Gizmo Lovers Blog » F-16

The Legacy Of The Lockheed Martin F-16

MegaZone — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:33:30 +0000

As part of their commemoration of the production of the 4,500th F-16 Fighting Falcon, Lockheed Martin has released a few videos. I posted one previously, and this one features LockMart employees talking about the legacy of the F-16:

Also, I’d added this video as an edit to my previous post, but as some of you may have already seen the post before it was added you may have missed it. In it test pilot Phil Oestricher relates the story of the unplanned first flight of the YF-16 – Flight Zero:

Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon – 4,500 Built And Counting

MegaZone — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 06:04:25 +0000

The F-22 Raptor may have only made it to 187 built, and the F-35 Lightning II program is struggling with delays and cost overruns, but Lockheed Martin has a reason to celebrate. Last month they delivered the 4,500th F-16 Fighting Falcon. The first YF-16 flew as part of the Light Weight Fighter competition in 1974. Of course, back then it was a General Dynamics product. It wasn’t until 1993 that Lockheed acquired GD’s aircraft business, including the F-16. To celebrate the delivery of the 4,500th F-16, Lockheed Martin released this video:

Lots of history there, but I still wish the F-16XL had gone into production. It is just a damn cool looking design.

EDIT: Lockheed released this video today, of test pilot Phil Oestricher telling the story of the unplanned first flight of the YF-16 – Flight Zero:

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Video Round Up

MegaZone — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 22:39:52 +0000

Over the past month or so Lockheed Martin has released a number of videos highlighting progress on the F-35 Lightning II program. This first video is a look back at the accomplishments made in 2011:

They were pitching the F-35 to potential customers at the Singapore Airshow in February:

They made the first flights of the F-35B with external stores, including external stores pylons, inert AIM-9X Sidewinder middles, and a centerline 25mm gun pod. And before you comment, yes, carrying external stores destroys stealth. The F-35, and F-22, can operate with internal stores only for ‘first day of the war’, all-up stealth. But once air defenses have been suppressed, or in uncontested environments, carrying stores externally allows the aircraft to carry more ordinance to accomplish more on a given mission. They’re also used for external tanks for ferry flights, etc.

And the Marines celebrated the arrival of the F-35B, and the USAF the first flight of the F-35A, at Eglin AFB in Florida:

The US Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command also released their own 2011 Year In Review video:

As well as one commemorating the first flight of an F-35C for the UK:

And, just because, here’s a bonus video of F-16s from the 149th Fighter Wing of the Texas Air National Guard out of Lackland AFB in San Antonio: