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EspañolF-104 STARFIGHTER
(Redirected from F-104)
The 'Lockheed F-104 Starfighter' was a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1958 until 1967. It continued in service with the Air National Guard until it was phased out in 1975. Subsequently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) continued to fly a small fleet. NASA F-104s flew in support of the X-15 and XB-70 projects. F-104s continued supporting the spaceflight programs until they were retired in 1995 and replaced by F/A-18 Hornets.
An updated Starfighter sold well among the NATO air forces of Germany, Canada, and Italy: these high-speed fighter-bomber variants continued in service until the mid-1980s. The last Italian Air Force examples were retired in 2004. The later-model Starfighter versions gained a reputation as a "flying coffin" for their high accident rate. In Germany and Italy alone, more than 400 airplanes were lost in accidents [2][3][4]. Many air forces using F-104s eventually replaced them with the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, chief engineer at Lockheed's Skunk Works, visited Korea in December 1951 and talked to fighter pilots about what sort of plane they wanted. At the time the U.S. pilots were confronting the MiG-15 "Fagot" in their F-86 Sabres, and many of the American pilots felt that the MiGs were superior to the larger and more complex American design. The pilots requested a small and simple aircraft with excellent performance.
On his return to the US, Johnson immediately started the design of just such an aircraft. In March his team was assembled, and they studied several aircraft designs, ranging from small designs at 8,000 lb (3.6 t), to fairly large ones at 50,000 lb (23 t). The L-246 remained essentially identical to the 'L-083 Starfighter' as eventually delivered.
The design was presented to the Air Force in November 1952, and they were interested enough to create a new proposal and to invite several companies to participate. Three additional designs were received: the Republic ''AP-55'', an improved version of its prototype XF-91 Thunderceptor, the North American 'NA-212' which would eventually evolve into the F-107, and the Northrop 'N-102' ''Fang'', a new General Electric J79-powered design. Although all were interesting, Lockheed had an insurmountable lead, and was granted a development contract in March 1953.
Work progressed quickly, with a mock-up ready for inspection at the end of April, and work starting on two prototypes late in May. At the time, the J79 engine was not ready; so, both prototypes were designed to use the Wright J-65 engine instead, a licensed version of the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire. The first prototype was completed by early 1954, and started flying in March. The total time from design to first flight was about two years, a very short time even then, and unheard of today, when ten to fifteen years is more typical.
In order to achieve the desired performance, Lockheed chose a minimalist approach: a design that would achieve high performance by wrapping the lightest, most aerodynamically efficient airframe possible around a single powerful engine. The emphasis was on minimizing drag and mass.
The F-104 had a radical wing design. Most jet fighters of the period (and to this day) used a swept-wing or delta-wing planform. This allowed a reasonable balance between aerodynamic performance, lift, and internal space for fuel and equipment. Lockheed's tests, however, determined that the most efficient shape for high-speed, supersonic flight was a very small, straight, mid-mounted, trapezoidal wing. The wing was extremely thin, with a thickness-to-chord ratio of only 3.36%. Its aspect ratio was 2.45. The wing's leading edges were so thin (0.016 in / 0.41 mm) and so sharp that they presented a hazard to ground crews, and protective guards had to be installed during ground operations. The thinness of the wings meant that fuel tanks and landing gear had to be contained in the fuselage. The motors driving the control surfaces had to be only one inch (25 mm) thick to fit.
The stabilator (horizontal tail surface) was mounted atop the fin to reduce inertia coupling. Because the vertical tailfin was only slightly shorter than the length of each wing and nearly as aerodynamically effective, it could act as a wing on rudder application (a phenomenon known as Dutch roll). To offset this effect, the wings were canted downward, given 10° anhedral. The wings had both leading- and trailing-edge flaps. Later Starfighter marks incorporated a system that allowed the flaps to be extended during combat maneuvering, reducing turn radius and generally improving sustained turn rate.
The combination provided extremely low drag except at high angle of attack (alpha), at which point induced drag became very high. As a result the Starfighter had superb acceleration, rate of climb and potential top speed, but its sustained turn performance was very poor, described by some as more like a milk truck than a fighter. It was sensitive to control input, and extremely unforgiving of pilot error.
The small, highly-loaded wing resulted in an unacceptably high take-off and landing speed, so a boundary layer control system (BLCS) of blown flaps was incorporated, bleeding engine air over the trailing edge flaps to improve their lift. The system was a boon to safe landings, although it proved to be a maintenance problem in service, and landing without the BLCS could be harrowing.
NACA wind tunnel tested a model of the F-104, to evaluate its stability, and found it became increasingly unstable at higher angles of attack, to the point that it was recommended to limit the servo-control power to generate those higher angles and shake the stick to warn the pilot. In the same report, NACA stated that the wingtip tanks, possibly because of their stabilizing fins, reduced somewhat the model's instability problems at high angles of attack.
The Starfighter's fuselage had a high fineness ratio, i.e., tapering sharply towards the nose, and small frontal area. The fuselage was tightly packed, containing the radar, cockpit, cannon, all fuel, landing gear, and engine.
Several two-seat training versions of the Starfighter were produced. They were generally similar to the comparable single-seater, but the additional cockpit required removing the cannon and some internal fuel. Two-seaters were combat-capable, and, despite a slightly larger vertical fin and increased weight, have similar performance to the single-seater.
The F-104 was built around the General Electric J79 turbojet engine, fed by side-mounted intakes with fixed inlet scoops and a conical ramp optimized for supersonic speeds. (Unlike some supersonic aircraft, the F-104 does not have variable-geometry inlets.) Its thrust-to-drag ratio was superb, allowing a maximum speed well in excess of Mach 2: the top speed of the Starfighter is limited more by the aluminium structure and the temperature limits of the engine than by thrust or drag (which gives an aerodynamic maximum speed of Mach 2.2). Later models used uprated marks of the J79, improving thrust by almost 30%.
Early Starfighters used a downward-firing ejection seat (the Lockheed C-1), out of concern over the ability of an upward-firing seat to clear the tailplane. This presented obvious problems in low-altitude escapes, and some 21 USAF pilots failed to escape their stricken aircraft in low-level emergencies because of it. The downward-firing seat was soon replaced by a Lockheed C-2 upward-firing seat, which was capable of clearing the tail, although it still had a minimum speed limitation of 90 knots (170 km/h). Most export Starfighters were fitted with Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seats (having the ability to successfully eject the pilot from the aircraft even at zero altitude and zero airspeed).
The initial USAF Starfighters had basic AN/ASG-14T ranging radar, TACAN, and radio. The later international fighter-bomber aircraft had much more advanced Aeroneutics NASARR radar, a simple infrared sight, a Litton LN-3 inertial navigation system, and an air data computer.
In the late 1960s, the Italian Air Force developed a more advanced version of the Starfighter, the 'F-104S', for use as an all-weather interceptor. The F-104S received a NASAAR R21-G with moving-target indicator (for some ability against low-level targets) and a continuous-wave illuminator for semi-active radar homing missiles, including AIM-7 Sparrow and Selenia Aspide. The missile-guidance avionics forced the deletion of the Starfighter's internal cannon. In the mid-1980s surviving F-104S aircraft were updated to 'ASA' standard (''Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma'', or Weapon Systems Update), with a much improved, more compact Fiat R21G/M1 radar.
Basic armament of the F-104 was the M61 Vulcan 20 mm Gatling gun. The Starfighter was the first aircraft to carry the new weapon, which had a rate of fire of 6,000 rounds per minute. The cannon, mounted in the lower part of the port fuselage, was fed by a 725-round drum behind the pilot's seat. It was deleted in two-seat models and some single-seat models, including reconnaissance versions and the early Italian F-104S models (the gun bay and ammunition tank could be replaced by an additional fuel tank). Two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles could be carried on the wingtip stations, which could also be used for fuel tanks or other stores. F-104C and later models added a centerline pylon and two underwing pylons under each wing for bombs, nuclear weapons, rocket pods, or tanks. The centerline pylon could carry a "catamaran" launcher for two additional Sidewinders, although the installation had minimal ground clearance and made the seeker heads of the missiles vulnerable to ground debris. The F-104S and some F-104G and F-104J models added a pair of fuselage pylons beneath the intakes, usually used for Sidewinders (providing better ground clearance than the catamaran launcher and leaving the centerline available for other stores). The Italian F-104S had still another pylon under each wing, for a maximum of nine. The F-104S was cleared for a higher maximum takeoff weight, allowing it to carry up to 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) of stores; other Starfighters had a maximum external load of 4,000 lb (1,814 kg).
The Starfighter was generally considered a rewarding, if very demanding, "sports car" of a fighter. It was the first combat aircraft capable of sustained Mach 2 flight (not just a brief dash) and its speed and climb performance remain impressive even by modern standards. If used appropriately, with high-speed slashing attacks and good use of its exceptional thrust-to-weight ratio, it could be a formidable opponent, although being lured into a turning contest with a slower, more maneuverable opponent (as Pakistani pilots were with Indian Hunters in 1965) was perilous. The F-104's turn radius and high-alpha behavior were always tricky, and the Starfighter had a reputation for unforgiving behavior. Some operators lost nearly half their aircraft through accidents, although the accident rate varied widely depending on the user and operating conditions; the Spanish Air Force, for example, lost none. The Starfighter was a particular favorite of the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force), although the AMI's accident rate was far from the lowest of Starfighter users. This earned the plane nicknames such as ''bara volante'' (flying coffin) and ''fabbrica vedove'' (widow-maker).[5]
Notable U.S. Air Force pilots who lost their lives in F-104 accidents include Major Robert H. Lawrence, Jr. and Captain Iven Kincheloe. Civilian (retired USAAF) pilot Joe Walker died in a mid-air collision with an XB-70 Valkyrie while flying a F-104. Chuck Yeager was nearly killed when he lost control of an NF-104A during a high-altitude record-breaking attempt. He lost the tips of two fingers and was hospitalized for a long period with severe burns after the flight.
