Hi everybody,

After some considerable thought on the matter we've reached the next stage on making the F-16 as standardized and as straight forward as possible. A while ago the site went with General Dynamics for A through D models and Lockheed-Martin for later. Which, while not being strictly accurate (C/D models are still being produced for export) seemed the best compromise between accuracy and adopting a system which was easy to use.

The next stage was to look at the list of variants and rationalize that as far as possible, while still keeping the database accurate. This is what we've come up with;

General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon
General Dynamics F-16ADF Fighting Falcon
General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon
General Dynamics F-16B Fighting Falcon
General Dynamics F-16BM Fighting Falcon
General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon
General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon
Lockheed Martin F-16E Fighting Falcon
Lockheed Martin F-16F Fighting Falcon

As you can see, there's a lot less! I'll briefly run through a couple of points and some of the changes.

The C/D model now covers all the former sub-variants, CG/DG and CJ/DJ. This looks like the most consistent and accurate format we could adopt. Looking through the database I found many pics in these sections had been filed in error, assuming the most logical definition of the differences between the variations. Given that the above variants are not official - despite common usage - and the differences between them are quite blurred nowadays, espically in US service, they have been done away with. Even some of the later deliveries, including for example, the Polish and recent Israeli deliveries that have local designations still come under the C/D variant. This hasn't been done lightly, and if and when some of the other obscure or even possible future variants are uploaded they will be added on a case by case basis, with the aim to keeping the database as consistent as is possible.

This should also make the selection at the uploading stage a lot more straightforward as well. I haven't altered the database yet as I wanted to post beforehand but in the next few days will edit entries inline with the above. It will probably take a few days!

Any queries, by all means shout.

Gary

Hi Fiddler,

That F-16 site you mention is very good and I have been using it for some research in the last few days. Cataloguing the F-16 variants on the site by block number was something I did think about and was one of several possible options. As you say, it is quite possible from that site, as well as other reference sources to find out what block number any specific airframe is. It's certainly ok for further information, like the block number to be added in the remarks box if known but we do think that to sort and catalogue by block number would not be practical, at the moment I'm editing about half the F-16 pic coming in for basic variant. Thanks for the info about the German CH-53s though and I'll take a look at them and add the CH-53GS model shortly.

Gary

Hi Dirk,

I was a little lacking in my post above - apologises. The YF-16, F-16XL, and F-16N are all on the drop down menus. I didn't edit or alter them and left them as they were, I should have put them on the list above as well as the entries I've altered. The lack of the TF-16N I'll certainly rectify, as soon as Ray has finished with the site and things are back to normal. The F-16B ADF was missing originally and I had planned on leaving that alone, as I was under the impression that the B model did not undergo a ADF upgrade, but I've since read otherwise so will add that as well, although it does not have the distinctive 'bulges' at the base of the fin that the A model ADF has. The GD/LM swapover is a hard one to call and manage on the site given that a date of construction is the only difference between GD and LM F-16C/Ds. Granted, on USAF aircraft it would be relatively straight forward to do this given the FY numbers being visible but overseas aircraft would get rather difficult. I think we have gone for the best compromise possible.

Gary