Lockheed F-16AM Fighting Falcon- 313 Sqn, RNLAF Solo Display, RAF Fairford, England, RIAT 2007

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA3893: Lockheed F-16AM Fighting Falcon #J-055 of 313 Sqn, RNLAF, RAF Fairford, England, RIAT 2007

Length 8.25 inches Wingspan 5.25 inches

The Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) is an annual event held at RAF Fairford. This show is considered by many as the greatest air show on earth with huge numbers of aircraft and thousands of aviation enthusiasts. On day one of the event over 110,000 people attended to see the 320 aircraft present. The RNLAF sent F-16AM J-055 ex FMS 86-0055 from the 313 Squadron to put on a display wearing the special scheme that had been applied for the 2005 and 2006 seasons. J055 joined the RNLAF in 1988.

Designed by General Dynamics as a lightweight, daytime USAF air-combat fighter, the F-16 was first flown on January 20th, 1974. This single-engine, supersonic aircraft has, over the years, evolved into a multirole aircraft. It has a frameless bubble canopy-giving its pilot superior visibility-and it uses advanced aerodynamics. The F-16 was one of the first designs to use a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire system, which helps it pull 9-g maneuvers and achieve speeds of more than Mach 2. Called “Viper” by its pilots, the F-16 is considered one of the most successful aircraft designs of the Cold War, with 4,400+ aircraft built since 1976.