The initial F-104A served briefly with the USAF Air Defense Command as an interceptor, although neither its range or armament were well-suited for that role. On 18 May 1958, an F-104A set a world speed record of 1,404.19 mph (2,259.82 km/h), and on 14 December 1959, an F-104C set a world altitude record of 103,395 ft (31.5 km). The Starfighter was the first aircraft to hold simultaneous official world records for speed, altitude, and time-to-climb.
The subsequent F-104C entered service with Tactical Air Command as a multi-role fighter and fighter-bomber. It saw service in the Vietnam War. The last USAF Starfighters left service in 1969, but continued with the Puerto Rico ANG until 1975.[6]
The USAF procured only 296 Starfighters in one- and two-seat versions. The USAF was less than satisfied with the Starfighter. At the time USAF doctrine placed little importance on air superiority (the "pure" fighter mission), and the Starfighter was deemed inadequate for either the interceptor or tactical fighter-bomber role, lacking both payload and endurance compared to other USAF aircraft. Its U.S. service quickly wound down after 1965.
The subsequent F-104C entered service with Tactical Air Command as a multi-role fighter and fighter-bomber. It saw service in the Vietnam War, commencing with the ROLLING THUNDER campaign. The Starfighter was used both in the air-superiority role (although it saw little aerial combat, and scored no air-to-air kills) and in the air support mission. Starfighter squadrons made two deployments to Vietnam, the first from April 1965 to November 1965, flying 2,937 combat sorties. During that first deployment two Starfighters were shot down by surface to air missiles, one was shot down by a Chinese MiG-19 (Shenyang J-6) when the F-104 strayed over the border, and two F-104s were lost to a mid-air collision associated with that air-to-air battle. The Starfighters returned to Vietnam in June 1966 and fought on until July 1967, in which time they flew 2,269 combat sorties, for a total of 5,206 sorties. Nine more F-104s were lost; two F-104s to ground fire, three to surface-to-air missiles, and the final four losses were operational (engine failures). The Starfighters rotated and/or transitioned to F-4 Phantoms in July 1967, having lost a total of 14 F-104s to all causes in Vietnam.
At dawn on 6 September 1965, Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan in an F-104 claimed a Dassault Mystère IV destroyed over West Pakistan and damaged another, to mark the start of aerial combat in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. At that time it was claimed as the first combat kill by any Mach 2 aircraft, and the first missile kill for the Pakistan Air Force. Indian sources dispute this claim.[7] The PAF lost two F-104 Starfighters during the 1965 operations scoring two kills in return.
The Starfighter is also believed to have been instrumental in intercepting an Indian Air Force Folland Gnat earlier, on 3 September 1965. F-104s were vectored to intercept the Gnat flying over Pakistan, on its way to its home base. The F-104s, closing in at supersonic speed, caused the Gnat pilot to lower the undercarriage and land at a disused Pakistani airfield nearby to surrender. The Indian AF claims Squadron Leader Brij Pal Singh (who later rose to be an Air Marshal) had a navigation error that led him to land on a Pakistani airstrip. Singh was taken as a POW and later released.[8]. The Indian version of events has been corroborated by Pakistani commentators and airmen, who have confirmed that the F-104s arrived after the Gnat landed. The IAF Gnat is now displayed at the PAF Museum, Karachi.
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the F-104s were outfought and out-gunned by the IAF's fighters and though Jordanian Starfighters were added to bolster the numbers, this did little to sway the air war in Pakistan's favor. It became the victim of the first supersonic dogfight in the subcontinent when an IAF MiG-21 shot down a Starfighter.[9] Up to four PAF Starfighters were shot down by IAF MiG-21s and another four were claimed by Indian ground fire[10][11] and even Pakistan [12] admitted three losses, two to MiG-21s and one to AA fire.[13].[14]
At the same time as the F-104 was falling out of U.S. favor, the Federal German Airforce was looking for a multi-role aircraft. The Starfighter was presented and reworked to convert it from a fair-weather fighter into an all-weather ground attack and interceptor aircraft the F-104G. This brought it a new market with other NATO countries, and 2,578 F-104s were built in the U.S. and abroad for various nations. Few countries received theirs under the military aid program. The American engine was retained but built under license in Europe. The Lockheed ejector seats were also retained at first but were replaced later by the superior Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat.
The so-called "Deal of the Century" produced considerable income for Lockheed. However, the resulting Lockheed bribery scandals caused considerable political controversy in Europe and Japan. In Germany, the Minister of Defence Franz Josef Strauß was accused of having received at least $10 million for West Germany's purchase of 900 F-104 Starfighters in 1961.[15] Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands later confessed to having received more than $1 million in bribes. In the 1970s it was revealed that Lockheed had engaged in an extensive campaign of bribery of foreign officials to obtain sales, a scandal that nearly led to the ailing corporation's downfall.
The F-104 in international service began to wind down in the late 1970s, replaced in many cases by the F-16 Fighting Falcon, but it remained in service with some air forces for another two decades. The last front-line Starfighters were with the Italian AMI, which retired in mid-2004.
The Starfighters are a civilian aerobatic team based in Florida that currently flies two F-104s at air shows. Their two F-104 Starfighters, a CF-104D 104632 "N104RB" and CF-104 104850 "N104RD" (with a third to be restored) were originally with the Royal Canadian Air Force and both later served with the Royal Norwegian Air Force before being imported into the U.S. in private hands. The team lost one of its founding pilots in 2003 when Tom "Sharkbait" Delashaw was killed in a two-seat Hawker Hunter at a Pennsylvania airport when an engine apparently failed.
Another civilian Starfighter, called the F-104RB (for "Red Baron"), was used to set the low-level speed record in October 1977 by world-famous air racer Darryl Greenamyer. Greenamyer built his F-104 over a period of 12 years from parts scrounged from various places, including a "borrowed" J79-17/1 turbojet from a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, which developed over 2,000 lb. more thrust than the standard J79-19 engine. Greenamyer attacked the record at Mud Lake, near Tonapah, Nevada, and beat the previous low-level speed record by recording a top speed of 988.26 mph (1590.41 km/h) after five passes over the dry lake. He remained supersonic for most of the 20-minute flight, and rarely got much higher than 100 feet above the lake bed. Several months later, while practicing to set the world absolute altitude record, he was forced to eject when his landing gear failed to extend; a belly landing in the F-104 was considered too dangerous, as fuel lines run along the bottom of the F-104's fuselage.
''The costs are in approximately 1960 United States dollars and have not been adjusted for inflation.''
A total of 2,578 F-104s were produced by Lockheed and under license by various foreign manufacturers. Principal variants included:
★ ;XF-104: Two prototype aircraft equipped with Wright J65 engines (the J79 was not yet ready); no operational equipment.
★ ;YF-104A: 17 pre-production aircraft used for engine, equipment, and flight testing.
★ ;F-104A: 153 initial production versions. In USAF service from 1958 through 1960, then transferred to ANG until 1963 when they were recalled by the USAF Air Defense Command for the 319th and 331st Fighter Interceptor Squadrons. Some were released for export to Jordan, Pakistan, and Taiwan, each of whom used it in combat. In 1967 the 319th F-104As and Bs were re-engined with the J79-GE-19 engines with 17,900 pounds (79.6 kN) of thrust in afterburner. Note: service ceiling with this engine was in excess of 73,000 feet (22,250 m). In 1969 all the F-104A/Bs in ADC service were retired.
★ ;NF-104A: Three demilitarized versions with 6,000 lbf (27 kN) Rocketdyne LR121/AR-2-NA-1 rocket engines, used for astronaut training at altitudes up to 120,800 ft (36,830 m). (A December 10, 1963 accident involving Chuck Yeager was depicted in the movie ''The Right Stuff'', although the aircraft in the film was not an actual NF-104A.)
★ ;QF-104A: 22 F-104As converted as radio-controlled drones and test aircraft.
★ ;F-104B: 26 dual-control trainer versions of F-104A. No cannon and reduced internal fuel, but otherwise combat-capable. A few were supplied to Pakistan and Taiwan.
★ ;F-104C: 71 Fighter bomber versions for USAF Tactical Air Command, with improved fire-control radar (AN/ASG-14T-2), centerline and two wing pylons (for a total of five), and ability to carry one Mk 28 or Mk 43 nuclear weapon on centerline pylon. The 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to Vietnam in April 1965 through July 1965, losing one Starfighter; the 436th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to Vietnam in July 1965 through October 1965, losing four Starfighters; the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron[16] deployed from June 1966 through July 1967, at which time they transitioned to F-4 Phantoms, and had lost nine F-104 Starfighters during their tour. No air-to-air kills were scored, although the Starfighters were successful in deterring MiG interceptors. Vietnam-serving F-104s were upgraded in service with APR-25/26 radar warning receiver equipment. Nine were lost in combat. One is on display in the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
★ ;F-104D: 21 dual-control trainer versions of F-104C.
★ ;F-104DJ: 20 dual-control trainer version of F-104J for Japanese Self-Defense Air Force, built by Lockheed rather than Mitsubishi.
★ ;F-104F: 30 dual-control trainer based on F-104D, but using the upgraded engine of the F-104G. No radar, and not combat-capable. 30 produced as interim trainers for the Luftwaffe.
