I've done several of these in '96 F-150's. Believe me, you'll save tons of frustration if you pull the transmission and flywheel. NO, you don't HAVE to, but it will make getting the pan out so much easier. Yes, you'll have to drop the oil pump, that is probably the most challenging part. Not dropping it off, but getting it back on. Yes, you'll have to unbolt the fan shroud, not the fan, and jack the engine up as high as it will go until the transmission is against the floor. Now if you've removed the transmission, the engine lifting part becomes more challenging. IF you have the trans out, you'll have to lift the engine with a cherry picker and engine sling. Also, on the ones I did, I cut the left exhaust pipe over towards the right side and removed it. (I was equipped to weld it back together). If you can't weld the pipe together, you may want to consider removing the entire exhaust pipe assembly. I hope this helps you decide whether to do it yourself or not. It's not the greatest job in the world that's for sure.
If you decide to proceed, (or even if you have someone else to it) take the new pan, have it stripped of paint at the local machine shop's hot tank, then paint it with a good bare metal primer, and a good engine paint. Having the pan warm helps keep the moisture out from under the paint.