Description

After the prototyping phase, the F-16 was put in service as the A/B Block 1 Variants. Blocks are small variations in a design that aren’t significant enough to get a full version change. The defining feature of the Block 1 planes are their black radomes, which made them easier to identify from afar.

The Airframe

78-0001 was the first F-16 of any kind put into active service. It first served at Hill Air Force Base’s 388th Tactical Fighter Wing, later being transferred to several other bases, including Edwards AFB and Luke AFB. It suffered a mishap on landing when its nose gear wouldn’t come down. That gear was later repaired, and the plane was put back in service. Today, it’s preserved in a pedestal at the Langley Memorial Park.

Equipment

• AIM-9 Sidewinder x2