★ ;F-104G: 1,122 aircraft in major production version as multi-role fighter bomber aircraft. Built by 4 groups of European companies, Canadair and Lockheed. Strengthened fuselage and wings, increased internal fuel capacity, enlarged vertical fin, heavier landing gear, revised flaps for improved combat maneuvering. New Autonetics NASARR F15A-41B radar with air-to-air and air-to-ground modes, Litton LN-3 inertial navigation (the first on a production fighter), infrared sight.
★ ;RF-104G: 189 tactical reconnaissance models based on F-104G, usually with three KS-67A cameras mounted in the forward fuselage in place of cannon.
★ ;TF-104G: 220 combat-capable trainer version of F-104G; no cannon or centerline pylon, reduced internal fuel. One civil version, civil registration number L104L, was used by Jackie Cochran to set three women’s world speed records in 1964.
★ ;F-104J: 178 Japanese version, built under license by Mitsubishi for the air-superiority fighter role, armed with cannon and four Sidewinders; no strike capability.
★ ;F-104N: Three F-104Gs delivered to NASA in 1963 for use as high-speed chase aircraft. One, piloted by Joe Walker, collided with the XB-70 on 8 June 1966 - photos from crash site.
★ ;F-104S: 246 Italian versions produced mainly by FIAT, upgraded for interception role with NASARR R-21G/H radar with moving-target indicator and continuous-wave illuminator for SARH missiles (initially AIM-7 Sparrow), two additional wing hardpoints, more powerful J79-GE-19 engine with 11,870 lbf (53 kN) and 17,900 lbf (80 kN) thrust, two additional ventral fins for increased stability. The cannon was sacrificed to make room for the illuminator and was never restored in subsequent variants.
★ ;F-104S-ASA: (''Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma'' - "Weapon Systems Update") - 147 upgraded Italian version with Fiat R21G/M1 radar with frequency hopping, look-down/shoot-down capability, new IFF and weapons delivery computer, provision for AIM-9L all-aspect Sidewinder, Selenia Aspide missiles.
★ ;F-104S-ASA/M: (''Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma/Modificato'' - "Weapon Systems Update/Modified") - 49 single seat and 15 two-seat (former TF-104G) upgraded from 1998 to ASA/M standard with GPS, new TACAN and Litton LN-30A2 INS, refurbished airframe, improved cockpit displays. All strike-related equipment was removed. The last Starfighters in combat service, they were withdrawn in December 2004 and temporarily replaced by the F-16 Fighting Falcon, while awaiting Eurofighter Typhoon deliveries.
★ ;CF-104: 200 Canadian-built versions, built under license by Canadair and optimized for nuclear strike, with NASARR R-24A radar with air-to-air modes and cannon deleted (the cannon was restored after 1972), additional internal fuel cell, and Canadian J79-OEL-7 engines with 10,000 lbf (44 kN) /15,800 lbf (70 kN) thrust.
★ ;CF-104D: 38 dual-control trainer versions of CF-104, built by Lockheed, but with Canadian J79-OEL-7 engines. Some later transferred to Denmark, Norway and Turkey.
;EWR VJ 101C (German V/STOL Starfighter)
:In the 1960s and early 1970s, Germany used the F-104 as the basis for research into a V/STOL aircraft. Although two models (X1 and X2) were built, the project was canceled due to high costs and political problems as well as changing needs of the Luftwaffe and NATO. The EWR VJ 101C did perform free VTOL take-offs and landings, as well as test flights beyond Mach 1 in the mid and late 1960s. One of the test-aircraft is preserved in the Deutsches Museum in Munich.[17]
★ AeroWeb's List of F-104s on Display
The Starfighter was commonly called the "missile with a man in it," a name swiftly trademarked by Lockheed for marketing purposes. In service, American pilots called it the "Zipper" or "Zip-104" because of its prodigious speed. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force called it ''Eiko'' ("Glory"), but other foreign pilots were less charitable, many dubbing it "The Flying Coffin". The German public called it ''Witwenmacher'' ("Widowmaker"), ''fliegender Sarg'' ("flying coffin") or ''Erdnagel'' ("ground nail," the official military term for a tent peg.Bashow 1986, p. 16. The Pakistani AF name was ''Badmash'' ("Hooligan"), while among Italian pilots its spiky design earned it the nickname ''Spillone'' ("Hatpin"), along with ''Bara volante'' ("Flying coffin"). Canadian pilots sometimes referred to it as the ''flying lawn dart'' (a nickname also sometimes given to the aircraft's successor in the lightweight dogfighter role, the F-16 Fighting Falcon). In Denmark the distinct shape was described as "a pregnant darning needle put across a razor blade".
The engine made a unique howling sound at certain throttle settings which led someBashow 1986, p. 16. to call NASA F-104B Starfighter N819NA ''Howling Howland''. At certain low speeds with high engine rpm, the aircraft produced a pronounced oscillating whine as the wings rocked from side to side. In Canada this was referred to as the "Whistling Wing Walk."[18]
A modified F-104A Starfighter airframe is being used for the North American Eagle land speed record jet car. The Eagle team hopes to attain 800 mph (1,288 km/h) or Mach 1.05. [19]
;: The Belgian Air Force operated European-built F-104Gs. They were in service with four Groups: 23, 31 (fighter-bombers), 349 and 351 as interceptors, and finally an OCU unit. In total 101 SABCA built F-104Gs and 12 TF-104G built by Lockheed were purchased. The Belgian Air Force operated the type from 14 February 1963 to 19 September 1983, then the survivors were sent to Turkey (18 examples), while 38 G and three TF were lost in accidents.
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Main articles: Canadair F-104
:The RCAF, later CAF, operated 200 Canadian-built CF-104s and 38 dual-control trainer CF-104Ds (built by Lockheed) 1962- 1986. CF-104s were equipped with additional electronic equipment, with RWR function, in the tail and nose. Losses were high, with around 110 crashes in Europe, with bad weather conditions contributed to almost 50% of the accidental losses.
:Canadian-built F-104Gs went to Denmark, Greece, Norway Spain and Turkey while surplus CF-104s and CF-104Ds were later transferred to Denmark and Norway.[20]
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The Republic of China Air Force operated F-104A, B, D, G, J, DJ, RF-104G, and TF-104G.
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The Danish Air Force received some CF-104s and CF-104Ds from Canada under the military assistance program. A total of 51 were delivered: 25 G, 15 CF, seven CF-104D, and four TF-104G. Losses were 11 single seat and three dual seat. 15 and 3 were sent to Taiwan in 1987, where their replacement by F-16s was completed in April 1986. [21].
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Germany received 917 F-104s Fricker and Jackson 1996. p. 92, comprising 750 F/RF-104Gs, 137 TF-104Gs and 30 F-104Fs, forming the major combat equipment of both the ''Luftwaffe'' and ''Marineflieger''. At its peak in the mid 1970s, the ''Luftwaffe'' operated five F-104 equipped fighter bomber wings, two interceptor wings and two tactical reconnaissance wings. The German Navy operated a further two wings of F-104s in the maritme strike and reconnaissance roles .
The Starfighter entered service with the ''Luftwaffe'' in July 1960 , with deliveries continuing until March 1973 [22], remaining in operational service until 16 October 1987[21], but continuing in use for test purposes until 22 May 1991.
The ''Marineflieger'' initially used AS.30 command guidance missiles as Anti-Ship weapons, but these were replaced with the more sophisticated and longer ranged radar-guided AS.34 Kormoran missile, allowing stand-off attacks to be carried out against enemy ships. [24]
German Starfighters proved to have an alarming accident rate. In German service alone, 292 of the 916 Starfighters crashed, claiming the lives of 115 pilots, leading to claims that the Starfighter was fundamentally unsafe and earning it the ''Widowmaker'' nickname, among others (see above). However, some of the non-German F-104 users earned a better safety record. For instance, Spain lost none in the same period, flying a different mission in considerably better weather conditions.
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The Greek Air Force received their F-104s under the military aid program.
;
In the Italian Air Force (AMI, Aeronautica Militare Italiana), the F-104 was a mainstay from the 1960s until the end of the 20th century. The first 105 F-104G, 24 TF-104G and 20 RF-104G became operational starting from 1962, for a total of nine groups (two were reconnaissance, one training and the rest interceptor (CI) and bombers (CB)), replacing the aging F-86s and RF-84s. Although far superior to the aircraft it replaced in performance terms, the F-104 lacked a powerful radar, and its internal reconnaissance equipment (RF-104G) did not prove an improvement. In the first 5 years 24 planes were lost. As only 80-90 F-104s were operational at the best (officially every Squadron had 18 aircraft but this was impossible since only 149 were acquired), it was decided to acquire new aircraft, this time of a new generation designed by Aeritalia in collaboration with Lockheed, the F-104S (see Equipment and armament. If 'G' stood for 'Germany', the lead country for this version, 'S' meant 'Sparrow' because this was the main improvement, coupled with the last model of J-79 (8,120 kg/t)[21].
The first F-104S flew in 1966 and the new type entered in service in 1969. This new model was ordered in 205 examples, all delivered in 1969-1976, while the model was also an export success. Turkey bought 40 examples. The new F-104s were enhanced with a more powerful engine that allowed faster climb with the capability to reach Mach 2 at 12,000 m in around five minutes. It also had nine hardpoints carrying up to 3,400 kg. The model was built in two versions; as an interceptor fighter (CI), with Sparrow and without the M61 Vulcan, and as the CB, with the gun retained, and bombs and other air-to surface ordnance. The models were interchangeable, and it is unclear how many were built or rebuilt to these standards. The radar range was still low and the rate of loss remained high (in total, up to 1997 Italy lost 137 F-104s in 928,000 flying hours, or 14.7 aircraft every 100,000 hrs, and 38% total). Up to ten machines were lost in some years (like 1973) in the early 1970s, and the debate about the reliability of this aircraft was often fierce. Agility, especially with the AIM still on board, was not the best characteristic of the F-104 and avionics were also modest; the CI lacked a RWR, and retained the IR sensor only as an acquisition backup for the Sidewinder, not as a real IRST. The CB was often fitted with an ECM ALQ-70 or 71 but not a RWR and seldom a chaff-launcher. Because no TF or RF 'S' version was made, not all the F-104Gs were replaced. Many of the survivors were used in the recognition or training role, since in 1973 almost all the interceptor squadrons were re-equipped with 'S's. F-104Gs were used for reconnaissance using the Orpheus pod, 20 of which were acquired, which had IR and day sensors. RF-104Gs were swiftly replaced. In the 1980s the rate of loss dropped, and even more in the 1990s, when all the old versions (except TF-104s) were scrapped.
