Lockheed F-16C Fighting Falcon

USAF 185th FW IA ANG, no. 85-1565 Golden Bat, Sioux City ANGB, IA, Sqn 50 years,1996

Hobby Master 1:72  HA38069

In 1996, the Iowa Air National Guard's 185th Fighter Wing at Sioux City celebrated its 50th anniversary with a distinctive "Golden Bat" F-16C Viper heritage scheme. The aircraft, painted in gloss black with striking gold trim and a bat insignia on the tail, honored the unit's World War II identity as the "Batmen." At the time, the wing had recently transitioned from the A-7D Corsair II to the F-16C, marking a leap in capability with advanced avionics, radar, and supersonic performance. The Golden Bat jet quickly became a crowd favorite at airshows, symbolizing the 185th's proud history, modern combat readiness, and Iowa ANG heritage.

Lockheed F-16C Fighting Falcon

Designed by General Dynamics as a lightweight, daytime USAF air-combat fighter, the F-16 was first flown on January 20th, 1974. This single-engine, supersonic aircraft has, over the years, evolved into a multirole aircraft. It has a frameless bubble canopy-giving its pilot superior visibility-and it uses advanced aerodynamics. The F-16 was one of the first designs to use a relaxed static stability/fly-by-wire system, which helps it pull 9-g maneuvers and achieve speeds of more than Mach 2. Called "Viper" by its pilots, the F-16 is considered one of the most successful aircraft designs of the Cold War, with 4,400+ aircraft built since 1976.

Hobby Master "1:72 Air Power Series" diecast airplanes feature:

• Molded metal construction with plastic components.
• Realistic panel lines, antennas, access panels and surface details.
• Inscriptions and posters printed with a stamp that do not fade or fall off like decals.
• opening of awnings, revealing detailed within the cockpit.
• Extended / retracted interchangeable landing gear.
• Display stand to display the aircraft "in flight".
• Authentic detachable artillery cargoes complete with placards.