1 Jan 1979
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The USAF's 16th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron activates at Hill AFB, Utah in anticipation of receiving the F-16.
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23 Jan 1979
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USAF's 388th Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB, Utah, is the first unit anywhere to receive the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
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26 Jan 1979
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BAF accepts first F-16 produced by a European assembly line (#FB-01).
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3 May 1979
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First flight of the first Dutch built F-16 (#J-259) with Fokker test pilot Henk Temmen at the controls.
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7 May 1979
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Three F-16s complete four-month-long environmental and opertional test program in Europe.
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10 May 1979
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First Dutch-assembled F-16 completes maiden flight.
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11 May 1979
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Delivery of F-16A #78-0007, the first F-16 built on the assembly line. All previous F-16s (16 in total) were built by hand.
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5 Jun 1979
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The Royal Netherlands Air Force accepts its first F-16.
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9 Aug 1979
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First crash of an F-16. A Belgian air force pilot, part of the 16 TFTS (OT&E), flew a USAF aircraft (#78-0078) into the ground during final approach.
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Sep 1979
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Firing M61 A1 Vulcan gun temporarily forbidden for all 106 operational F-16s delivered to date, after it was discovered that vibrations from the firing gun resulted in uncommanded yaw movements.
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25 Sep 1979
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First production F-16B block 5 (#78-0099) is delivered to the USAF.
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9 Oct 1979
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First production F-16A block 5 (#78-0022) is delivered to the USAF.
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20 Dec 1979
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IDFAF accepts first F-16 from Peace Marbel I order, following an 11-hour, 6,000-mile ferry flight from Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire.
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