Fighter Jet News

F-16 Timeline

F-16 Events from 1976





16 Mar 1976 Maiden flight of F-16/CCV, with David J. Thigpen at the controls.
6 May 1976 Start of mating the fuselage.
22 Jul 1976 First European co-production contract is signed.
20 Oct 1976 Rollout of F-16A FSD no. 1 (#75-0745), the first full-scale development aircraft, at Fort Worth.
27 Oct 1976 Iran orders 160 F-16s and takes an option on 140 more (Peace Zebra). The order was cancelled in 1979 with the fall of the Shah.
8 Dec 1976 Maiden flight of the first FSD F-16A (#75-0745).