64AS/57FWW F-16A's

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by zaggy » 31 Mar 2019, 16:02

Greets all, first post on here; but having looked through the bulk of the site here (and the net in general), I thought the best next step was to to post.

I am looking for numbers and images of the 64AS/57FWW F-16A's that replaced the F-5E's, and were used until the first F-16C's were received by the unit. This is around the 1988-89 time period, I understand there were at least 10-12 jets, and the jets were Block 10 F-16A's (I am unsure if there were any F-16B's assigned and if there were definitely any Block 15's assigned).

The jets wore the standard F-16A three-grey scheme, colour ejection makings, WA tail codes, Yellow/Black tail bands, and 57FWW badges.

To date, I can only really confirm the following numbers:
F-16A-10 80-0540 - and marked as 64AS AMU 'Boss Bird', and photographed in 1989
F-16A-10 80-0534 - in the same photo from 1989 (see: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=380559462675348)

Probables include:
F-16A-10 80-0492
F-16A-10 80-0533

Beyond this, things get tricky. I have been given some numbers and images that appear to actually be from the FWS, as well as some mystery machines (such as F-16A-15 ADF 81-0772, which doesn't feel right (but could be) and F-16A-15 82-0017), but who knows...

Without looking to derail my own thread, WHY am I looking for this stuff?

Well I am one of those aviation history buffs that has an interest in Aggressor and Adversary units - in particular the less well known stuff; in the case of the F-16, that is the F-16A period of the 64AS, and things like the still-born 26AS F-16C's. I also share this stuff with other enthusiasts in the form of my many and varied FB posts in the Aggressor and Adversary group on FB (https://www.facebook.com/groups/Aggressor.Adversary/)...

For a full list of this sort of posts, have a look here --> https://www.facebook.com/groups/Aggress ... 882553542/ (I think we're close to 60 posts); and yes there are a number of F-16 related threads:

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 1. Nellis F-16C-25's
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 4498046853

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 2. Nellis F-16C-32's (up to FY86 jets)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 0024704967

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 3. Nellis F-16C-32's (up to FY87 jets)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 1794704790

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 4. Nellis F-16C-42's
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 6727961630

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 5. Nellis F-16D's (the Twin Tubs)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 5864701383

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 6. Eielson F-16C-30's
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 7151285921

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 7. USAFE F-16C-30's
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 5174607452

USAF F-16 Aggressors - Part 8. PACAF F-16C-30's
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 5183358117

USN F-16 Adversaries - Part 1 (revision 1). Ex-Pakistani F-16A/B-15's
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 3946471571

USN F-16 Adversaries - Part 2. F-16N-30's
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... 9047712398


Thanks in advance all :)



Dan


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by edpop » 02 Apr 2019, 03:30

Going through my book called "Tail Code" by Patrick Martin this is the info he gives about the 64AS/65AS etc and I quote.
"The 64th TFAS was redesignated to the 65 AS on 1/14/83. The application of the WA tail code started in the spring of 1987. The 65 AS F-16 conversion started with some NA tail coded F16A/B borrowed from the 474 TFW before declared operational on 7/4/89 with the F16C/D . The highlighted area may be another area to look for your aircraft.
PS: The 474th was the third USAF wing to receive Fighting Falcons. It received its first Block 1/5 F-16A/Bs in November 1980, later operated Block 10 F-16A/Bs.
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by zaggy » 02 Apr 2019, 06:03

Thanks edpop,

Nice to have that date, I did not know that it was 07APR89 (or is that an Americanised date, 7/4/89 = 04JUL89) - puts the one definitive picture (from APR89, with WA-codes) into more context. And yeah your post has given me a good idea... I might go through jets with NA-codes in late1988/early 1989, and see how many of them change to WA in 1989. Not definitive by any stretch, but might get me some more possibles, or increase the likelyhood of the possibles (and of course, vice versa - see if my 'possibles' appear as 474TFW jets in 88/89).

Cheers


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by edpop » 02 Apr 2019, 09:55

I went to the F-16 database here and started typing in some of the serials you mentioned and found that they had NA tail codes. So I did a random search of the serials between 0500 too 0540 and found some of them had NA tail codes and then were transferred to units using WA tail codes. Check serials ending in 0503,0499,0501,0539, 0538, 0540 etc
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by Boman » 02 Apr 2019, 14:20

The 474TFW deactivated in September 1989, so the jets the 57FWW received the same year are those transferred out of the 474th I believe. Usually jets depart a unit long before the formal deactivation date (Sept-89 for the 474th).

A bit strange that the 64AS were redesignated into 65AS in -83 as both units flew independantly after this date from what I have read? And of the 2, it has mostly been the 64AS that have been flying, sometimes refered to as 64TFTAS. Only exception would be the period both 64AS and 65AS were deactivated and the 414CTS had the ex-64AS jets post-iron curtain downfall.

Will check the Afterburner decals Red Flag Tigers sheet when I get home, as I think they have listed both units as flying F-5's in the late 80's?
Best regards
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by zaggy » 04 Apr 2019, 14:57

Boman - as far as I know they remained the 64AS (and I assumed the mention of 65AS above was a typo? ie --> https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=380559462675348)... And yeah, the 64AS and 65AS flew F-5E's into the late 1980's, with the 65AS being deactivated, and the 64AS converting to F-16's (Grey F-16A's, then 'Colourful' F-16C's).

edpop - cheers mate. I'll add the numbers I don't have into my probable list and see what comes up. The problem with the 'WA' tail code on Grey F-16A's is that most 57FWW units of the day looked the same. 422TES and 414CTS and 16WS (though often has a falcon head on the base of the tail) all flew the same WA-code, the same Black-Yellow chequered-band, the same 57FWW badges on both sides of the jet, etc.

But I like a challenge! :)


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by Boman » 04 Apr 2019, 17:04

Then I believe we agree :D

The Falcon head on the base of the tail was from what I understand only applied to those jets assigned directly to the 57FW(W). The other tail numbers you have referred to are all transfers into the unit hence have not received these (yet?)
Best regards
Niels



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