The big five-0 for the F-16

[chuckman]

Considering that F-18A/B/C/D are evolved from the Northrop YF-17 that lost the flyoff...


By Greg Goebel, Datumizer - http://www.airvectors.net, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/inde...curid=80695899

I don't know if you watched the vid, the guy flew both, and did a great job of pro/con of the two. Interestingly, another video with Nasty Manazier (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EL_2GwX5X00&t=1487s), a well-respected F-14/F-18 pilot, really likes the F-16, calling it "the best pure fighter".

Both videos claim the significant advantages are the thrust:weight and hi-G load, but Achilles heel is it can be beat at low speeds.

[Diamondback]

Wish we coulda seen a comparison tangle between a Viper and a Shooter Six.

[HackerF15E]

Wish we coulda seen a comparison tangle between a Viper and a Shooter Six.

What is a "Shooter Six"?

[Diamondback]

What is a "Shooter Six"?

F-106 Delta Dart with the "Six Shooter" mod that traded the Genie nuke for a Vulcan.

[HackerF15E]

F-106 Delta Dart with the "Six Shooter" mod that traded the Genie nuke for a Vulcan.

The 106, as all delta winged fighters, did not have a great sustained turn rate.

The F-16 was literally built to have superb E-M characteristics.

So, unless the Viper pilot was stupid and wanted to get into a single-circle fight, there's not much of a contest there.