--- title: "Texan F-16 Viper Appears In Vietnam-Era Green And Tan Camouflage" description: "The fighter jet, part of the 149th Fighter Wing, joins a growing band of Air Force aircraft in the Southeast Asia scheme." date: "2021-06-10" modified: "2021-06-10" authors: - name: "Thomas Newdick" job_title: "Staff Writer" link: "https://www.twz.com/authors/thomas-newdick" url: "https://www.twz.com/41032/texan-f-16-viper-appears-in-vietnam-era-green-and-tan-camouflage" categories: - "Air" - "Air Forces" - "Americas" - "Around The Globe" - "F-16" - "Fighters" - "History" - "News & Features" - "U.S. Air Force" - "U.S. Homeland" - "Vietnam War" tags: - "149th Fighter Wing" - "camouflage" - "F-16 Viper" - "F-16C" - "heritage jet" - "Southeast Asia" - "Texas" - "Vietnam" --- # Texan F-16 Viper Appears In Vietnam-Era Green And Tan Camouflage ![]() *www.twz.com* The latest in a long line of U.S. Air Force [heritage schemes]() is a special one, indeed, recalling the service’s combat during the Vietnam War, when hundreds of aircraft were adorned in these shades of green and tan. While the Southeast Asia camouflage scheme is a [well-known one](), this is very likely the first time an F-16 fighter jet has appeared in these colors. Photos were released by the Department of Defense today showing the specially prepared Block 30 F-16C serial number 86-0331 from the 149th Fighter Wing’s 182nd Fighter Squadron, Texas Air National Guard, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. The non-standard scheme has been applied to mark the 25th anniversary of the wing being redesignated from the 149th Fighter Group, an event officially marked [last October](). ![message-editor%2F1623359691871-210610-z-qb902-0002.jpg]() *Newly painted F-16C serial number 86-0331 in its shelter at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland., *149th Fighter Wing Public Affairs/Public Domain** While the Vietnam-era colors look striking on the F-16, the 149th Fighter Wing didn’t actually serve in the Southeast Asian campaign. That said, its combat record is impressive, having originally been stood up in 1943 to fight in the European Theater during World War II. After the war, the wing’s component 396th Fighter Squadron was inactivated and then reconstituted as the 182nd Fighter Squadron, assigned to the Texas Air National Guard. Flying the F-84E Thunderjet in Korea, the 182nd became the first Guard unit to shoot down a MiG-15 in that conflict. https://youtube.com/embed/7m22gXlnwf8 In 1960, the unit was reorganized as the 149th Fighter Group and it continued to fly a range of fighters — including [F-102A Delta Daggers](), F-100D Super Sabres, and F-4C Phantom IIs — until re-equipping with its current mount, the F-16, in 1986. Since 1999, the 149th has served as the Formal Training Unit (FTU) for Air National Guard F-16 pilots under Air Education and Training Command. ![message-editor%2F1623359983959-149thfwf-16cseanose.jpg]() **149th Fighter Wing Public Affairs/Public Domain** ![message-editor%2F1623360398217-149thfwf-16cseaschemetails.jpg]() **149th Fighter Wing Public Affairs/Public Domain** Another one of the 149th Fighter Wing’s specially painted F-16s was the subject of a recent innovation, when the wing unveiled a unique robotic system used to wash down its fighters keep them free of corrosion and extend their lifespan. You can read more about that proof of concept, and how it could also be rolled out to other Air Force units, in [this previous story](). The new-look Texan Viper is actually part of an expanding repertoire of Air Force equipment to appear in the SEA scheme. Most recently, an A-10C from the [Warthog Demo Team]() at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base emerged wearing the pattern, a story *The War Zone* covered [here](). Before that, a [T-38C jet trainer wore the scheme](), as did a [QF-4 demo jet]() prior to the [type’s retirement](). A UH-1N Twin Huey helicopter also [appeared with this pattern]() last year. ![message-editor%2F1623360820302-mcdonnell\_f-4c\_phantom\_ii\_usa\_-\_air\_force\_an1464596.jpg]() *An SEA-scheme F-4C from the 182nd Fighter Squadron used for battle damage repair training at RAF Upper Heyford, England, in 1986., *Mike Freer/Wikimedia Commons** Meanwhile, for Viper afficionados, now is a particularly good time for variety among Air Force units, with not only unique special liveries to mark [different anniversaries](), but also some of the most [flamboyant aggressor schemes]() that we have seen in [recent years](). As for the SEA scheme of the 149th Fighter Wing, perhaps the closest other in-service Viper camouflage is that applied to the [Venezuelan fleet of F-16A/Bs](), that country’s surviving jets operating in similar, but different, tones. ![message-editor%2F1623365646961-f16b\_from\_venezuela\_11037690503.jpg]() *A Venezuelan F-16B in its unique color scheme., *Rob Schleiffert/Wikimedia Commons** There’s no doubt that heritage schemes like this resonate with the public and engender pride within Air Force units. As the Air Force’s [last serving POW]() — from Desert Storm in 1991 — retires, this particular jet is also a reminder of the many airmen who were Killed in Action or became Prisoners of War during the long conflict in Southeast Asia. *Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com* ## Author Thomas Newdick is a staff writer at *TWZ*, where he covers military aviation, defense technology, weapons systems, and international security. Based in Berlin, Germany, he reports on conflicts, military modernization efforts, and emerging aerospace technologies around the world, with a particular interest in airpower and its role in contemporary warfare. His reporting is informed by deep expertise in modern and historical airpower, particularly in Europe, with a focus on military aviation, air campaigns, and aerospace developments across the continent and beyond. Over a journalism career spanning more than 25 years, Thomas has become known for making complex defense and aerospace topics accessible to a broad audience. His reporting combines technical expertise, historical context, and a focus on the real-world operational and strategic implications of military developments. ### Author social links [Twitter]()