F-16 EVERTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT GENERAL DYNAMICS F-16 FIGHTING FALCON PART ONE - HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT  On paper it was a classic mis-match the unparallel military prowess of the United States against ill-equipped guerrilla forces. In reality, the Vietnam war was a nightmare for US. All too often their massive superiority in both manpower and firepower was found wanting, ill-suited to taking on and beating the Viet-cong. Nowhere was this harsh reality better illustrated than in the relam of air-to-air combat in the skies above Vietnam. While the North Vietnamese were flying lightweight and agile Soviet designs like MIG-17 Fresco and MIG-21 Fishbed the US was countering with Republic F-105 Thunderchief and McDonnel Douglas F-4 Phantom II. Such aircraft were the result of bigger is better, but in practice no AA missiles and cannons could compensate for the fact that they were heavy and less manoeuverable than the adversaries. Yet it had not always been this way. The Korean War had seen the concept of lightweight fighter put into the practice. In order to cope with the threat posed by the small but potent MIG-15 Fagot,the USAF had sent its latest fighter F-86A Sabre into combat. The subsequent air superiority enjoyed was further guaranteed in the summer of 1951 wait the combat debut of the F-86E. The threat posed by the subsonic MIG-15s had been dealt with effectively but US realized that it was only a matter of time before transonic or even supersonic Soviet fighters emerged. North American was already looking to the future as the first of the F-86As were an unsolicited proposal to the USAF for a supersonic Sabre 45. In a matter of months the idea had been given the goahead and was designed the F-100. Rather appropriately it was named the Super Sabre, but the twice the weight of an F-86 loaded for take-off some USAF officials worried that it would be too complex and expensive for use as a basic day fighter. They ware right the F-100 successful as it was wound scrve primarily as a fighter-bomber. Seemingly more suited to the air combat role was the Lockheed F-104 Starighter a response to a 1092 USAF requirement for a lightweight supersonic day fighter. It was relativy small, highly manoeuvarable and very fast (mach 2+), but a high crach rate and limited operational flexibitity at a time when the concept of multi-role fighter was in vogue led to Air Force cuts in procedurement. Trough the F-104C did see brief service over Vietnam in the mid-60s it soon gave way to another, quite different type of fighter who will enter the service...... From this number of Outer Limits you can read about F-16 in parts like developing, combat capabilities, front line operations, about fighting falcon fliers and use of F-16. I have a materials for 30 or even more issues but I'll try to hurry as much as possible. In the next issue you can read about starting to use F-4, apearing of F-15 and competition between YF-16 and YF-17 and entering the F-16 in the service...  JERRY/PLS