Lockheed F-16C Fighting Falcon of the New York Air National Guard. A unique
high-quality poster of a night photograph by Warren Liebman captures this elegant compact, multi-role fighter aircraft.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multirole fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself
in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system
for the United States and allied nations.
In an air combat role, the F-16's maneuverability and combat radius (distance it can fly to enter air combat, stay,
fight and return) exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions
and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air-to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500
miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return
to its starting point. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing
conditions.
In designing the F-16, advanced aerospace science and proven reliable systems from other aircraft such as the F-15
and F-111 were selected. These were combined to simplify the airplane and reduce its size, purchase price, maintenance
costs and weight. The light weight of the fuselage is achieved without reducing its strength. With a full load
of internal fuel, the F-16 can withstand up to nine G's -- nine times the force of gravity -- which exceeds the
capability of other current fighter aircraft.
The cockpit and its bubble canopy give the pilot unobstructed forward and upward vision, and greatly improved vision
over the side and to the rear. The seat-back angle was expanded from the usual 13 degrees to 30 degrees, increasing
pilot comfort and gravity force tolerance. The pilot has excellent flight control of the F-16 through its "fly-by-wire"
system. Electrical wires relay commands, replacing the usual cables and linkage controls. For easy and accurate
control of the aircraft during high G-force combat maneuvers, a side stick controller is used instead of the conventional
center-mounted stick. Hand pressure on the side stick controller sends electrical signals to actuators of flight
control surfaces such as ailerons and rudder.
Avionics systems include a highly accurate inertial navigation system in which a computer provides steering information
to the pilot. The plane has UHF and VHF radios plus an instrument landing system. It also has a warning system
and modular countermeasure pods to be used against airborne or surface electronic threats. The fuselage has space
for additional avionics systems.
Size: 18 x 24 inches
Artwork: full color photograph
Print Method: 4-color off-set lithography
Paper: 115lb hot-pressed off-set
Finish: varnish coat
Reference: SR0015 |