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You must've been dreaming Andrew as the Belgians have only ever worn the standard Hill Grey scheme with the exception of the Specials. The only early F-16's to wear anything different were the Venezuela ones.

Unless maybe you saw a pre delivery illustration based on the Mirage 5 scheme?

Edited by scotthldr
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Apart from the standard Viper scheme, did Belgian F-16's ever wear a camo pattern in their early years? Could have sworn I've seen pics of them with a green & brown scheme somewhere, but Google has come up with zero for me? Am I right or was I dreaming?

The USAF experimented with some camo schemes during the 1970's, but never went fleet-wide with them. Venezuela is the only nation with a scheme close to what you are describing.

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Andrew,

You have not been daydreaming.

Although Belgian Vipers were delivered in and have always flown in the Hill Grey (Egypt I (???)) scheme, paintings depicting Belgian Vipers in a Vietnam scheme have been published.

The one picture I remember was on the cover of Air International but don't ask me which issue.

It must have been published between 1975 and (probably) 1979.

The scheme seems to me to be "greener" than the Venezuelan scheme and use other, darker colors, but this is a personal opinion.

Patrick

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Andrew,

You have not been daydreaming.

Although Belgian Vipers were delivered in and have always flown in the Hill Grey (Egypt I (???)) scheme, paintings depicting Belgian Vipers in a Vietnam scheme have been published.

The one picture I remember was on the cover of Air International but don't ask me which issue.

It must have been published between 1975 and (probably) 1979.

The scheme seems to me to be "greener" than the Venezuelan scheme and use other, darker colors, but this is a personal opinion.

Patrick

This one ? :)

usmFKLi.jpg

Edited by Razor87
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the Belgians have only ever worn the standard Hill Grey scheme with the exception of the Specials

Not strictly true, the first one in a new 2-tone grey version showed up a while ago (similar to USAF machines I assume). It also has low viz grey stencils. http://www.airfighters.com/photo/133137/L/Belgium-Air-Force/General-Dynamics-F-16BM-Fighting-Falcon/FB-20/

Edited by Koen L
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Yes! I knew I wasn't dreaming! Thanks chaps. This scheme never went operation though right?

Nope. It was just a mid/late 70s artist's impression of what the future Belgian F-16s could look like. Too bad they never wore a similar scheme. Those grey Vipers are so boring... :sleeping:

Edited by Razor87
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It's not uncommon for artists to use existing camouflage patterns to depict what an aircraft might look like before it goes into service with a particular nation.

Those F-16s are simply wearing the camo that was on Belgian F-104s.

Artist impressions of Australian and Spanish Hornets were done up respectively in those nations' Mirage III and Mirage F.1 camo schemes.

The original artist impressions of the Saab Gripen were done in Viggen splinter camo.

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Hello,

I asked this question to an ex BAF F-16 crew chief who worked on them at Beauvechain AB in the early 80s. He confirms there was no other standard camouflage than the grey one. Only difference is that early F-16s had a black radome but this changed around the same time the tail parachute housings were installed. In the early days some F-104s were still flying and they had the Vietnam camouflage scheme, which was the standard scheme for the BAF until then on most of their aircraft. So when the F-16 was ordered in the late 70s, it was very normal to depict a BAF F-16 in Vietnam camouflage.

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Hmmmm, an F-16 done in SEA style camo with BAF markings would make for a super whif scheme. Pity they only came in grey, which is such a boring finish hence why I'm sorting out the bits & pieces to do an Agressor schemed F-16.

Steve.

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As a kid I had the very first edition of the Esci 1/48 Viper and they had that scheme in the kit. Actually built mine as the Belgian option and always thought it looked kind of cool. Don´t have it anymore though - it fell to a well placed piece of fireworks…

Cheers,

Joerg

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Not Belgian but too fine to be ignored

abe.jpg?m=1371902025

One of the FSD aircraft, #75752, adorned with the European One camouflage scheme firing a 3.75 inch FFAR rocket. Note the aircraft is equiped with the P&W F-100PW-220 engine. [uSAF photo]

posted here under fair use of images for illustrative purposes only.

SouthViper

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  • 1 month later...

Maybe interesting to know. Revell issued (long time ago) a Dutch F-16 in scale 1/72 with a green/grey camouflage scheme, although Dutch F-16's only flew in the so well known grey scheme.

Sietse

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  • 2 weeks later...

Maybe interesting to know. Revell issued (long time ago) a Dutch F-16 in scale 1/72 with a green/grey camouflage scheme, although Dutch F-16's only flew in the so well known grey scheme.

Sietse

Hi Sietse,

Do you have any pic of that Dutch green/grey camo scheme?

It would be very interesting to see...

TIA

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