Lockheed F-16C Fighting Falcon – Passionate Patsy 310th FS, USAF, Luke AFB, Sqn 80th Anniv 2022

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA38013: Lockheed F-16C Fighting Falcon #90-0768 Passionate Patsy of 310th FS 56th FW, USAF, Luke AFB, AZ, Squadron 80th Anniversary 2022. Production run of 700 models.

Length 8.25 inches Wingspan 5.25 inches

Personnel from the 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron were given the task of giving F-16C 90-0768 a special paint scheme to be ready for January 13, 2022 at Luke AFB, Arizona. The occasion was the celebration of the 310th FS/56th FW 80th Anniversary. The paint scheme was meant to replicate that of the 310th Pursuit Squadron P-47 Thunderbolt 42-29091 “Passionate Patsy” during WWII. The 310th is a subordinate unit of the USAF’s Air Education and Training Command (AETC), both celebrating 80 years.

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 manouvres 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.