NASA F-16A Block 15 Hobby Master HA3855 Scale 1:72

Hobby Master Die Cast model, Air Power series F-16A Block 15 816 Dryden Flight Research Center NASA 2006. Hobby Master Item: HA3855 Scale: 1:72 True 1/72 scale. Professionally painted. Great attention to detail. All markings are Tampered (pad applied). The F-16 Fighting Falcon was produced by General Dynamics who became Lockheed who then merged with Martin Marietta to become Lockheed Martin. The F-16 entered service in January 1979 as a multi-role jet fighter that evolved into an all-weather multi-role aircraft capable of sustaining 9-g turns. The F-16 is relatively inexpensive to purchase and maintain so the U.S. and 25 other countries added it to their inventory. The Fighting Falcon is referred to by its pilots as the “Viper” and will remain in USAF service until 2025. NASA F-16A #816 was built for the USAF as 82-0976 c/n 61-569 and delivered on October 27, 1983. This aircraft was loaned to NASA in the late 1980’s and registered as N816NA and used at their Dryden Flight Research Center as a chase plane during the testing of the F-16XL. When that testing ended N816NA was used as a test vehicle in their Advanced Fighter Technology Integration program (AFTI) at DFRC. N816NA has since been retired and is on display in front of the Lockheed Skunk Works in Palmdale, California. N816NA has the distinction of being the only civilian registered F-16 in the world.