January 20, 1974, marked a momentous occasion for the U.S. Air Force as Phil Oestricher, a General Dynamics test pilot, strapped into the cockpit of the F-16 prototype and prepared to take off. The first flight lasted mere moments and only made it a few feet off the ground.
Since then, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has improved by leaps and bounds to become the aircraft it is today. More than 4,500 jets have been built since their first production in 1978 and are based at more than 80 locations worldwide.