Saab-Fairchild F-13 Draken - 125th FIS, Florida Air National Guard, 1968During mid-1965 with attrition rates rising as the Vietnam conflict progressed (sic) the USAF's plans for re-equipping the ADC and ANG interceptor squadrons with F-4C's fell apart. Undaunted they launched a quick study into an off-the-shelf purchase of an alternative interceptor looking at the BAC Lightning F.3, Dassault Mirage IIIC, Saab Draken and the homegrown Lockheed Starfighter 'ADC' (a 'G' optimised for air-defense duties). With some considerable weighting given to low cost in the detailed analysis the Saab Draken soon became the front-runner being the only aircraft with a fly-away price below $1M but, in fact, the USAF study team scored the Draken highly in most areas.
In July 1966 the USAF announced that Saab's outstanding J-35F was the winner of the competition and that Fairchild, who had recently taken over Republic Aviation, were to partner Saab in producing the aircraft by now redesignated F-13 (despite objections from Fairchild to the 'unlucky' number although Saab didn't seem too bothered). Entering service with the Florida Air National Guard in March 1968 the F-13 was initially viewed as the poor relation by the F-106 squadrons, a situation that soon changed with the success of the F-13 in the 1969 and 1970 William Tell competitions. F-13's served until the mid-1980's when they were replaced by F-16A's although one squadron remained in service until 1990 at Tonopah, Nevada in a ruse designed to mask operations of the F-117 Stealth Fighter.





Before doing the full lo-viz I thought I'd stick the hi-viz FANG markings on the lo-viz skin.