Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

I can't believe I haven't seen a single thing on the 144th FW Falcons here... they're quite interesting, but they are DEFINITELY 16s - I've even been *almost* in one!

For some odd reason, their website - www.fresno.ang.af.mil - has been down for over a month now but they keep advertising it on the front electronic "banner" at the base itself (it's a small place).

But here's what they put on the tails!

Isn't there some kind of standard they have to follow for that? Confused

Here's the little online info I could find: http://www.goang.com/officesite.aspx?office_id=56

Is there any place I (or we) could go to dig up information on these guys to put in here?

(edit: Well, that's not exactly what they look like - they don't put "144FW" on them anymore and they have more numbers, but the graphic is still there and the numbers are oddly placed (no 2-letter code either))

1st-post info: no, my name does not mean I play Falcon 4.0 - I don't even have it installed - I just love 16s, the name was too generic, I picked a number, and the name/number stuck. Smile

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Funny to see that one. A friend of mine works at a company that is making a 1:1 scale F-16 for display (and shopping them around...) He has a customer whose boss was in the 144th and they made an arrangement to make a 1:2 scale tail piece that looks very similar to the above. It has the entire lower section of the tail and is rather big. It is made out of fiberglass. His company is looking in to marketing them, but they are rather expensive. They are made with CAD/CAM methods and are extremely detailed...

Kevin
The Ejection Site

While not an official site there is a little info here:

http://www.sbas.ndirect.co.uk/html/profil03a.htm#3

and a nice color shot:

http://www.sbas.ndirect.co.uk/Images/profil03/144fw.jpg

GregD

My friend sent me a photo of a 40% tail. You can see it here:

<a href="http://www.ejectionsite.com/ebay/144thtail.jpg">144th FW tail</a>

Kevin

That's them, all right! Now, I'm rather curious to know more about these guys... according to one of my friends in the AF (I'm not, yet), they don't seem to be operating like any normal ANG or AF base either - he thought I was crazy when I told him that they fly over about 4 times a day. I'm dying to know more... what's so different about these guys?

Hi Falcon4,

Quote:

Is there any place I (or we) could go to dig up information on these guys to put in here?

Try these:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... /144fw.htm
http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/usa/usaf-ang.htm#Air
http://www.mcchordairmuseum.org/REV%20O ... 4%20FW.htm
http://www.militarymuseum.org/144FW.htm

Wink

Wow

That's a crapload! I didn't imagine there could be so much on something so local... it seems like we've got everything in this "quiet" city here, but in a scaled-down version.

It's a mixed blessing because I'm still dying to see an "official" marked F-16 - though every time I drive by the airport I always stroll down the back road to take a (sometimes) far-away look at them - sometimes they have one conveniently parked close enough to really make out the details - and I even got a pic of it (crappy old digital camera though, horrible res)!

It's so weird, though, to see something so... well, so futuristic just jump off the page into reality like that -- I mean, before I knew we had F-16s here in town, I had only seen them in pictures! Weird stuff, man...!

Anyway, the 144th thing. Is there something I can do - or someone else can do - to have some people there (*cough*pilots*cough*) come here and talk with us? Share "what's-up"? I wouldn't even know the first thing about that kind of thing... of the two or three entrances they have, I still can't figure out which one I can go in to tell them about their lack of a website! *heh*

The November issue of Combat Aircraft magazine has an article on the 144th, lots of color photos. This is a link to their (Combat Aircraft) site but there is no info on the article there:

http://www.ianallan.com/publishing/combatair/index.htm

I know this is an old post, but thought I could help.I am currently the DCC on a/c 83-1144 and have been a Crew Chief here since 93.The jet has had a few different tails on it along with a/c 84-1391.Currently 144 has a few different decals on it.I f anyone wants or needs info on the schemes or wing itself, I will be glad to help. If you want pics I will take current ones and send them.

I would love to see some current pic's of the 144th fw jets. I'm a mechanic on F-18's stationed in Lemoore. Every once and a while a 144th jet will get in the pattern out here.

Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

How about these 144th FW tail markings ?