A South Dakota Air National Guard F-16 has received a heritage paint scheme in honor of the unit’s 75th anniversary.
A blue and white F-16 from the 114th Fighter Wing, painted at the Air National Guard Paint Facility in Sioux City, Iowa was painted for the South Dakota Air Guard in commemoration of their 75th anniversary. The paint scheme was conceptualized to emulate the WWII era Grumman F-4F Wildcat flown by South Dakota native and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss who was instrumental in founding the South Dakota Air National Guard. U.S. Air National Guard photo: Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot
A light blue and white color scheme was created to emulate the WWII-era Grumman F-4F Wildcat flown by South Dakota native and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss.
Joe Foss played an important role in establishing the South Dakota Air National Guard in 1946.
A coyote tail flash is painted on a blue and white F-16 from the 114th Fighter Wing. The heritage paint scheme was painted on the aircraft in commemoration of the unit’s 75th anniversary. The idea of the design is to emulate the WWII era Grumman F-4F Wildcat flown by South Dakota native and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss who was instrumental in founding the South Dakota Air National Guard. U.S. Air National Guard photo: Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot
On the tail flash is the patch that was used by the 114th Tactical Fighter Group between 1970 and 1991. A red tail stripe features “175th Fighter Squadron” and “114th Fighter Group.” Three red tail stripes replicate the markings on one of the first aircraft flown by the South Dakota Air National Guard, the F-51.
The number 53 painted on the bottom of a blue and white F-16 from the 114th Fighter Wing of the South Dakota Air Guard is the tail number that was on the WWII era F-4F Wildcat flown by Joe Foss. The aircraft was painted at the Air National Guard Paint Facility in Sioux City, Iowa in commemoration of the 114th FW 75th anniversary. The paint scheme was conceptualized to emulate the WWII era Grumman F-4F Wildcat flown by South Dakota native and Medal of Honor recipient Joe Foss who was instrumental in founding the South Dakota Air National Guard. U.S. Air National Guard photo: Senior Master Sgt. Vincent De Groot
The stars under the left and right wings include all of the 114th Fighter Wing’s members’ last names.
The number 53 on the ventral fins represents the original tail number of Joe Foss.
South Dakota’s state flag is represented by the blue paint scheme.