Two further improvement programs were carried out, resulting in the F-104ASA and F-104ASA-M, prior to the introduction of the new Eurofighter Typhoon. F-104ASA (Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma) introduced a Fiar Setter radar, with some look-down capabilities and compatibility with the Aspide missile. Some other new radars like Grifo were available but the costs were too high. The Aspide was not a standard at least for 5 years, with the first F-104ASA delivered in 1986. AIM-9L were used from the start as main armament, replacing with time the older 'B' and 'F', while the older AIM-7s were retained. Generally one was carried under a wing, seldom two. Because of the lack of a modern radar missile, and a powerful radar, the 104s were usually vectored by ground control, using radio commands (there was no datalink). 147 F-104S were rebuilt at an expense of around 600 billion lire and the last ASA was delivered in the early 1990s. The ECO version focused on improving reliability rather than combat enhancements, and interested 49 ASA and 15 TF. The air defense situation was so poor that 24 RAF Tornado ADV were used as interim fighters for two groups, and apparently AM was unable to replace these machines. The last Italian F-104 was finally decommissioned in 2004, after around a million flyng hours over 40 years of service. Squadrons involved were 9, 10,12, 18 (dual), 20 (training), 21, 22, 23, 28 and 102 (recce), 154, 155, 156 (bombers). Only one, 28, was a dual purpose squadron (with CBs), while the rest were interceptor (up to seven of them), trainers (one, with TF-14s), recce (two) or bombers (two)[21].
;
Japan Air Self-Defense Force operated 178 F-104J (Japanese version, built under license by Mitsubishi) air-superiority fighters and 20 dual-control trainer F-104DJs, built by Lockheed rather than Mitsubishi. Called 'Eiko' (Glory), they served from October 1962 to 1986, losing only 36 machines. Seven air-superiority squadrons used them: 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207. Many F-104s faced Soviet aircraft during this long service, and finally dozens of them were converted to drones.
;
Jordanian Air Force operated the F-104A version delivered under the military aid program.
;
Royal Netherlands Air Force operated European-built F-104s. A total of 138 Starfighters was delivered to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force, or KLu).[27]
;
Norwegian Air Force received 45 CF-104s and CF-104Ds from Canada under the military aid program.
;
Pakistan was the second country in Asia to get a supersonic aircraft when they acquired the F-104A and F-104B Starfighter in 1961 for Pakistan Air Force and the first to take it into combat during 1965 India-Pakistan War. After the war, the remaining five PAF F-104s were grounded due to lack of spares resulting from the U.S. military embargo. They were replaced by French-made Dassault Mirage III fighters.
;
Air National Guard in Puerto Rico 156th TFS operated F-104Cs until 1975. A known survivor is on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum[28], Denver, CO.
; Spanish State
Spanish Air Force received their F-104s under the military assistance program: 18 Lockheed-built F-104Gs and three Lockheed-built TF-104Gs were delivered under MAP to Spain's Ejercito del Aire in 1965.[29]
;
Turkish Air Force received some CF-104s and CF-104Ds from Canada under the military aid program.
;
United States Air Force, as part of Air Defense Command and Tactical Air Command
;:
★ NASA operated 11 F-104s (different versions) between 1963 and 1987.
★ ''The Starfighters'' (civilian aerobatic team) operates two CF-104Ds.
★ The German controversy over the Starfighter's contract and its toll on pilots inspired a rock concept album by Robert Calvert of Hawkwind, called ''Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters''. It repeated the commonplace grim joke in Germany that the cheapest way of obtaining a Starfighter was to buy a small patch of land and simply wait. [30]
★ After Kai-Uwe von Hassel succeeded Strauss as minister of defence, his son Oberleutnant Joachim von Hassel died in a Starfighter crash. This event was the topic of the song, "Starfighter F-104G."
★ The Tom Tom Club song "Booming and Zooming" prominently features the F-104 Starfighter.
★ Stock footage of F-104s was used when US Air Force aircraft intercepted the U.S.S. Enterprise in the '' first season episode, "Tomorrow is Yesterday".
★ An F-104G Starfighter was featured, in the guise of the NF-104, in the 1983 film ''The Right Stuff''.
★ The 1964 movie ''The Starfighters'', about the training and operations of F-104 crews was subsequently featured in episode #612 of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
1. Knaack, Marcelle Size. ''Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1 Post-World War II Fighters 1945-1973''. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1978. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
2. Dieser Starfighter bleibt unten, 292 of 1000 Starfighters were lost in accidents in the German Luftwaffe (de)
3. Incidenti F-104, lista non completo (it)
4. Aerei Militari, F-104 (it)
5. Museo Caproni, Lockheed Starfighter
6. Hobson 2001
7. Jagan, P.V.S. Mohan and Samir Chopra|Chopra, Samir. ''The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965''. New Delhi: Manohar, 2006. ISBN 8-17304-641-7.
8. Pakdef.info
9. 1971 War history
10. Air War in the West, Pg455 Official Indian Armed Forces History of the 1971 War
11. Air War of 1971
12. http://www.vectorsite.net/avf104_3.html#m2
13. PAF Losses in 1971 war
14. Starfighters in Pakistan.
15. Time magazine
16. Two C's from the 435th
17. German VSTOL Fighters
18. Although an exact reference cannot be found, According to the CF-104 Manual: “An abrupt thrust reduction results in abrupt roll off tendency and a rapid increase in sink rate.” One pilot noted in a sim session, "That is exactly what happened to me resulting in wing rocking oscillations and a high sink rate."[1]
19. Landspeed North American Eagle F-104
20. Stachiw and Tattersall 2007, p. 47.
21. Sgarlato
22. Fricker and Jackson 1996. p. 72
23. Sgarlato
24. Fricker and Jackson 1996. p. 56
25. Sgarlato
26. Sgarlato
27. Baugher's F-104 to the Netherlands
28. Wing's F-104C with PRANG history
29. Baugher's F-104G Spain delivery
30. Bashow 1990, p. 93. Quote: "...just buy an acre of land anywhere in Germany, Sooner or later..."
----
★ Bashow, David L. ''Starfighter: A Loving Retrospective of the CF-104 Era in Canadian Fighter Aviation, 1961-1986''. Stoney Creek, Ontario: Fortress Publications Inc., 1990. ISBN 0-91919-512-1.
★ ___________. "Starwarrior: A First Hand Look at Lockheed's F-104, One of the Most Ambitious Fighters ever Designed!" ''Wings'' Vol. 16, no. 3, June 1986.
★ Baugher's F-104 Index Page variants and operators
★ Donald, David, ed. ''Century Jets''. Norwalk, Connecticut: AIRtime Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-880588-68-4.
★ Fricker, John and Jackson, Paul. "Lockheed F-104 Starfighter". ''Wings of Fame''. Volume 2 1996. Pages 38 - 99. Aerospace Publishing. London. ISBN 1 874023 69 7.
★ Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. ''The Great Book of Fighters''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1194-3.
★ Higham, Robin and Williams, Carol. ''Flying Combat Aircraft of USAAF-USAF (Vol.2)''. Manhattan, Kansas: Sunflower University Press, 1978. ISBN 0-8138-0375-6.
★ Hobson, Chris. ''Vietnam Air Losses, USAF, USN, USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia 1961–1973''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. ISBN 1-85780-1156.
★ Pace, Steve. ''F-104 Starfighter: design, Development and Worldwide Operations of the First Operational Mach 2 Fighter''. Oscela, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1992. ISBN 0-87938-608-8.
★ _______. ''X-Fighters: USAF Experimental and Prototype Fighters, XP-59 to YF-23''. Oscela, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1991. ISBN 0-87938-540-5.
★ Stachiw, Anthony L. and Tattersall, Andrew. ''CF104 Starfighter (Aircraft in Canadian Service)''. St. Catharine's, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing Limited, 2007. ISBN 1-55125-114-0.
The 'Lockheed F-104 Starfighter' was a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1958 until 1967. It continued in service with the Air National Guard until it was phased out in 1975. Subsequently, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) continued to fly a small fleet. NASA F-104s flew in support of the X-15 and XB-70 projects. F-104s continued supporting the spaceflight programs until they were retired in 1995 and replaced by F/A-18 Hornets.
An updated Starfighter sold well among the NATO air forces of Germany, Canada, and Italy: these high-speed fighter-bomber variants continued in service until the mid-1980s. The last Italian Air Force examples were retired in 2004. The later-model Starfighter versions gained a reputation as a "flying coffin" for their high accident rate. In Germany and Italy alone, more than 400 airplanes were lost in accidents [2][3][4]. Many air forces using F-104s eventually replaced them with the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
Design and development
Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, chief engineer at Lockheed's Skunk Works, visited Korea in December 1951 and talked to fighter pilots about what sort of plane they wanted. At the time the U.S. pilots were confronting the MiG-15 "Fagot" in their F-86 Sabres, and many of the American pilots felt that the MiGs were superior to the larger and more complex American design. The pilots requested a small and simple aircraft with excellent performance.
