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Sheppard AFB has a bunch of GF-16Cs that are/were placed there way too early in their careers. They must have been involved in a mishap. Some we have identified the mishap, but the following GF-16s we have no idea what happened to them that made them ground instruction airframes. Here they are and the history we do know.

83-1124
Was with the 312th FS at Luke AFB, Arizona but then was noted as a GF-16C by July 1992, was probably sent to Sheppard AFB sometime in 1994.

83-1125
Was with the 389th FS at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho but then was noted as a GF-16C by July 1993, was probably sent to Sheppard AFB sometime in 1994.

83-1127
Was with the 312th FS at Luke AFB, Arizona but then was noted as a GF-16C by April 1992 at Lowry and then sent to Sheppard AFB around July 1994.

83-1143
Was with the 416th TS at Edwards AFB, California but then was noted as a GF-16C by July 1994. Probably at Lowry before being sent to Sheppard AFB.

87-0295
Was with the 57th FWW at Nellis AFB, Nevada but then was noted as a GF-16C by December 1992 at Lowry and then sent to Sheppard AFB around July 1994.

All these above mishaps happened prior to 1994. A specific date and small account of the mishap would be terrific. Purpose of the information is to update our serial database regarding these aircraft.

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Elite 2K Joined: Jan 14, 2004 Posts: 2612 Status: Offline

81-678 is a fmr. Thunderbird. Served 12 years with the team, and was then retired to Sheppard when they converted to Cs/Ds.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_fighting_falcon_airframe-1019.html

Elite 1K Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 1557 Status: Offline

Hi Jon,

I seen that post at the top, as well??!!

I believe that all those GF-16s have had some accidents/mishaps and then became GFs - just like 87-0251 that belly landed at Osan in Dec. 1989 just a bit more than a year after it was rolled off the prod. line.

Greetings,

Henrik.

For the life of me I cannot remember the reasoning behind the two 312th aircraft from Luke that became maintenance trainers at Sheppard. But neither had been involved in any accident or mishap. In fact, I don't believe they were at Luke all that long before moving on to tech school. It's about the same time we lost a couple of aircraft to Edwards. They left with the white/orange paint scheme of special chase aircraft. Face it, we had a lotta F-16s running 'round at that time.

Madewooden wrote:

For the life of me I cannot remember the reasoning behind the two 312th aircraft from Luke that became maintenance trainers at Sheppard. But neither had been involved in any accident or mishap. In fact, I don't believe they were at Luke all that long before moving on to tech school. It's about the same time we lost a couple of aircraft to Edwards. They left with the white/orange paint scheme of special chase aircraft. Face it, we had a lotta F-16s running 'round at that time.

It seems very strange that at the time such relatively new and airworthy aircraft would be sent as instructional airframes. Especially the block 30s. But I know you are addressing only the block 25s.

Madewooden, is it possible that those aircraft went to another unit and then had a mishap. Our database still has a few holes. Or do you know these aircraft went straight from the 312th to instructional airframes?

Thank you,
Jon

I imagine they are GFs because they are among the very first Block 25s built. Block 25 #1 was 83-1118 (5C-1), -1124 is 5C-7, -1125 is 5C-8, -1127 is 5C-10.

Many of the first Block 25s went to Edwards as part of CFT and may have been modded/tested beyond repairable limits. I say may because I don't know that for sure. I do know -1118, -1119, -1120, -1123 and -1124 were delivered directly from GD to Edwards. -1125 & -1127 were delivered to Luke.

As mentioned -1143 was also an Edwards test bird.

Good point habu2 and if so, that would narrow it down to one F-16 that may have had a mishap and retired early. Even an over stressed airframe from a hard landing.

87-0295

Newbie Joined: Feb 24, 2006 Posts: 4 Status: Offline

Could it be that 87-295 was hit by a missile in Desert Storm. I don't know the exact story but when I was at Hill in 1992 or 1993 they had a 295 there that had been hit over there and had to be brought back for repair. I was there for 2 weeks training. Seems like it had been hit just forward of the cockpit. It did not crash if I remember correctly but could not be flown again. It was shipped home. I never knew if they were able to repair it or not. I may not have the correct aircraft at all and anyone can correct me if I'm wrong.

Gene

Jon wrote:

It seems very strange that at the time such relatively new and airworthy aircraft would be sent as instructional airframes. Especially the block 30s.

There are some important differences in engine inspections for the GE Block 30 when compared to the PW Block 25 or 32. Maybe they just pulled a few to cover these differences during training since the fleet was being filled with 2x GE to PW Vipers?

Shrug

Just a thought...

Elite 1K Joined: Jul 12, 2005 Posts: 1557 Status: Offline

Minuteman wrote:

Could it be that 87-295 was hit by a missile in Desert Storm. I don't know the exact story but when I was at Hill in 1992 or 1993 they had a 295 there that had been hit over there and had to be brought back for repair. I was there for 2 weeks training. Seems like it had been hit just forward of the cockpit. It did not crash if I remember correctly but could not be flown again. It was shipped home. I never knew if they were able to repair it or not. I may not have the correct aircraft at all and anyone can correct me if I'm wrong.

Gene

Gene,

Aircraft 87-0295 never participated in "Desert Storm" nor did it serve any Hill-based units ever!! I believe You have a mix-up with another airframe Very Happy

It could very well be this one You are thinking of!!

http://www.f-16.net/f-16_fighting_falco ... -2725.html

Greetings,

Henrik.

Enthusiast Joined: Apr 11, 2007 Posts: 25 Status: Offline

Hi all
Just to help out minuteman a little bit the Hill jet that was hit by the surface to air missle was actually 495 and yes it was shipped back and then rebuild by the depot there, and unless something else has happened to it is still flying now!! I'm not sure which part of depot rebuilt it CLSS or civilians though.

Newbie Joined: Feb 24, 2006 Posts: 4 Status: Offline

f16nomore wrote:

Hi all
Just to help out minuteman a little bit the Hill jet that was hit by the surface to air missle was actually 495 and yes it was shipped back and then rebuild by the depot there, and unless something else has happened to it is still flying now!! I
f16nomore

You are correct. I was thinking the tail number was 295 but I'm sure you are correct and it was 495. Sorry for my mistake. I never was very good with numbers.

Gene

Newbie Joined: Jan 24, 2007 Posts: 7 Status: Offline

Hey guys,
We still have 83-1123 & 83-1163 in service here at Eglin. They have more orange wire in them than you can shake a stick at. We just went 83-1169 up range to be used as a target. It was too worn out. The other two are too worn out too but until we can get another jet with all the modifications done to them we can't get rid of them. Right now they are the 46TW and 46OG flagships.

When I went thru crew chief school at Sheppard in 1987,there were two F-16C's used as maintenance trainers,'124 and '127 *may* have been the two.I remember in the aircraft forms that they had less than 300 hours on the airframes,never noted why they would be GF's though.Both jets still had the new jet smell in the cockpit!

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All current GF-16Cs must have been involved in a mishap