In 1996, Iowa Air National Guard’s 185th Fighter Wing celebrated 50 years by painting an F-16 gold.

Notice that the fake-news wingtip mounted Sidewinders are gloss black with gold fins.  According to 185th FW historians, the proposal to paint an F-16 gold was rejected at first, using the ridiculous excuse that painting a fighter gold would somehow render it non-combat ready!

Fast forward 26 years and there is a new/old gold F-16 in ‘Siouxland’.

From mid-May through June 2022, the Iowa Air National Guard painted another F-16 gold, in honor of the first gold F-16.

This time the F-16 is not a working fighter, it has just been pulling gate guard duty for the past 20 years, on Sioux City Air National Guard Base, and needed a refreshing.

Iowa Air National Guard video, by Senior Master Sergeant Vincent De Groot, reveal of new gold F-16 on 30JUN2022:

Between 2001 and 2003, Iowa’s 185th Fighter Wing transitioned an Air Refueling Wing, flying the KC-135:   BATS & BEARS, OH MY!

 

F-16 & F-15: 

SPECIAL LAS VEGAS SHOOTING EDITION