On his return to the US, Johnson immediately started the design of just such an aircraft. In March his team was assembled, and they studied several aircraft designs, ranging from small designs at 8,000 lb (3.6 t), to fairly large ones at 50,000 lb (23 t). The L-246 remained essentially identical to the 'L-083 Starfighter' as eventually delivered.
The design was presented to the Air Force in November 1952, and they were interested enough to create a new proposal and to invite several companies to participate. Three additional designs were received: the Republic ''AP-55'', an improved version of its prototype XF-91 Thunderceptor, the North American 'NA-212' which would eventually evolve into the F-107, and the Northrop 'N-102' ''Fang'', a new General Electric J79-powered design. Although all were interesting, Lockheed had an insurmountable lead, and was granted a development contract in March 1953.
Work progressed quickly, with a mock-up ready for inspection at the end of April, and work starting on two prototypes late in May. At the time, the J79 engine was not ready; so, both prototypes were designed to use the Wright J-65 engine instead, a licensed version of the Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire. The first prototype was completed by early 1954, and started flying in March. The total time from design to first flight was about two years, a very short time even then, and unheard of today, when ten to fifteen years is more typical.
In order to achieve the desired performance, Lockheed chose a minimalist approach: a design that would achieve high performance by wrapping the lightest, most aerodynamically efficient airframe possible around a single powerful engine. The emphasis was on minimizing drag and mass.
Wing and fuselage
The F-104 had a radical wing design. Most jet fighters of the period (and to this day) used a swept-wing or delta-wing planform. This allowed a reasonable balance between aerodynamic performance, lift, and internal space for fuel and equipment. Lockheed's tests, however, determined that the most efficient shape for high-speed, supersonic flight was a very small, straight, mid-mounted, trapezoidal wing. The wing was extremely thin, with a thickness-to-chord ratio of only 3.36%. Its aspect ratio was 2.45. The wing's leading edges were so thin (0.016 in / 0.41 mm) and so sharp that they presented a hazard to ground crews, and protective guards had to be installed during ground operations. The thinness of the wings meant that fuel tanks and landing gear had to be contained in the fuselage. The motors driving the control surfaces had to be only one inch (25 mm) thick to fit.
The stabilator (horizontal tail surface) was mounted atop the fin to reduce inertia coupling. Because the vertical tailfin was only slightly shorter than the length of each wing and nearly as aerodynamically effective, it could act as a wing on rudder application (a phenomenon known as Dutch roll). To offset this effect, the wings were canted downward, given 10° anhedral. The wings had both leading- and trailing-edge flaps. Later Starfighter marks incorporated a system that allowed the flaps to be extended during combat maneuvering, reducing turn radius and generally improving sustained turn rate.
The combination provided extremely low drag except at high angle of attack (alpha), at which point induced drag became very high. As a result the Starfighter had superb acceleration, rate of climb and potential top speed, but its sustained turn performance was very poor, described by some as more like a milk truck than a fighter. It was sensitive to control input, and extremely unforgiving of pilot error.
The small, highly-loaded wing resulted in an unacceptably high take-off and landing speed, so a boundary layer control system (BLCS) of blown flaps was incorporated, bleeding engine air over the trailing edge flaps to improve their lift. The system was a boon to safe landings, although it proved to be a maintenance problem in service, and landing without the BLCS could be harrowing.
NACA wind tunnel tested a model of the F-104, to evaluate its stability, and found it became increasingly unstable at higher angles of attack, to the point that it was recommended to limit the servo-control power to generate those higher angles and shake the stick to warn the pilot. In the same report, NACA stated that the wingtip tanks, possibly because of their stabilizing fins, reduced somewhat the model's instability problems at high angles of attack.
The Starfighter's fuselage had a high fineness ratio, i.e., tapering sharply towards the nose, and small frontal area. The fuselage was tightly packed, containing the radar, cockpit, cannon, all fuel, landing gear, and engine.
Several two-seat training versions of the Starfighter were produced. They were generally similar to the comparable single-seater, but the additional cockpit required removing the cannon and some internal fuel. Two-seaters were combat-capable, and, despite a slightly larger vertical fin and increased weight, have similar performance to the single-seater.
Engine
Detail of F-104G's turbojet exhaust.
The F-104 was built around the General Electric J79 turbojet engine, fed by side-mounted intakes with fixed inlet scoops and a conical ramp optimized for supersonic speeds. (Unlike some supersonic aircraft, the F-104 does not have variable-geometry inlets.) Its thrust-to-drag ratio was superb, allowing a maximum speed well in excess of Mach 2: the top speed of the Starfighter is limited more by the aluminium structure and the temperature limits of the engine than by thrust or drag (which gives an aerodynamic maximum speed of Mach 2.2). Later models used uprated marks of the J79, improving thrust by almost 30%.
Equipment and armament
Early Starfighters used a downward-firing ejection seat (the Lockheed C-1), out of concern over the ability of an upward-firing seat to clear the tailplane. This presented obvious problems in low-altitude escapes, and some 21 USAF pilots failed to escape their stricken aircraft in low-level emergencies because of it. The downward-firing seat was soon replaced by a Lockheed C-2 upward-firing seat, which was capable of clearing the tail, although it still had a minimum speed limitation of 90 knots (170 km/h). Most export Starfighters were fitted with Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seats (having the ability to successfully eject the pilot from the aircraft even at zero altitude and zero airspeed).
The initial USAF Starfighters had basic AN/ASG-14T ranging radar, TACAN, and radio. The later international fighter-bomber aircraft had much more advanced Aeroneutics NASARR radar, a simple infrared sight, a Litton LN-3 inertial navigation system, and an air data computer.
In the late 1960s, the Italian Air Force developed a more advanced version of the Starfighter, the 'F-104S', for use as an all-weather interceptor. The F-104S received a NASAAR R21-G with moving-target indicator (for some ability against low-level targets) and a continuous-wave illuminator for semi-active radar homing missiles, including AIM-7 Sparrow and Selenia Aspide. The missile-guidance avionics forced the deletion of the Starfighter's internal cannon. In the mid-1980s surviving F-104S aircraft were updated to 'ASA' standard (''Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma'', or Weapon Systems Update), with a much improved, more compact Fiat R21G/M1 radar.
Basic armament of the F-104 was the M61 Vulcan 20 mm Gatling gun. The Starfighter was the first aircraft to carry the new weapon, which had a rate of fire of 6,000 rounds per minute. The cannon, mounted in the lower part of the port fuselage, was fed by a 725-round drum behind the pilot's seat. It was deleted in two-seat models and some single-seat models, including reconnaissance versions and the early Italian F-104S models (the gun bay and ammunition tank could be replaced by an additional fuel tank). Two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles could be carried on the wingtip stations, which could also be used for fuel tanks or other stores. F-104C and later models added a centerline pylon and two underwing pylons under each wing for bombs, nuclear weapons, rocket pods, or tanks. The centerline pylon could carry a "catamaran" launcher for two additional Sidewinders, although the installation had minimal ground clearance and made the seeker heads of the missiles vulnerable to ground debris. The F-104S and some F-104G and F-104J models added a pair of fuselage pylons beneath the intakes, usually used for Sidewinders (providing better ground clearance than the catamaran launcher and leaving the centerline available for other stores). The Italian F-104S had still another pylon under each wing, for a maximum of nine. The F-104S was cleared for a higher maximum takeoff weight, allowing it to carry up to 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) of stores; other Starfighters had a maximum external load of 4,000 lb (1,814 kg).
Pilot impressions
The Starfighter was generally considered a rewarding, if very demanding, "sports car" of a fighter. It was the first combat aircraft capable of sustained Mach 2 flight (not just a brief dash) and its speed and climb performance remain impressive even by modern standards. If used appropriately, with high-speed slashing attacks and good use of its exceptional thrust-to-weight ratio, it could be a formidable opponent, although being lured into a turning contest with a slower, more maneuverable opponent (as Pakistani pilots were with Indian Hunters in 1965) was perilous. The F-104's turn radius and high-alpha behavior were always tricky, and the Starfighter had a reputation for unforgiving behavior. Some operators lost nearly half their aircraft through accidents, although the accident rate varied widely depending on the user and operating conditions; the Spanish Air Force, for example, lost none. The Starfighter was a particular favorite of the Aeronautica Militare Italiana (Italian Air Force), although the AMI's accident rate was far from the lowest of Starfighter users. This earned the plane nicknames such as ''bara volante'' (flying coffin) and ''fabbrica vedove'' (widow-maker).[5]
Notable U.S. Air Force pilots who lost their lives in F-104 accidents include Major Robert H. Lawrence, Jr. and Captain Iven Kincheloe. Civilian (retired USAAF) pilot Joe Walker died in a mid-air collision with an XB-70 Valkyrie while flying a F-104. Chuck Yeager was nearly killed when he lost control of an NF-104A during a high-altitude record-breaking attempt. He lost the tips of two fingers and was hospitalized for a long period with severe burns after the flight.
Operational history
Air Defense Command
The initial F-104A served briefly with the USAF Air Defense Command as an interceptor, although neither its range or armament were well-suited for that role. On 18 May 1958, an F-104A set a world speed record of 1,404.19 mph (2,259.82 km/h), and on 14 December 1959, an F-104C set a world altitude record of 103,395 ft (31.5 km). The Starfighter was the first aircraft to hold simultaneous official world records for speed, altitude, and time-to-climb.
