Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

Hey everyone!

Just spotted a photo of 88-0405 in agressor colours from Lou Drendel`s
F-16 Viper book, and when checking wich unit it served with I saw to my amazement that it belonged to the 26th agressor Squadron, 3 TFW PACAF.

I knew the 26th AS operated F-5E`s in the agressor role within the 3rd TFW PACAF, but never thought they got around to transition to the Viper?

A search in the database revealed only 5 aircraft to have been with the 26th AS;
88-0402
88-0403 (W/O Aug. 11th 1999)
88-0404 (Stored, pending repair after running of runway while with the 93FS)
88-0405
88-0406

From the timeline they apparently where with the 26AS for just 1 year before the 26th AS was decommisioned and the aircraft transfered to other units within PACAF

It would make an killer model with PN-tailcodes and markings Twisted Evil

Anyone has any photos or know where to find some of the Vipers in this unit - and in 26AS colours and markings ofcourse ??

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Hello Boman,

Very interesting subject You have started here!! I have been searching myself for these "Big Inlet" Agressors - -very rare and very hard to come by!! I talked to Mr. Joe Cupido a couple of years back, as he had been able to shoot some air-to-air pics of these ladies while operated by the 8 (T)FW - 35 (T)FS, but STILL in these agressor colours!!

I can add 88-0410 to Your list. It carried a three-tone brown/sand camo scheme. Allthough currently unknown to me, one of these also had a several-blue-tone scheme. I really doubt, however, that they got to carry the "PN" tail code. I have only seen them with their black serials - even when operated in agressor colours with the 8 (T)FW.

Many greetings,

Henrik.

I was in the 26th when it was getting the brand new F-16's tail numbers 402 to 410. We were going to be stationed out of Kadena. I got there in July of 1989 and spent the next 6 months getting ready to open the 26th there at Kadena. Since the planes were already coming in, Pacaf decided to send the jets to Kunsan till we were ready to go pick them up. We were ready to go pick up our first 2 jets in Nov. but were told to hold up and wait. On Christmas day we were told that the 26th will deactivate. We never got the planes they passed thru Kadena on their way to Kunsan.

Excellent news guys Very Happy

Does any of you have the photos, either when with the 26th AS or with the 8FW ?

A Viper in agressor dressing with full Wolf Pack colours and markings would be a killer too Devil

Hello TJStoney,

MANY, MANY thanks for Your great and informative post!! Your story was new to me, as well and as Boman says - do You have any pics????

Boman, I saw that Mr. Joe Cupido at the time I corrosponded with him had some of these Vipers on slides - air-to-air and it could very well be the/THE transfer flight from Kadena to Kunsan, as they carried center line tanks as well as travel pods. I tried to order these slides at the time, but they were allready gone.

But we will soon be getting a "revival" of the PACAF agressors, as an F-16 agressor unit (most likely with Block-30s) soon will be standing up at Eielson AFB, Alaska - I belive these ladies will get agressor colours, as well.

Greetings,

Henrik.

Hoy Boman,

Funny to see that not many F16-members have known about the 3TFW - 26AS agressor F-16's.

For your info, as already stated by "TJStoney", 88-0402 upto 88-0410 were foreseen for the PACAF unit.
So far I know they were all painted in 2 tones brown and 1 tone green. NO tailcode "PN" or even "WP" was ever painted on the planes.
Further to my info this F16's should be based at Clark AB, Philippinnes (TJStoney is tellling Kadena)?

I have 3 pictures available from them, if I can get permission from the 3 different photographers then I will post them on F-16.NET.

Greetings,
DIRK

! More F16's to see on my photo-site: http://viper16.fotopic.net

Hello Dirk,

Thanks for Your info and GREAT web-link!! Allthough I can not confirm with a picture, I am pretty sure that at least one of these agressors did in fact carry a bluish-camo scheme. Hope to fine out more soon.

Greetings,

Henrik.

Hello Henrik

You are right about the bluish/gray camo we were supposed to have 3 painted that way and the rest green and tan. I'm still looking for the pics I took of our jets as they passed thru Kadena. But I do have a news paper clip that has a pic of one of our jets in Hawaii.

Hello TJStoney,

Many thanks for Your post!! What a shame that these Vipers never got to operate at Kadena as agressors!! Do You have any personal photos of these beauties?? Shocked

Many greetings,

Henrik.

Excellent news from you all - many thanks Very Happy

Never thought I would get such positive response!!

Does any of you know wich unit will be flying as Agressors from Alaska ? Never heard that one before today?

As for the 26AS Vipers beeing at Kadena before moving to Kunsan probably has to do with large enough space + close enough to Korea to make diversion less complicated when and if decided on - and as came to be. No use sending them to the Philippines and then back north to Kunsan if you can divert them straight from Kadena to Kunsan. Just me guessing Question

Last edited by Henrik on Nov 19, 2006 - 07:12 PM; edited 1 time in total

Hello Boman,

You are welcome!! At the moment I do not have any additional info on the up-comming agressor squadron forming in Alaska. It will be the 18th FS re-names as the 18th AGRS and is formed also due to the exercise change from "Cope Thunder" to "Red Flag - Alaska".

A lot more effort will be put in these exercises in the future. At some point I read that some/all of the "Small Inlet" Block-30s from the 113 FW / 181 FS "TH", Indiana ANG, would be the F-16s in question, but now these are planned to go to the New Jersey ANG in Atlantic City, replacing their Block-25s - plans change all the time.

Many greetings,

Henrik.

No prob, Henrik - just glad to find info on this unit at all Very Happy

Hope TJStoney and Falcon16 can upload the photos they`ve mentioned

88-0406 and 88-0407

Last edited by Henrik on Nov 19, 2006 - 07:14 PM; edited 1 time in total

Hello LawnDart!!!!

That is SO cool!! Many thanks. Wow, 88-0407 in this grey/blue scheme is an absolutely first for me. Is it from Hickham AFB, HI??

Many greetings,

Henrik.

Lawn Dart thanks for posting the pics I was about to do the same... the flight line photos were taken by me when some Kunsan pilots were doing a cross country flight. There was one aggressor bird that I missed taking a picture of and that was the Lizard Green F-16 that also ended up at Kunsan.

Forum: F-16 Spotting & Photography

26th Aggressor Squadron - Photos anyone?