Hobby Master HA3896 | Lockheed F-16/101, 75-0745, USAF, 19th December 1980

The F-16 Fighting Falcon was produced by General Dynamics who became Lockheed who then merged with Martin Marietta to become Lockheed Martin. The F-16 entered service in January sustaining 9-g turns. The F-16 is relatively inexpensive to purchase and maintain so the U.S. and 25 other countries added it to their inventory. The Fighting Falcon is referred to by its pilots as the “Viper” and will remain in USAF service until 2025.

General Electric F-101 turbofan engines were developed for the Rockwell B-1A Lancer that was cancelled in 1977. GE re-engineered the engines for fighter aircraft under the Derivative Fighter Engine (DFE) program. The new F-101X DFE engine was fitted to the first full-scale development (FSD) F-16A (75-0745) which was known as F-16/101. This aircraft made 58 test flights during 75 hours flight time before the project was cancelled in 1981. The F101X DFE engine was not used in F-16s but was used to develop the GE F-110 engine first used in Block 30 aircraft.

Specifications
Engine - 1 X General Electric F101X DFE turbofan, thrust 14,000 lb.s.t. dry / 28,000 lb.s.t. with
afterburning
Maximum speed - Mach 2.05 at 40,000 feet
Initial climb rate - 62,000 feet per minute
Service ceiling - 55,000 feet
Maximum range – 2,400 miles

Dimension
Length - 47 ft
Wingspan – 32 ft 9.5 in
Height – 16 ft 8.5 in

Weight
Empty – 16,000 lb
Maximum take-off – 37,000 lb