Tactical Air Command
The subsequent F-104C entered service with Tactical Air Command as a multi-role fighter and fighter-bomber. It saw service in the Vietnam War. The last USAF Starfighters left service in 1969, but continued with the Puerto Rico ANG until 1975.[6]
The USAF procured only 296 Starfighters in one- and two-seat versions. The USAF was less than satisfied with the Starfighter. At the time USAF doctrine placed little importance on air superiority (the "pure" fighter mission), and the Starfighter was deemed inadequate for either the interceptor or tactical fighter-bomber role, lacking both payload and endurance compared to other USAF aircraft. Its U.S. service quickly wound down after 1965.
Vietnam War
The subsequent F-104C entered service with Tactical Air Command as a multi-role fighter and fighter-bomber. It saw service in the Vietnam War, commencing with the ROLLING THUNDER campaign. The Starfighter was used both in the air-superiority role (although it saw little aerial combat, and scored no air-to-air kills) and in the air support mission. Starfighter squadrons made two deployments to Vietnam, the first from April 1965 to November 1965, flying 2,937 combat sorties. During that first deployment two Starfighters were shot down by surface to air missiles, one was shot down by a Chinese MiG-19 (Shenyang J-6) when the F-104 strayed over the border, and two F-104s were lost to a mid-air collision associated with that air-to-air battle. The Starfighters returned to Vietnam in June 1966 and fought on until July 1967, in which time they flew 2,269 combat sorties, for a total of 5,206 sorties. Nine more F-104s were lost; two F-104s to ground fire, three to surface-to-air missiles, and the final four losses were operational (engine failures). The Starfighters rotated and/or transitioned to F-4 Phantoms in July 1967, having lost a total of 14 F-104s to all causes in Vietnam.
India-Pakistan Wars
At dawn on 6 September 1965, Flight Lieutenant Aftab Alam Khan in an F-104 claimed a Dassault Mystère IV destroyed over West Pakistan and damaged another, to mark the start of aerial combat in the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. At that time it was claimed as the first combat kill by any Mach 2 aircraft, and the first missile kill for the Pakistan Air Force. Indian sources dispute this claim.[7] The PAF lost two F-104 Starfighters during the 1965 operations scoring two kills in return.
The Starfighter is also believed to have been instrumental in intercepting an Indian Air Force Folland Gnat earlier, on 3 September 1965. F-104s were vectored to intercept the Gnat flying over Pakistan, on its way to its home base. The F-104s, closing in at supersonic speed, caused the Gnat pilot to lower the undercarriage and land at a disused Pakistani airfield nearby to surrender. The Indian AF claims Squadron Leader Brij Pal Singh (who later rose to be an Air Marshal) had a navigation error that led him to land on a Pakistani airstrip. Singh was taken as a POW and later released.[8]. The Indian version of events has been corroborated by Pakistani commentators and airmen, who have confirmed that the F-104s arrived after the Gnat landed. The IAF Gnat is now displayed at the PAF Museum, Karachi.
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the F-104s were outfought and out-gunned by the IAF's fighters and though Jordanian Starfighters were added to bolster the numbers, this did little to sway the air war in Pakistan's favor. It became the victim of the first supersonic dogfight in the subcontinent when an IAF MiG-21 shot down a Starfighter.[9] Up to four PAF Starfighters were shot down by IAF MiG-21s and another four were claimed by Indian ground fire[10][11] and even Pakistan [12] admitted three losses, two to MiG-21s and one to AA fire.[13].[14]
International service
At the same time as the F-104 was falling out of U.S. favor, the Federal German Airforce was looking for a multi-role aircraft. The Starfighter was presented and reworked to convert it from a fair-weather fighter into an all-weather ground attack and interceptor aircraft the F-104G. This brought it a new market with other NATO countries, and 2,578 F-104s were built in the U.S. and abroad for various nations. Few countries received theirs under the military aid program. The American engine was retained but built under license in Europe. The Lockheed ejector seats were also retained at first but were replaced later by the superior Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat.
The so-called "Deal of the Century" produced considerable income for Lockheed. However, the resulting Lockheed bribery scandals caused considerable political controversy in Europe and Japan. In Germany, the Minister of Defence Franz Josef Strauß was accused of having received at least $10 million for West Germany's purchase of 900 F-104 Starfighters in 1961.[15] Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands later confessed to having received more than $1 million in bribes. In the 1970s it was revealed that Lockheed had engaged in an extensive campaign of bribery of foreign officials to obtain sales, a scandal that nearly led to the ailing corporation's downfall.
The F-104 in international service began to wind down in the late 1970s, replaced in many cases by the F-16 Fighting Falcon, but it remained in service with some air forces for another two decades. The last front-line Starfighters were with the Italian AMI, which retired in mid-2004.
Civilian use
The Starfighters prepare for a demonstration.
The Starfighters are a civilian aerobatic team based in Florida that currently flies two F-104s at air shows. Their two F-104 Starfighters, a CF-104D 104632 "N104RB" and CF-104 104850 "N104RD" (with a third to be restored) were originally with the Royal Canadian Air Force and both later served with the Royal Norwegian Air Force before being imported into the U.S. in private hands. The team lost one of its founding pilots in 2003 when Tom "Sharkbait" Delashaw was killed in a two-seat Hawker Hunter at a Pennsylvania airport when an engine apparently failed.
Another civilian Starfighter, called the F-104RB (for "Red Baron"), was used to set the low-level speed record in October 1977 by world-famous air racer Darryl Greenamyer. Greenamyer built his F-104 over a period of 12 years from parts scrounged from various places, including a "borrowed" J79-17/1 turbojet from a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, which developed over 2,000 lb. more thrust than the standard J79-19 engine. Greenamyer attacked the record at Mud Lake, near Tonapah, Nevada, and beat the previous low-level speed record by recording a top speed of 988.26 mph (1590.41 km/h) after five passes over the dry lake. He remained supersonic for most of the 20-minute flight, and rarely got much higher than 100 feet above the lake bed. Several months later, while practicing to set the world absolute altitude record, he was forced to eject when his landing gear failed to extend; a belly landing in the F-104 was considered too dangerous, as fuel lines run along the bottom of the F-104's fuselage.
Costs
''The costs are in approximately 1960 United States dollars and have not been adjusted for inflation.''
| F-104A | F-104B | F-104C | F-104D | F-104G | TF-104G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit R&D cost | 189,473 | 189,473 | ||||
| Airframe | 1,026,859 | 1,756,388 | 863,235 | 873,952 | ||
| Engine | 624,727 | 336,015 | 473,729 | 271,148 | 169,000 | |
| Electronics | 3,419 | 13,258 | 5,219 | 16,210 | ||
| Armament | 19,706 | 231,996 | 91,535 | 269,014 | ||
| Ordnance | 29,517 | 59,473 | 44,684 | 70,067 | ||
| Flyaway cost | 1.7 million | 2.4 million | 1.5 million | 1.5 million | 1.42 million | 1.26 million |
| Modification costs by 1973 | 198,348 | 196,396 | ||||
| Cost per flying hour | 655 | |||||
| Maintenance cost per flying hour | 395 | 544 | 395 | 395 |
Variants
A total of 2,578 F-104s were produced by Lockheed and under license by various foreign manufacturers. Principal variants included:
★ ;XF-104: Two prototype aircraft equipped with Wright J65 engines (the J79 was not yet ready); no operational equipment.
★ ;YF-104A: 17 pre-production aircraft used for engine, equipment, and flight testing.
★ ;F-104A: 153 initial production versions. In USAF service from 1958 through 1960, then transferred to ANG until 1963 when they were recalled by the USAF Air Defense Command for the 319th and 331st Fighter Interceptor Squadrons. Some were released for export to Jordan, Pakistan, and Taiwan, each of whom used it in combat. In 1967 the 319th F-104As and Bs were re-engined with the J79-GE-19 engines with 17,900 pounds (79.6 kN) of thrust in afterburner. Note: service ceiling with this engine was in excess of 73,000 feet (22,250 m). In 1969 all the F-104A/Bs in ADC service were retired.
★ ;NF-104A: Three demilitarized versions with 6,000 lbf (27 kN) Rocketdyne LR121/AR-2-NA-1 rocket engines, used for astronaut training at altitudes up to 120,800 ft (36,830 m). (A December 10, 1963 accident involving Chuck Yeager was depicted in the movie ''The Right Stuff'', although the aircraft in the film was not an actual NF-104A.)
★ ;QF-104A: 22 F-104As converted as radio-controlled drones and test aircraft.
★ ;F-104B: 26 dual-control trainer versions of F-104A. No cannon and reduced internal fuel, but otherwise combat-capable. A few were supplied to Pakistan and Taiwan.
★ ;F-104C: 71 Fighter bomber versions for USAF Tactical Air Command, with improved fire-control radar (AN/ASG-14T-2), centerline and two wing pylons (for a total of five), and ability to carry one Mk 28 or Mk 43 nuclear weapon on centerline pylon. The 476th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to Vietnam in April 1965 through July 1965, losing one Starfighter; the 436th Tactical Fighter Squadron deployed to Vietnam in July 1965 through October 1965, losing four Starfighters; the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron[16] deployed from June 1966 through July 1967, at which time they transitioned to F-4 Phantoms, and had lost nine F-104 Starfighters during their tour. No air-to-air kills were scored, although the Starfighters were successful in deterring MiG interceptors. Vietnam-serving F-104s were upgraded in service with APR-25/26 radar warning receiver equipment. Nine were lost in combat. One is on display in the Air Zoo in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
★ ;F-104D: 21 dual-control trainer versions of F-104C.
★ ;F-104DJ: 20 dual-control trainer version of F-104J for Japanese Self-Defense Air Force, built by Lockheed rather than Mitsubishi.
★ ;F-104F: 30 dual-control trainer based on F-104D, but using the upgraded engine of the F-104G. No radar, and not combat-capable. 30 produced as interim trainers for the Luftwaffe.
