Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

While browsing through the photo gallery, I was once again perplexed by the paint schemes of those "Eddie" Vipers. Can someone explain the origin or purpose of the orange 'n white?

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High visibility. Since Eddie's doesn't have a combat mission nor combat tactics work, there is no need for a camouflaged jet. I have heard that they recently went from "Coast Guard" to all white support jets.

Thanks Roscoe, that makes sense.

FYI: Orange is also the traditional color for flight test equipment, wiring, and components. Even a production aircraft may have orange wiring, ornage panels, and orange separation cameras installed during a temporary flight test project or program.
Most of the older orange and white F-16s at Edwards don't fly test missions, but provide safety and photo chase to other flight test aircraft.

Does anyone have the number of while 'n orange/white there are at Edwards?

Just to add on but slightly off-topic. Many bases have T-38s to provide extra flight time for the pilots without flying the actual aircraft that are low in numbers. Exampls would be the B-2, F-117, and U-2 units. In these cases, the support aircrfta are painted the same color as the local aircraft (i.e. black or dark gray). Reason...so the paint barns don't have to stock more paint colors.

I have on my wall a T-38 nose pitot boom that is back on gray rather than red on white...came from a F-117 support T-38 (when the heating element goes, the boom is thrown away...or given a new home Smile

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Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

412TW Paint Scheme