Air Force
GalleryAir Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team unveils new paint scheme for aircraft’s 50th anniversary
Stars and Stripes
May 15, 2024
The F-16 Viper Demonstration Team aircraft sits on Rogers Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 9, 2024. The new paint scheme pays homage to the YF-16 prototype that first flew at Edwards AFB in 1974. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)
The U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team unveiled a 50th-anniversary paint scheme at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., that honors the original aircraft.
The red, white and blue paint scheme was the original style for the YF-16 prototype first flown in 1974, the Air Force said Wednesday in a news release. The team worked alongside the 412th Test Wing to complete the paint scheme in less than eight weeks.
U.S. Air Force Capt. Taylor “FEMA” Hiester, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team commander and pilot, performs a flyby at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2024. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)
“When I was hired to be the commander and pilot in the summer of last year, I had made it known that I hoped to find a way to get our airplane painted in the prototype scheme to take America back to the beginning of the story that started 50 years ago,” said Capt. Taylor “FEMA” Hiester, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team commander and pilot.
The YF-16 prototype first flew accidentally on Jan. 20, 1974, after a mechanical mishap during a high-speed taxi test. Phil Oestricher, the YF-16 test pilot, decided to take off and fly for six minutes to avoid crashing the jet. The official 90-minute maiden flight was conducted Feb. 2, 1974. The F-16 Viper Demonstration Team was combined from the Viper East and West teams in 2015.
Employing "fly-by-wire" technology, the prototype General Dynamics YF-16 completed its first flight over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Feb. 2, 1974. (U.S. Air Force)
The team decided to make slight changes to differentiate the new aircraft, including swapping out the term “General Dynamics” for “20th Fighter Wing” and adding “Viper Demo” to the tip of the vertical stabilizer.
In 2024, the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team will represent Air Combat Command and the Air Force at 25 shows in four countries, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
From left, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Carter Pals, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team (VDT) dedicated crew chief; Senior Airman Grayson Reams, F-16 VDT electrical and environmental specialist; Staff Sgt. Austin Denny, F-16 VDT avionics specialist; Tech. Sgt. Joshua Butcher, F-16 VDT non-commissioned officer in charge; and Senior Airman Elias Sanchez, F-16 VDT dedicated crew chief, perform maintenance troubleshooting at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2024. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Colton McMicken, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team dedicated crew chief, performs maintenance at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2024. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Elias Sanchez, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team dedicated crew chief, conducts pre-flight preparations at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2024. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Carter Pals, left, Senior Airman Elias Sanchez, center, and Capt. Taylor “FEMA” Hiester, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team commander and pilot, right, conduct pre-flight checks at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2024. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Elias Sanchez, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team dedicated crew chief, performs a show launch at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2024. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)
U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Carter Pals, F-16 Viper Demonstration Team dedicated crew chief, performs a show recovery at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2024. (Meghan Hutton/U.S. Air Force)