# Help me identify this tricolour **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2007, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807 "2007-03-28T09:15:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 9:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807/1 "2007-03-28T09:15:22Z")
So, I was sitting in a Super-80 on the tarmac at Tucson International, and I was looking out the window at a couple of F-16s taxiing to the runway from nearby (one of the highlights of Tucson International is the variety of fighter jets that can be seen there). Anyhow, these weren’t American F-16s, the main structural difference that I could determine being a bulge along the “shoulders” of the plane (well, the right shoulder at least, I couldn’t see the other side of the jet). The tail had a horizontal tricolour on it, colored from top to bottom, green, white, and a dark color that could be anywhere from red to black (hard to tell in the picture I took), possibly with a vertical stripe of red on one side of the tricolour. So, I’m curious, does anybody know what country these planes were from? For that matter, does anyone know what the bulges on the upper fuselage would be for? Extra fuel tanks? Electronics? Compartments for checked baggage? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807/2 "2007-03-28T09:35:49Z")
United Arab Emirates. Green-white-black with stripe of red on the hoist. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807/3 "2007-03-28T09:57:22Z")
[UAE F16E](http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1002211&WxsIERv=Ybpxurrq%20Znegva%20S-16R%20Svtugvat%20Snypba&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Havgrq%20Neno%20Rzvengrf%20-%20Nve%20Sbepr&QtODMg=Qhonv%20-%20Vagreangvbany%20%28QKO%20%2F%20BZQO%29&ERDLTkt=Havgrq%20Neno%20Rzvengrf&ktODMp=Abirzore%2020%2C%202005&BP=1&WNEb25u=Zvpx%20Onwpne&xsIERvdWdsY=3050&MgTUQtODMgKE=Frra%20va%20gur%20yngr%20nsgreabba%20yvtug%20nsgre%20gur%20pebjqf%20unq%20qvfcrefrq.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=6393&NEb25uZWxs=2006-02-11%2022%3A51%3A03&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=ER-25&static=yes&width=1024&height=703&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Trareny%20Qlanzvpf%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%20%28401%29%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Sbxxre%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Xbern%20Nrebfcnpr%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Ybpxurrq%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Ybpxurrq%20Znegva%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27FNOPN%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Fnzfhat%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27GHFNF%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Havgrq%20Neno%20Rzvengrf%20-%20Nve%20Sbepr%25%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=7&prev_id=1024361&next_id=0984393) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807/4 "2007-03-28T10:04:12Z")
And the humps are apparently [conformal fuel tanks.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformal_fuel_tank) ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807/5 "2007-03-28T10:07:56Z")
That looks like it, although the canopy was slightly different on the one I saw, with the aft glass portion appearing to be the same material as the rest of the plane. Was kind of neat seeing a couple of those out at the airport in Tucson. That said, this particular model seems to be prone to some unflattering camera angles, compliments of the weird bulges above the wings. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807/6 "2007-03-28T10:26:37Z")
Maybe the two seat version? [Two seat F16F.](http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1159344&WxsIERv=Ybpxurrq%20Znegva%20S-16S%20Svtugvat%20Snypba&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Havgrq%20Neno%20Rzvengrf%20-%20Nve%20Sbepr&QtODMg=Ghpfba%20-%20Vagreangvbany%20%28GHF%20%2F%20XGHF%29&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Nevmban&ktODMp=Abirzore%2015%2C%202006&BP=1&WNEb25u=Treuneq%20Cybzvgmre&xsIERvdWdsY=3005&MgTUQtODMgKE=N%20engure%20arj%20Oybpx%2060%20S-16S%20jvgu%20shfryntr%20zbhagrq%20pbasbezny%20shry%20gnaxf%20naq%20gur%20qbefny%20fcvar.%20Naq%20gur%20onpxfrng%20vf%20rzcgl....&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=3373&NEb25uZWxs=2007-01-02%2023%3A34%3A17&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=ES-5&static=yes&width=1024&height=709&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Trareny%20Qlanzvpf%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%20%28401%29%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Sbxxre%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Xbern%20Nrebfcnpr%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Ybpxurrq%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Ybpxurrq%20Znegva%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27FNOPN%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Fnzfhat%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27GHFNF%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Havgrq%20Neno%20Rzvengrf%20-%20Nve%20Sbepr%25%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=1&prev_id=&next_id=1158722) ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-tricolour/397807/7 "2007-03-28T15:07:05Z")
[QUOTE=1920s Style “Death Ray”] Maybe the two seat version? [Two seat F16F.](http://www.airliners.net/open.file?id=1159344&WxsIERv=Ybpxurrq%20Znegva%20S-16S%20Svtugvat%20Snypba&Wm=0&WdsYXMg=Havgrq%20Neno%20Rzvengrf%20-%20Nve%20Sbepr&QtODMg=Ghpfba%20-%20Vagreangvbany%20%28GHF%20%2F%20XGHF%29&ERDLTkt=HFN%20-%20Nevmban&ktODMp=Abirzore%2015%2C%202006&BP=1&WNEb25u=Treuneq%20Cybzvgmre&xsIERvdWdsY=3005&MgTUQtODMgKE=N%20engure%20arj%20Oybpx%2060%20S-16S%20jvgu%20shfryntr%20zbhagrq%20pbasbezny%20shry%20gnaxf%20naq%20gur%20qbefny%20fcvar.%20Naq%20gur%20onpxfrng%20vf%20rzcgl....&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=3373&NEb25uZWxs=2007-01-02%2023%3A34%3A17&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=ES-5&static=yes&width=1024&height=709&sok=JURER%20%20%28nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Trareny%20Qlanzvpf%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%20%28401%29%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Sbxxre%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Xbern%20Nrebfcnpr%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Ybpxurrq%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Ybpxurrq%20Znegva%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27FNOPN%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27Fnzfhat%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%20BE%20nvepensg_trarevp%20%3D%20%27GHFNF%20S-16%20Svtugvat%20Snypba%27%29%20NAQ%20%28nveyvar%20YVXR%20%27Havgrq%20Neno%20Rzvengrf%20-%20Nve%20Sbepr%25%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=1&prev_id=&next_id=1158722) [/QUOTE] Nah, the one I saw was a single-seater. the difference between the two is minor enough that it might just have been a minor variation in construction, or even a field modification.