104, over and out

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
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Well, the day is almost upon the aviation world, the last vestige of the Century Series fighters will scream off into history, at full burner most certainly.

Its difficult to believe that next month will mark the 50th anniversary of the F-104 Starfighter’s first flight, I don’t think anyone could have forseen that sleek shape in active military service for as long as it has remained so.

From what I’ve heard, the Italian Air Force will see its last 104 out of service before 2004 is out.

It’ll be sad to see this Cold War classic go, but she did well for herself and from what I understand, most who flew her loved every minute of it.

A moment of silence, so we may enjoy the sound of her last trip to full burner and her last sonic boom to the fullest[:D]


Former Canadian Armed Forces CF-104 seen preserved in a museum in 1992.

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I don’t know if it is the last hoorah upnorth… I read an article that they are going to take the wings off one and try to break the land speed record. Come to think of it that would be a unique modeling subject.[:D]

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Let us hope a couple of museums can keep one or two airworthy.

I know its not a British jet, but maybe that fellow in South Africa that runs Thunder City would make a grab for one just to keep a true jet classic going.

I’m sure some folks would put out big bucks to get a sound barrier breaking ride in a 104.

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the Renalds Museum at Wetaskewan (Alberta, Canada) Has one of those planes on site. I believe it may be that one accually…

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You guys know that there is one flying in private ownership? I can’t remember the couples name who owns it, but I saw it on Discovery wings and they fly it at airshows.

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This reminds me I need to pick up one of Hasegawa’s 1/48th F-104’s. Saw one at an Airshow 10 or 12 years back that was polished and looked like it just came off the assembly line. I’ll have to dig though my pictures. Don’t remember if it was Air Guard or what.

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Go to www.starfighters.net
You will find all of the info on the TWO flying CF-104s at this time. They have a third that they are currently working on.
I got to watch one of them fly at the Fort Smith Airshow last October 11 and 12. VERY impressive indeed!!! The two seater had broken something after they had arrived and they had it set up for static display.
You can also purchase decals for these two planes on their website.

Randie [C):-)]

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hi guys[:)]
firstly jets aren’t my thing (me262, i’ll make an exception for!![8D]), but i have a question regarding the starfighter: was it really “loved bythose who flew her every minute”?? only i seem to remember seeing a documentary saying that it was erratic on take-off/landing and thus not the most popular jet with pilots, who preferred things to go smoothly in those departments!![B)][:0]
please correct me guys if i’m wrong, and perhaps mention which jet the programme i saw actually was about if you can.
regards,
nick

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I saw a pair of them at Mc Dill in Tampa about 6 or so years ago. The noise of that bird is unique, as well as the 3 blue rings of flame behind it. I wont forget it. [bow]

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I recall reading once that the cause for it’s unpopularity was the narrowness of the main landing gear. Take-off and landing was very touchy at best.
I don’t know if that is what the program you saw was referring to or not.

Randie [C):-)]

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It’s nice to hear that this old plane will live on trying to conquer the land speed record!
As an aside, i read somewhere here on the forum that the flight manual of the 104 (At least i think it was for this plane) listed the same solution to most problems that would occur in flight: Eject. [:p]

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The movie “The Right Stuff” comes to mind.

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Aaaahhh … the F-104 Starfighter … a truely outstanding aircraft !!! [bow]

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I forgot to mention that while the plane is on the ground. They have a cover that goes over the leading edge of the wing.
It is so thin and sharp, that it can actually cut you.

Randie [C):-)]

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I must admit that it is a really nice plane even if it “killed” the Valkyrie…

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Hey Nick, I too remember seeing something about that… If I remember correctly the disgruntled pilots had a nickname of some sort for it. Something menacing like “Widowmaker” or some such thing. I can’t remember exactly. I have also heard that on ground stability was a problem with those wheels so close together. It would still have to be one of the coolest jets ever.[8D]

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I think it was an F-4 that killed the Valkyie

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It was an F-104 that got sucked up into the B-70s wake turbulance and caused the demise of both aircraft.

If I remember right it was Grenamier (sp) that owned an F-104 and used it for air racing. The aircraft was lost off the California coast. I think the pilot ejected, but that part of the story I cannot recall. This was 10 to 15 years ago. I recall seing a couple of stories in aviation magazines about F-104s in private hands, but do not recall that they were being flown.

I have seen two F104s in Canadian museums, and the Air Force Museum has one mounted on a pylon as a “Gate Guard”.

The there are a few really distinct F-104 paint jobs. The Canadian all red aircraft with the white arrow (Revell 1/32), the black and yellow “Tiger Meet” aircraft (Monogram 1/4/8), and the Greek Air Force black with a mural of Mt Olympus (I think that is what it is) currently available from Hasagawa in 1/48th scale. I just ordered the Hasagawa kit and cant wait to start it (This decade maybe).

The F-104 was designed to be a fighter/interceptor period. It was intended to intercept Russian Bombers. It was the first aircraft to be fitted with the 20MM Vulcan Cannon (Gattling Gun). It was to “Scramble”, climb, intercept, and shoot down enemy aircraft. Notice that landing, refueling, rearming, etc. was not included in the mission. It was considered a one way mission.

I have an uncle who flew F-104s in the early days. He said it was a fighter pilots airplane, but very unforgiving. He said, "If you let the airplane get ahead of you it will kill you ". He was subsequently transferred to SAC and flew B-52s in “Fail Safe” missions for 8 years. After 22 years of flying a heart murmur was discovered and he was grounded. He did his last 8 years “pushing paper” “flying a desk”.

He said the F-104 was by far the most exciting airplane he ever flew. The “Missle With a Man in it”, is a good description of the airplane.

The F-104 suffered the fate of most of the aircraft concieved in the late 40s and early 50s. Technology has, and continues, to change rapidly. But you have to admit it had a fantastic 40+ year run. The U.S. got its moneys worth, and so did a half dozen or so NATO countries.

I think NASA is still operating a few F-104s, but I have not seen or read anything about NASA 104s in a few years.

The F-104 suffered the same indignity that most U.S. aircraft do. The aircraft are designed to meet a specific requirement, and if the aircraft does that well, sooner or later some idiot want to hang all kinds of garbage on the air plane to accomplish a mission it was never intended to perform. Go figure!

There is nothing more grotesque than an F-104 with bombs hanging under its wings.

Long live the Starfighter. rangerj

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I have often heard the 104 referred to as a ‘misile with a man strapped to it.’.

My father in law was in the RAF in Germany in the 60’s and remembered that the yused to watch 104s if they came into the base, as they had a habit of going off the end of the runway!! He figured that they were at least entertaining!

Karl

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Karl,

The F-104 has a 21 ft wingspan, tip to tip. It was unstable at slow speeds and had to be landed “hot” (fast). Pilots frequently ran the aircraft off the end of the runway because of the fast landing speed in combination with misjudging their “touchdown” point .

They were taught that being “low and slow” in a Starfighter was a deadly sitiation. As the experience levels grew, and the training improved, the NATO countries F-104 accident rates deminished to near ZERO. This is true of the USAF also.

Most pilots who learned to fly this airplane loved it. This is evidenced by the long service life it had in Eurpoe, as well as by the number of European nations that bought it. In North America the U.S. and Canada kept it in their inventories a long time also.

But, like all good thing it too must come to an end. rangerj