F-16 MiG killer gets Desert Camouflage colours
The 56th Equipment Maintenance Squadron at Luke AFB (AZ), unveiled F-16D Fighting Falcon 90-0778/LF painted in a heritage colour scheme at the 310th Air Maintenance Unit hangar on 17 June 2022.
The paint scheme for this jet was accomplished by twelve Fabrication Flight Airmen assigned to corrosion control at Luke AFB, as a means of honouring North’s actions and Air Force heritage. The paint job required 1,500 man-hours and over thirteen gallons of paint.
The Viper is famous for being the first USAF F-16 to shoot down a MiG. Flown by Capt. Gary “Nordo” North with callsign Benji41, he was leading a four-ship formation during a routine sortie for Operation Southern Watch in Iraq, during the first Gulf War, on 27 December 1992.
While on that mission an armed Iraqi MiG-25 Foxbat flew south of the 33rd parallel, entering the NFZ (No Fly Zone) established by the United Nations Security Council Resolution 688, adopted on 5 April 1991.
Nordo called for a tactical offset to the north to “bracket” the F-16s between the MiG and the 32nd parallel, creating a blocking manoeuvre and trapping the Iraqi fighter in forbidden airspace. The MiG could not escape back into Iraqi territory without a fight.
North requested clearance to fire as he visually identified the aircraft as a MiG-25 Foxbat armed with AA-6 Acrid radar guided missiles. He directed his wingman to employ his electronic jamming pod and again he requested clearance to fire. He finally heard “BANDIT-BANDIT-BANDIT, CLEARED TO KILL” over his head set.
At approximately three miles, at fifteen degrees nose high and fifteen degrees right bank North locked up the MiG-25 and fired an AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Anti-Aircraft Missile), which guided to impact and totally destroyed the Russian built Foxbat.
Not only did this mean the first MiG kill by a USAF F-16, it was also the first deadly use of an AIM-120 AMRAAM Slammer.
At the time the F-16 was assigned to the 19th FS but on loan to the 33rd FS deployed to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, from Shaw AFB (SC). It currently is in service with the 310th FS at Luke AFB.
Credits: Aviation Geek Club, The Aviationist
Photo: Thomas "Taj" Backus