★ ;F-104G: 1,122 aircraft in major production version as multi-role fighter bomber aircraft. Built by 4 groups of European companies, Canadair and Lockheed. Strengthened fuselage and wings, increased internal fuel capacity, enlarged vertical fin, heavier landing gear, revised flaps for improved combat maneuvering. New Autonetics NASARR F15A-41B radar with air-to-air and air-to-ground modes, Litton LN-3 inertial navigation (the first on a production fighter), infrared sight.
★ ;RF-104G: 189 tactical reconnaissance models based on F-104G, usually with three KS-67A cameras mounted in the forward fuselage in place of cannon.
★ ;TF-104G: 220 combat-capable trainer version of F-104G; no cannon or centerline pylon, reduced internal fuel. One civil version, civil registration number L104L, was used by Jackie Cochran to set three women’s world speed records in 1964.
★ ;F-104J: 178 Japanese version, built under license by Mitsubishi for the air-superiority fighter role, armed with cannon and four Sidewinders; no strike capability.
★ ;F-104N: Three F-104Gs delivered to NASA in 1963 for use as high-speed chase aircraft. One, piloted by Joe Walker, collided with the XB-70 on 8 June 1966 - photos from crash site.
★ ;F-104S: 246 Italian versions produced mainly by FIAT, upgraded for interception role with NASARR R-21G/H radar with moving-target indicator and continuous-wave illuminator for SARH missiles (initially AIM-7 Sparrow), two additional wing hardpoints, more powerful J79-GE-19 engine with 11,870 lbf (53 kN) and 17,900 lbf (80 kN) thrust, two additional ventral fins for increased stability. The cannon was sacrificed to make room for the illuminator and was never restored in subsequent variants.
★ ;F-104S-ASA: (''Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma'' - "Weapon Systems Update") - 147 upgraded Italian version with Fiat R21G/M1 radar with frequency hopping, look-down/shoot-down capability, new IFF and weapons delivery computer, provision for AIM-9L all-aspect Sidewinder, Selenia Aspide missiles.
★ ;F-104S-ASA/M: (''Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma/Modificato'' - "Weapon Systems Update/Modified") - 49 single seat and 15 two-seat (former TF-104G) upgraded from 1998 to ASA/M standard with GPS, new TACAN and Litton LN-30A2 INS, refurbished airframe, improved cockpit displays. All strike-related equipment was removed. The last Starfighters in combat service, they were withdrawn in December 2004 and temporarily replaced by the F-16 Fighting Falcon, while awaiting Eurofighter Typhoon deliveries.
★ ;CF-104: 200 Canadian-built versions, built under license by Canadair and optimized for nuclear strike, with NASARR R-24A radar with air-to-air modes and cannon deleted (the cannon was restored after 1972), additional internal fuel cell, and Canadian J79-OEL-7 engines with 10,000 lbf (44 kN) /15,800 lbf (70 kN) thrust.
★ ;CF-104D: 38 dual-control trainer versions of CF-104, built by Lockheed, but with Canadian J79-OEL-7 engines. Some later transferred to Denmark, Norway and Turkey.
;EWR VJ 101C (German V/STOL Starfighter)
EWR VJ 101C
:In the 1960s and early 1970s, Germany used the F-104 as the basis for research into a V/STOL aircraft. Although two models (X1 and X2) were built, the project was canceled due to high costs and political problems as well as changing needs of the Luftwaffe and NATO. The EWR VJ 101C did perform free VTOL take-offs and landings, as well as test flights beyond Mach 1 in the mid and late 1960s. One of the test-aircraft is preserved in the Deutsches Museum in Munich.[17]
Survivors on display
★ AeroWeb's List of F-104s on Display
Nicknames
The Starfighter was commonly called the "missile with a man in it," a name swiftly trademarked by Lockheed for marketing purposes. In service, American pilots called it the "Zipper" or "Zip-104" because of its prodigious speed. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force called it ''Eiko'' ("Glory"), but other foreign pilots were less charitable, many dubbing it "The Flying Coffin". The German public called it ''Witwenmacher'' ("Widowmaker"), ''fliegender Sarg'' ("flying coffin") or ''Erdnagel'' ("ground nail," the official military term for a tent peg.Bashow 1986, p. 16. The Pakistani AF name was ''Badmash'' ("Hooligan"), while among Italian pilots its spiky design earned it the nickname ''Spillone'' ("Hatpin"), along with ''Bara volante'' ("Flying coffin"). Canadian pilots sometimes referred to it as the ''flying lawn dart'' (a nickname also sometimes given to the aircraft's successor in the lightweight dogfighter role, the F-16 Fighting Falcon). In Denmark the distinct shape was described as "a pregnant darning needle put across a razor blade".
The engine made a unique howling sound at certain throttle settings which led someBashow 1986, p. 16. to call NASA F-104B Starfighter N819NA ''Howling Howland''. At certain low speeds with high engine rpm, the aircraft produced a pronounced oscillating whine as the wings rocked from side to side. In Canada this was referred to as the "Whistling Wing Walk."[18]
Land speed record car
A modified F-104A Starfighter airframe is being used for the North American Eagle land speed record jet car. The Eagle team hopes to attain 800 mph (1,288 km/h) or Mach 1.05. [19]
Operators
Canadian CF-104 displayed at CFB Borden
Dutch F-104 displayed in the Militaire Luchtvaart Museum Soesterberg (Netherlands)
An ex-Luftwaffe Starfighter at Le Bourget
A formation of Italian F-104Ss
JASDF F-104J currently exhibited by Hokkaido Chippubetsu city
Military operators
;: The Belgian Air Force operated European-built F-104Gs. They were in service with four Groups: 23, 31 (fighter-bombers), 349 and 351 as interceptors, and finally an OCU unit. In total 101 SABCA built F-104Gs and 12 TF-104G built by Lockheed were purchased. The Belgian Air Force operated the type from 14 February 1963 to 19 September 1983, then the survivors were sent to Turkey (18 examples), while 38 G and three TF were lost in accidents.
;
Main articles: Canadair F-104
:The RCAF, later CAF, operated 200 Canadian-built CF-104s and 38 dual-control trainer CF-104Ds (built by Lockheed) 1962- 1986. CF-104s were equipped with additional electronic equipment, with RWR function, in the tail and nose. Losses were high, with around 110 crashes in Europe, with bad weather conditions contributed to almost 50% of the accidental losses.
:Canadian-built F-104Gs went to Denmark, Greece, Norway Spain and Turkey while surplus CF-104s and CF-104Ds were later transferred to Denmark and Norway.[20]
;
The Republic of China Air Force operated F-104A, B, D, G, J, DJ, RF-104G, and TF-104G.
;
The Danish Air Force received some CF-104s and CF-104Ds from Canada under the military assistance program. A total of 51 were delivered: 25 G, 15 CF, seven CF-104D, and four TF-104G. Losses were 11 single seat and three dual seat. 15 and 3 were sent to Taiwan in 1987, where their replacement by F-16s was completed in April 1986. [21].
;
Germany received 917 F-104s Fricker and Jackson 1996. p. 92, comprising 750 F/RF-104Gs, 137 TF-104Gs and 30 F-104Fs, forming the major combat equipment of both the ''Luftwaffe'' and ''Marineflieger''. At its peak in the mid 1970s, the ''Luftwaffe'' operated five F-104 equipped fighter bomber wings, two interceptor wings and two tactical reconnaissance wings. The German Navy operated a further two wings of F-104s in the maritme strike and reconnaissance roles .
The Starfighter entered service with the ''Luftwaffe'' in July 1960 , with deliveries continuing until March 1973 [22], remaining in operational service until 16 October 1987[21], but continuing in use for test purposes until 22 May 1991.
The ''Marineflieger'' initially used AS.30 command guidance missiles as Anti-Ship weapons, but these were replaced with the more sophisticated and longer ranged radar-guided AS.34 Kormoran missile, allowing stand-off attacks to be carried out against enemy ships. [24]
German Starfighters proved to have an alarming accident rate. In German service alone, 292 of the 916 Starfighters crashed, claiming the lives of 115 pilots, leading to claims that the Starfighter was fundamentally unsafe and earning it the ''Widowmaker'' nickname, among others (see above). However, some of the non-German F-104 users earned a better safety record. For instance, Spain lost none in the same period, flying a different mission in considerably better weather conditions.
;
The Greek Air Force received their F-104s under the military aid program.
;
In the Italian Air Force (AMI, Aeronautica Militare Italiana), the F-104 was a mainstay from the 1960s until the end of the 20th century. The first 105 F-104G, 24 TF-104G and 20 RF-104G became operational starting from 1962, for a total of nine groups (two were reconnaissance, one training and the rest interceptor (CI) and bombers (CB)), replacing the aging F-86s and RF-84s. Although far superior to the aircraft it replaced in performance terms, the F-104 lacked a powerful radar, and its internal reconnaissance equipment (RF-104G) did not prove an improvement. In the first 5 years 24 planes were lost. As only 80-90 F-104s were operational at the best (officially every Squadron had 18 aircraft but this was impossible since only 149 were acquired), it was decided to acquire new aircraft, this time of a new generation designed by Aeritalia in collaboration with Lockheed, the F-104S (see Equipment and armament. If 'G' stood for 'Germany', the lead country for this version, 'S' meant 'Sparrow' because this was the main improvement, coupled with the last model of J-79 (8,120 kg/t)[21].
