F-16. Viper - Shots from 2010 Geneseo Air Show

[Bob Hubbard]

Shot today at the Geneseo Air Show. Got alot of great shots, but wanted to get 1 up for now.

Camera: Canon XSI
Lens: Canon 100mm-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
ISO: 200
Shutter: 1/1000
Focal Length: 400mm
F-Stop: f/7.1

 

[Sukerkin]

Nice shot!

Technical nerdy question - when I was studying military hardware with more diligence than I do now, the F-16 was the Fighting Falcon. When did the designation change to Viper?

 

[MA-Caver]

Nice shot!

Technical nerdy question - when I was studying military hardware with more diligence than I do now, the F-16 was the Fighting Falcon. When did the designation change to Viper?

Yeah, that's what puzzled me too. I thought Viper was given to the YF-22 or another fighter/bomber.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

"Although the F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", it is known to its pilots as the "Viper", due to it resembling a viper snake and after the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Couple more. Canadian Harvard Team.

 

[MA-Caver]

"Although the F-16's official name is "Fighting Falcon", it is known to its pilots as the "Viper", due to it resembling a viper snake and after the Battlestar Galactica Colonial Viper starfighter."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon

Uhh... dunno what those pilots are smoking but... I can't see the resemblance at all between those two crafts (Viper and Falcon). :idunno:

 

[jks9199]

Uhh... dunno what those pilots are smoking but... I can't see the resemblance at all between those two crafts (Viper and Falcon). :idunno:

Glad I'm not the only one... Doesn't seem to resemble any version of the Colonial Viper I can think of.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

More on the name:
http://www.f-16.net/articles_article10.html

Viper: the unofficial nickname

The F-16 is often referred to as the "Viper", a nickname especially popular with people involved with the F-16. Before "Fighting Falcon" was selected as official name, pilots at Hill AFB, the first F-16 base, came up with a number of proposals, including "Viper". Lt. Col. Pat "Gums" McAdoo, USAF Ret., one of the first F-16 pilots at Hill AFB, recalls the origin of the name "F-16 Viper":

At end of runway, the F-16 did resemble a cobra or something as it approached you. However, I think Northrop had already taken that name for the YF-17.
We all voted, and Viper came in really high. Seems there was a series on TV that had 'colonial Vipers' flying off of Battlestar Galactica (a term later used for the Eagle).
In any case, the Generals didn't want a plane 'named after some snake'!
Falcon was a good name, and it fit in with the motif that the Eagle had created. Sort of a little brother, but still a 'Bird of Prey'. In fact, GD had a great promo out in late 70's called "Bird of Prey", and it used the Falcon as the real world model.
​

Even when F-16 Fighting Falcon became the official name, Viper stuck around and became the unofficial nickname for the F-16. The name "Viper" is even officially used for the Joe Bill Dreyden "Semper Viper" award, which is awarded for excellent airmanship by F-16 pilots.

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Some nose art.

 

[MA-Caver]

Thanks for more clarification on the name... I still think those guys had something special in their pipes when they were observing the bird. :idunno: either way the F-16 is a very lethal machine, small compact (for a fighter) and just packs a heck of a wallop.

Nose art was cool... always enjoyed it. Some of the plane/ground crews were actually talented artists.