Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

I have not seen similar markings on any IAF f-16s so thought I'd share with you guys.

The pictures are from Gettyimages.com and if there are copyright issues regarding them, I could take them out.

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Forum Veteran Joined: Nov 07, 2003 - 09:12 PM Posts: 901

hi griffinsrulz, the enlarged insignia was a temperory marking when IAF celebrated 50 years anniversary.

By the way, that was the late Col. <a href="f-16_pilots_num1225.html">Ilan Ramon</a>, who has perished, living Israelis' dream...

Hi griffinsrulz.

There are some different aspects in these photos. This is Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut that was killed in the Columbia disaster in Feb 2002. He flew in the Scorpion Squadron (in which the aircraft shown in the photos is from) in the few years before the space mission.

And now for the markings:
The colorful squadron insigina and the brown scorpion on the fin and the two triangles on the tail fairing are standart to all the squdron's aircrafts. The big IAF insigina on the fin was applied to mark the 50th independence day of Israel, in 1998.

DeepSpace wrote:

There are some different aspects in these photos. This is Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut that was killed in the Columbia disaster in Feb 2002. He flew in the Scorpion Squadron (in which the aircraft shown in the photos is from) in the few years before the space mission.

<a href="f-16_pilots_num1225.html">Ilan Ramon</a> was also one of 8 F-16 pilots who participated in the June 7, 1981 Israeli raid on Iraq's Osiris nuclear reactor.

Stefaan

hi griffinsrulz
here is one more uniqe tail painted on israeli f16c tail.
this aircraft belong to "the first fighting squadron".
in my opinion it is a beutiful design!
enjoy it.

It is indeed a beautiful fin!
Was there a special reason for that?

Forum Veteran Joined: Nov 07, 2003 - 09:12 PM Posts: 901

netz, that is absolutely GORGEOUS!! Cool! Can't say I have seen it before. Some masking and airbrush should do the work in 1/48. Thanks for posting the photo...

Exclamation

Thank you!

I guess this squadron was envy of the other F-16 squadrons so they asked Raanan Weis to design it for them. I guess all of the squadron aircraft will receive the same scheme in the near future. I sure hope they will. Very Happy

I really do too!

It seems like it's a trend for the F-16 squadrons to have a unique fin design (in matter of fact I think all of them have). In the near future the F-16I squadrons are going to have ones as well! Can't wait.

Thanx for the replies guys. It does seem like a new trend for the IAF, and not just limited to the Falcon fleet. I recently saw a picture of one F-15 that had an Eagle (how appropriate) painted in much the same fashion on its fins.

You're right, it mostly on Baz 2000 (locally upgraded F-15's) and on the F-15I's.

Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

Unique tail marking on IAF F-16