The first F-104S flew in 1966 and the new type entered in service in 1969. This new model was ordered in 205 examples, all delivered in 1969-1976, while the model was also an export success. Turkey bought 40 examples. The new F-104s were enhanced with a more powerful engine that allowed faster climb with the capability to reach Mach 2 at 12,000 m in around five minutes. It also had nine hardpoints carrying up to 3,400 kg. The model was built in two versions; as an interceptor fighter (CI), with Sparrow and without the M61 Vulcan, and as the CB, with the gun retained, and bombs and other air-to surface ordnance. The models were interchangeable, and it is unclear how many were built or rebuilt to these standards. The radar range was still low and the rate of loss remained high (in total, up to 1997 Italy lost 137 F-104s in 928,000 flying hours, or 14.7 aircraft every 100,000 hrs, and 38% total). Up to ten machines were lost in some years (like 1973) in the early 1970s, and the debate about the reliability of this aircraft was often fierce. Agility, especially with the AIM still on board, was not the best characteristic of the F-104 and avionics were also modest; the CI lacked a RWR, and retained the IR sensor only as an acquisition backup for the Sidewinder, not as a real IRST. The CB was often fitted with an ECM ALQ-70 or 71 but not a RWR and seldom a chaff-launcher. Because no TF or RF 'S' version was made, not all the F-104Gs were replaced. Many of the survivors were used in the recognition or training role, since in 1973 almost all the interceptor squadrons were re-equipped with 'S's. F-104Gs were used for reconnaissance using the Orpheus pod, 20 of which were acquired, which had IR and day sensors. RF-104Gs were swiftly replaced. In the 1980s the rate of loss dropped, and even more in the 1990s, when all the old versions (except TF-104s) were scrapped.
Two further improvement programs were carried out, resulting in the F-104ASA and F-104ASA-M, prior to the introduction of the new Eurofighter Typhoon. F-104ASA (Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma) introduced a Fiar Setter radar, with some look-down capabilities and compatibility with the Aspide missile. Some other new radars like Grifo were available but the costs were too high. The Aspide was not a standard at least for 5 years, with the first F-104ASA delivered in 1986. AIM-9L were used from the start as main armament, replacing with time the older 'B' and 'F', while the older AIM-7s were retained. Generally one was carried under a wing, seldom two. Because of the lack of a modern radar missile, and a powerful radar, the 104s were usually vectored by ground control, using radio commands (there was no datalink). 147 F-104S were rebuilt at an expense of around 600 billion lire and the last ASA was delivered in the early 1990s. The ECO version focused on improving reliability rather than combat enhancements, and interested 49 ASA and 15 TF. The air defense situation was so poor that 24 RAF Tornado ADV were used as interim fighters for two groups, and apparently AM was unable to replace these machines. The last Italian F-104 was finally decommissioned in 2004, after around a million flyng hours over 40 years of service. Squadrons involved were 9, 10,12, 18 (dual), 20 (training), 21, 22, 23, 28 and 102 (recce), 154, 155, 156 (bombers). Only one, 28, was a dual purpose squadron (with CBs), while the rest were interceptor (up to seven of them), trainers (one, with TF-14s), recce (two) or bombers (two)[21].
;
Japan Air Self-Defense Force operated 178 F-104J (Japanese version, built under license by Mitsubishi) air-superiority fighters and 20 dual-control trainer F-104DJs, built by Lockheed rather than Mitsubishi. Called 'Eiko' (Glory), they served from October 1962 to 1986, losing only 36 machines. Seven air-superiority squadrons used them: 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207. Many F-104s faced Soviet aircraft during this long service, and finally dozens of them were converted to drones.
;
Jordanian Air Force operated the F-104A version delivered under the military aid program.
;
Royal Netherlands Air Force operated European-built F-104s. A total of 138 Starfighters was delivered to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force, or KLu).[27]
;
Norwegian Air Force received 45 CF-104s and CF-104Ds from Canada under the military aid program.
;
Pakistan was the second country in Asia to get a supersonic aircraft when they acquired the F-104A and F-104B Starfighter in 1961 for Pakistan Air Force and the first to take it into combat during 1965 India-Pakistan War. After the war, the remaining five PAF F-104s were grounded due to lack of spares resulting from the U.S. military embargo. They were replaced by French-made Dassault Mirage III fighters.
;
Air National Guard in Puerto Rico 156th TFS operated F-104Cs until 1975. A known survivor is on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum[28], Denver, CO.
; Spanish State
Spanish Air Force received their F-104s under the military assistance program: 18 Lockheed-built F-104Gs and three Lockheed-built TF-104Gs were delivered under MAP to Spain's Ejercito del Aire in 1965.[29]
;
Turkish Air Force received some CF-104s and CF-104Ds from Canada under the military aid program.
;
United States Air Force, as part of Air Defense Command and Tactical Air Command
Civil operators
;:
★ NASA operated 11 F-104s (different versions) between 1963 and 1987.
★ ''The Starfighters'' (civilian aerobatic team) operates two CF-104Ds.
Specifications (F-104G)
Orthographically projected diagram of the F-104 Starfighter.
F-104 in popular culture
★ The German controversy over the Starfighter's contract and its toll on pilots inspired a rock concept album by Robert Calvert of Hawkwind, called ''Captain Lockheed and the Starfighters''. It repeated the commonplace grim joke in Germany that the cheapest way of obtaining a Starfighter was to buy a small patch of land and simply wait. [30]
★ After Kai-Uwe von Hassel succeeded Strauss as minister of defence, his son Oberleutnant Joachim von Hassel died in a Starfighter crash. This event was the topic of the song, "Starfighter F-104G."
★ The Tom Tom Club song "Booming and Zooming" prominently features the F-104 Starfighter.
★ Stock footage of F-104s was used when US Air Force aircraft intercepted the U.S.S. Enterprise in the '' first season episode, "Tomorrow is Yesterday".
★ An F-104G Starfighter was featured, in the guise of the NF-104, in the 1983 film ''The Right Stuff''.
★ The 1964 movie ''The Starfighters'', about the training and operations of F-104 crews was subsequently featured in episode #612 of Mystery Science Theater 3000.
References
1. Knaack, Marcelle Size. ''Encyclopedia of US Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems: Volume 1 Post-World War II Fighters 1945-1973''. Washington, DC: Office of Air Force History, 1978. ISBN 0-912799-59-5.
2. Dieser Starfighter bleibt unten, 292 of 1000 Starfighters were lost in accidents in the German Luftwaffe (de)
3. Incidenti F-104, lista non completo (it)
4. Aerei Militari, F-104 (it)
5. Museo Caproni, Lockheed Starfighter
6. Hobson 2001
7. Jagan, P.V.S. Mohan and Samir Chopra|Chopra, Samir. ''The India-Pakistan Air War of 1965''. New Delhi: Manohar, 2006. ISBN 8-17304-641-7.
8. Pakdef.info
9. 1971 War history
10. Air War in the West, Pg455 Official Indian Armed Forces History of the 1971 War
11. Air War of 1971
12. http://www.vectorsite.net/avf104_3.html#m2
13. PAF Losses in 1971 war
14. Starfighters in Pakistan.
15. Time magazine
16. Two C's from the 435th
17. German VSTOL Fighters
18. Although an exact reference cannot be found, According to the CF-104 Manual: “An abrupt thrust reduction results in abrupt roll off tendency and a rapid increase in sink rate.” One pilot noted in a sim session, "That is exactly what happened to me resulting in wing rocking oscillations and a high sink rate."[1]
19. Landspeed North American Eagle F-104
20. Stachiw and Tattersall 2007, p. 47.
21. Sgarlato
22. Fricker and Jackson 1996. p. 72
23. Sgarlato
24. Fricker and Jackson 1996. p. 56
25. Sgarlato
26. Sgarlato
27. Baugher's F-104 to the Netherlands
28. Wing's F-104C with PRANG history
29. Baugher's F-104G Spain delivery
30. Bashow 1990, p. 93. Quote: "...just buy an acre of land anywhere in Germany, Sooner or later..."
----
★ Bashow, David L. ''Starfighter: A Loving Retrospective of the CF-104 Era in Canadian Fighter Aviation, 1961-1986''. Stoney Creek, Ontario: Fortress Publications Inc., 1990. ISBN 0-91919-512-1.
★ ___________. "Starwarrior: A First Hand Look at Lockheed's F-104, One of the Most Ambitious Fighters ever Designed!" ''Wings'' Vol. 16, no. 3, June 1986.
★ Baugher's F-104 Index Page variants and operators
★ Donald, David, ed. ''Century Jets''. Norwalk, Connecticut: AIRtime Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-880588-68-4.
★ Fricker, John and Jackson, Paul. "Lockheed F-104 Starfighter". ''Wings of Fame''. Volume 2 1996. Pages 38 - 99. Aerospace Publishing. London. ISBN 1 874023 69 7.
★ Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. ''The Great Book of Fighters''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0-7603-1194-3.
★ Higham, Robin and Williams, Carol. ''Flying Combat Aircraft of USAAF-USAF (Vol.2)''. Manhattan, Kansas: Sunflower University Press, 1978. ISBN 0-8138-0375-6.
★ Hobson, Chris. ''Vietnam Air Losses, USAF, USN, USMC, Fixed-Wing Aircraft Losses in Southeast Asia 1961–1973''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 2001. ISBN 1-85780-1156.
★ Pace, Steve. ''F-104 Starfighter: design, Development and Worldwide Operations of the First Operational Mach 2 Fighter''. Oscela, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1992. ISBN 0-87938-608-8.
★ _______. ''X-Fighters: USAF Experimental and Prototype Fighters, XP-59 to YF-23''. Oscela, Wisconsin: Motorbooks International, 1991. ISBN 0-87938-540-5.
★ Stachiw, Anthony L. and Tattersall, Andrew. ''CF104 Starfighter (Aircraft in Canadian Service)''. St. Catharine's, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing Limited, 2007. ISBN 1-55125-114-0.
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