Even at the ripe old age of 20, the F-16 Falcon remains a fast and potent favorite among fighter pilots, and one of the best fighters in its class. Designed originally as a no-frills, single-engine "hot rod", the addition of improved radar and weaponry have made the Falcon a super, lightweight jet. Used mainly as a bomber, the Fighting Falcon can also turn-and-burn with unbridled fury when provoked. It is also one of the first operational fly-by-wire aircraft; its flight controls being electronically operated and computer controlled. A 20mm cannon, Maverick missiles, and laser-guided bombs make the F-16 a potent multi-role fighter. However, it's light weight, speed and agility make it the choice of the US Air Force's Thunderbirds aerobatic team.

The F-16C (single seat) and F-16D (two seat) variants entered production in 1984. The first C/D version was the Block 25 with improved cockpit avionics and radar which added all-weather capability with beyond-visual-range (BVR) AIM-7 and AIM-120 air-air missiles. Block 30/32, 40/42, and 50/52 were later C/D versions. The F-16C/D had a unit cost of US$18.8 million (1998). Operational cost per flight hour has been estimated at $7,000 to $22,470 or $24,000, depending on calculation method.

Pictured here is a gorgeous 1:72 scale diecast replica of a USAF General Dynamics F-16C Viper fighter known as "The Wraith" and was attached to the 64th Aggressor Squadron, then deployed to Nellis AFB, Nevada, during 2020. Now in stock!

Dimensions:
Wingspan: 7-inches
Length: 8-inches

Release Date: May 2022

Historical Account: "Aggressive Response" - The 64th Aggressor Squadron (64 AGRS) is a United States Air Force unit. It is assigned to the 57th Adversary Tactics Group and stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

The 64th AGRS is assigned 24 F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft, painted in camouflage schemes identical to those observed on Russian-manufactured aircraft providing Air Combat Maneuvering training to USAF and other aviation forces in conjunction with Red Flag exercises. It operates in conjunction with the 65th Aggressor Squadron, which performs a similar task using F-15C Eagles.

The newest aggressor F-16 in the 57th Fighter Wing at Nellis AFB outside Las Vegas, Nevada, was unveiled on Tuesday, Oct. 29th, 2021, by the 57th Fighter Wing Commander and on the official Nellis AFB Facebook page.

The aircraft and its paint scheme are unique for a number of reasons. The final choice of the all-black with red adversary markings was selected from a voting process done on the Facebook page of USAF Brig. Gen. Robert G. Novotny, commander of the 57th Wing at Nellis. Brig. Gen. Novotny effectively leveraged social media to promote the voting between several different paint schemes and to build excitement about the project that included many USAF personnel at Nellis AFB.

The final paint scheme was named "Wraith" after a "ghost-like image of someone, especially one seen shortly before or after their death" according to yesterday's reveal video.

The aircraft painted in the new "Wraith" aggressor paint scheme was aircraft number 48, an F-16C Block 42. This F-16 was already in Air Force inventory, but is new to the 57th Wing's 57th Adversary Tactics Group (57th ATG). The 57th ATG contains the 64th Aggressor Squadron, to which the new "Wraith" F-16C Block 42 is attached.