F-104G Starfighter RNAF/BAF 1:72

The F-104 was one of the early “Century Series” aircraft that applied lessons from the Korean War to early jet fighter design.  The legendary Kelly Johnson and his team created the lightest, most aerodynamically efficient airframe combined with a single powerful engine (in this case, the General Electric J79).  Less than a year elapsed between contract finalization and first flight, with the prototype taking to the air on March 4, 1954 at Edwards AFB.  Its high tail, unusually thin mid-fuselage-mounted trapezoidal wings, and low drag conferred Mach 2+ performance.  Between 1958 and 1977, F-104s set multiple speed, altitude, and time-to-climb records.

Originally conceived as a fighter and interceptor, the F-104 was a venerable aircraft.  Yet, its turning performance, propensity for high-alpha stalls, limited missile carriage, and growing mishap record were generally seen as problems.  Following service in the USAF’s Air Defense Command, F-104s went to work in TAC (with deployments during the early days of the Vietnam War) and later in stateside ANG squadrons.  The last F-104 in U. S. service hung up its spurs in 1975 when the Puerto Rico ANG transitioned to the A-7.  However, the F-104 was exported to many European nations including The Netherlands and Belgium.  They were both key NATO Starfighter operators until the F-104 was finally were replaced by the F-16 in the 1980s.  Italy retired the last operational Starfighter anywhere in 2004, ending a remarkable service life of 50 years. 

The F-104G was arguably the ultimate Starfighter.  Later 104s were made (such as the -J, -N, and -S variants), but they were all derived from the -G in one way or another.  The G model was a multi-role fighter-bomber.  A total of 1,122 F-104Gs were manufactured by Lockheed and under license by Canadair, and with a consortium of European companies between Messerschmitt/MBB, Dornier, Fiat, Fokker, and SABCA.  F-104Gs featured strengthened fuselages and wings, increased internal fuel, an enlarged vertical stabilizer, stronger landing gear with bigger tires, and revised flaps for improved maneuvering.  F-104Gs also featured a new radar with an early combination of air-to-air and air-to-ground modes and a new INS system.