F16 tail testing and prototype of the mlu variant?

[aurelien wolff]

Hello, was this kind of tail tested on other prototype than just the XL and was the mlu upgrade tested on a prototype, if yes wich one and how different was it from the production aircraft?
I got the revell kit from the tiger meet gift set, he'll be in this livery

Thanks for your answer

 

[cvairwerks]

A little tough to see in that livery, but it appears to be a Block 40 drag chute tail. Norway and Turkey had drag chutes and I don't remember who else. Been away from the F-16 program for a lot of years now.

 

[Wurger]

The larger drag chute fairing ( drogue parachute housing ) was introduced orginally on Norwegian F-16s only. For USAAF beginning with the F-16A-GD-15 production block ( Block 15) as memo serves. Also many F-16s of earlier blocks were retro-fitted with it as well.
so it is quite hard to state that there was any additionall prototype.

 

[aurelien wolff]

ok, made me learn what "parachute" mean in english, would the first norwegian F16 count as a prototype?

 

[ThomasP]

A "drogue" or "drag" parachute, also called a "braking" parachute, is designed to help slow the aircraft after landing, thereby reducing the landing run.

see "Drogue parachute - Wikipedia"

photo by Des Brennan

 

[cvairwerks]

If I remember correctly, Norway was the launch customer for the drag chute due to their operational requirements in winter weather.

 

[Wurger]

Yep.. mostly because of the icing of the runways .

 

[cvairwerks]

RNoAF took delivery on their final F-16 a number of years before I joined the company. Had my hands on building or maintaining probably close to half the airframes that came out of Fort Worth over the time I was on the -16 program. Been hands on with probably 95% of the F-35's out there too. Lots of time playing with those two designs over my career.

 

[Wurger]

 

[GreenKnight121]

ok, made me learn what "parachute" mean in english, would the first norwegian F16 count as a prototype?

Probably not, as Lockheed would have tested it on one of the 8 developmental airframes they kept for just that purpose.

The concept was an old one, as it was developed in Russia in 1912, and installed on some USSR aircraft operating from icy runways in the Arctic in the 1930s.

The Arado AR-234 was the first jet aircraft to enter production equipped with them.

 

[aurelien wolff]

ok! I've decided to do my belgian F16 with a different ECM system but i'm not sure if there's any external difference between the one they choose and the one they rejected View topic - Internal ECM - F-16 Design & Construction