Description

309th FS Wild Ducks Homestead F-16C Block 40 Model, Lockheed Martin

Fly with the 309th FS Wild Ducks Homestead in this hand-crafted F-16C Block 40 Model. Each model is carved from wood and hand painted to provide a unique piece that will always be treasured.

• Length – 18 inches
• Made from Mahogany
• US Veteran-Owned Business
• Officially Licensed by Lockheed Martin
• The product is not intended to be used by children 12 years and younger.

LOCKHEED MARTIN, F-16 Fighting Falcon, associated emblems and logos, and body designs of vehicles are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Lockheed Martin Corporation in the USA and/or other jurisdictions, used under license by Squadron Nostalgia LLC.

In 1970, the squadron was reassigned back to the Tactical Air Command (TAC) at Homestead Air Force Base (AFB) as part of the re-establishment of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) upon its return from duty in Southeast Asia. It was equipped with McDonnell F-4E Phantom IIs. In July 1972, the squadron was deployed to Thailand and engaged North Vietnamese forces in northern South Vietnam in response to the communist spring offensive. It returned to the United States in late 1972. For the next 20 years, the squadron performed routine training and tactical deployments from Homestead AFB. At the end of 1986, the squadron and wing changed their tail codes from ZF to HS, which better matched the squadron’s location in Homestead. The squadron was upgraded to the General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon in 1988, and upgraded again to receive Shaw AFB block 25s in August 1990. However, the Gulf War build-up and the deployment of the 363rd TFW at Shaw Air Force Base to Saudi Arabia meant that no more block 25s were available. As a result, the 309th TFS continued to operate both the F-16A/B block 15 and block 25 types.

After the end of the Gulf War, it was decided to convert the 31st TFW to block 40 F-16s. Up until that point, about ten block 25s had reached the 309th FS. They were all sent to other units, as neither of the 31st TFW’s other sister squadrons flew the block 25. In March 1991, the 309th began conversion to the block 40 version of the F-16. On 1 October 1991, the word “Tactical” was dropped and the unit became the 309th Fighter Squadron. By early 1992, the conversion to block 40 F-16s with the general purpose role was complete.