General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon Air Force Thunderbirds The F-16 on display (S/N 81-0663) was one of the first F-16s to be received by the Thunderbirds in 1982 when they transitioned from T-38s to F-16s. The Thunderbirds continued to fly this aircraft until 1992 when they converted to F-16Cs. It was then modified to operational condition and assigned to the Air Education and Training Command to train pilots at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. In 1996 the Thunderbirds repainted it in Thunderbird