Lockheed F-104 Starfighter

The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a hunter with reaction American which was built with more than 2500 specimens starting from 1954, and which was used by many air forces of NATO. Apart from its official name, it carried also the nicknames of " maker of veuves" , " coffin volant" or " Fallfighter" who referred tohis high accident and failure rate. The hunter was conceived like diurnal interceptor, optimized for an high speed.

History

Starfighter is resulting from a project launched by Lockheed on its equities in March 1952, and accepted by the American Air force in January 1953. The first flight of first prototype (XF-104) takes place on March 4th, 1954 carried out by Charles " Chuck" Yeager. After 2 prototypes and 17 planes of préproduction, the F-104A is brought into service in February 1958. Its single silhouette and its performances without equal for the time cause enthusiasm then.

The first apparatuses suffer however from several problems: the engine is not very reliable and the dangerous gun (strong vibrations, shell which explode in the compartment). Moreover, the weak wing surface of the plane makes it not very manoeuvrable at low speed, therefore especially with the landing and takeoff, knowing that the ejector seat to the bottom does not leave any chance to the pilot to be left there in the event of problem. In addition to these problems, the American Air force realizes that F-104 is not finally adapted to its needs (too weak autonomy, not of capacity " all temps") and Starfighter gives up after having received approximately 300 planes. These planes are transferred towards units from second line since 1960 and are withdrawn from the service in 1969, after having however been used for the Vietnam between 1965 and 1967.

In parallel, at the end of the years 1950, NATO emits an invitation to tender for a supersonic fighter and the F-104G gains the market in November 1958. It is a version definitely improved with in particular an electronics of edge allowing a " employment; all temps" , a structure reinforced to support the flights at low altitude and to increase the capacity of carrying of load, and more important fuel tanks. Agreements of production under license are signed, inter alia with the Germany and the Canada, and the first F-104G enters in service in 1961.

The German rate of high accident of F-104 caused a sharp polemic in the middle of the Sixties, and will cost its place to the general ordering the Luftwaffe. In addition to the inherent risks with the flight at high-speed at low altitude with a weather not always lenient, and engineering problems on the engine, it seems that the maintenance of the planes and the pilot training were also in question. Oddly, German does not have, in fact, lost that 30 % of their F-104, that is to say less than Canadian (46 %) or that Belgians and Dutch (36 %).

On the whole, 2 580 specimens of F-104 were built for 15 country, including more than 900 intended for the Germany. As from 1969, the Italy produced a still improved version F-104S (more powerful engine, better radar, electronics of edge modified). Starfighter Italian were the F-104 last to remain in service: they will be withdrawn only with the beginning of the year 2000, whereas F-104 German and Canadian ceased flying in the middle of the Eighties.

Records

Starfighter established the following official records:

Speed of 2 259 km/h (May 17th, 1958)
Altitude of 27 813 m (May 7th, 1958)
Altitude of 31 515 m (December 14th, 1959)
Climbing speed: 12 000 m in 1m40s and 25 000 m in 4m26s (December 18th, 1958)

Versions

XF-104 - prototype (2 specimens)
YF-104A - planes of preproduction (17 specimens)
F-104A - first version of series (153 specimens)
NF-104A - version propelled by rocket for the training of the astronauts to more 120 000 feet.
QF-104A - was used as plane of test radiocontrolled
F-104B - two-seater version of drive of F-104A (26 specimens)
F-104C - version for the tactical attack (98 specimens)
F-104D - two-seater version of drive of F-104C (21 specimens)
F-104DJ - two-seater version of drive of F-104J (20 specimens)
F-104F - modified version of F-104D for Germany (30 specimens)
F-104G - version multirôle/all-time for the countries of NATO (1122 specimens of which majority built under license in Europe)
RF-104G - version of recognition of F-104G (189 specimens)
TF-104G - two-seater version of drive of F-104G (220 specimens)
F-104J - version built under license by Mitsubishi (178 specimens)
F-104N - version for NASA (3 specimens)
F-104S - version improved by Italy (246 specimens)
F-104S-ASA - update of the F-104S at the end of the years 1980
CF-104 - Canadian version, built under license by Tanker plane (200 specimens)
CF-104D - version two-seater of drive of CF-104 (38 specimens)

Country users

See too

history of F-104 on the site of Joseph F. Baugher

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