Big Mouth jets around 2015.

Shown here is F-16C Block 30F T/N 87-0226 wearing a "Flagship" scheme with full color markings and "174 FW" in place of the T/N on the tail.

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