Emerald Viper puts the green and black Belgian Air Force Dream Viper on the back of your phone, the F-16 climbing steeply with a trail of smoke behind it against a cloud-flecked blue sky.This is an original Marqforde photograph taken during one of the Dream Viper's solo displays, as the pilot pulled the jet up into a steep climb with the smoke on.About the aircraftOfficially the F-16 is the Fighting Falcon, but its pilots soon called it the Viper for its agility. The Dream Viper takes the nickname literally, with dark upper surfaces, a contrasting green underside suggesting snake scales and an adder's head on the fin.Nico De Boeck contributed the graphic work, and the scheme was applied by the paint and plotter sections of Kleine-Brogel's 10th Tactical Wing with airbrush artist Koen Verheyen. The team said the jet was meant to show young people that dreams are achievable.FA-87 was no stranger to special paint. It wore 31 Squadron tiger schemes several times between 2004 and 2012, and in March 2021, at Florennes, it was unveiled with a tail marking the Belgian Air Force's 75th anniversary: a Spitfire, an F-16 and an F-35.Quick facts Aircraft: General Dynamics F-16AM Fighting Falcon, serial FA-87, the Dream Viper Role: Belgian Air Force solo display jet Powerplant: One Pratt and Whitney F100 afterburning turbofan Painted by: 10th Tactical Wing paint and plotter sections, Kleine-Brogel, with airbrush artist Koen Verheyen Notable fact: FA-87 carried the Belgian Air Force 75th anniversary tail in 2021, a year before becoming the Dream Viper Display context: Steep climb trailing smoke during a Dream Viper solo display
