"Father Of The F-16" Was 89

Untold ranks of US Air Force pilots have Harry J. Hillaker to thank for the planes they fly today. Hillaker, known to many as the "Father of the F-16," passed away Sunday at the age of 89.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports Hillaker worked as an aeronautical engineer at General Dynamics for 44 years. He started his career with Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego in 1941, later transferring to the company's plant in North Texas. He had a hand in some of the most exciting aircraft designs of the post-World War II era, including the B-36 Peacemaker, B-58 Hustler and F-111 Aardvark fighter-bomber.

It was a conversation at a bar in 1962, however, that started Hillaker's path to fame among the ranks of fighter pilots and aircraft enthusiasts. At the Eglin Air Force Base officers club, Hillaker attracted the attention -- and ire -- of USAF Major John Boyd... who among learning of Hillaker's role in the development of the Aardvark, proceeded to tell the engineer just what he thought of the plane.

It wasn't complimentary.

Over his bombast, Hillaker realized Boyd knew what he was talking about... so he invited the brash pilot to have a seat. The conversation turned to what the Air Force's next fighter should be, and Hillaker took those ideas with him back to Fort Worth.

Later assigned to the Pentagon, Hillaker met up with others who felt the Air Force needed a small, highly maneuverable, and affordable fighter -- in other words, the complete antithesis of the unpopular F-111. Along with fellow proponents Col. Everest Riccioni and civilian Pentagon official Pierre Sprey, Hillaker led a secretive project to sketch out a smaller alternative to the Air Force's latest pet project, the F-15 Eagle.

At first, the "Fighter Mafia" flew largely under the radar at General Dynamics and the Pentagon. Bolstered by a small $149,000 budget request -- made by Riccioni, to commission performance and design studies on a "lightweight fighter" -- the team developed a plane capable of besting the finest aircraft the Soviet Union had to offer.

Their design later won an Air Force competition, over a Northrop entry... and four decades later, the plant in Fort Worth -- now under the control of Lockheed Martin -- continues to crank out F-16s. Hillaker certainly wasn't the only person involved in bringing the plane to fruition... but today, he is credited with leading the charge.

"Harry's legacy is an incredible aircraft that has become the mainstay of 25 nations and continues to be in demand today after 30 years of production," said Ralph Heath, president of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. "The early F-16 versions paved the way for tens of thousands of jobs, over $100 billion in sales and customer relationships that are the cornerstone for Lockheed Martin's transition to the future with our new aircraft programs."

Sprey was more succinct in his view of Hillaker's importance to the F-16. "I can practically run down the things that wouldn't have been in the airplane if it wasn't for Harry," he said.

FMI: www.af.mil, www.f-16.net