F-104 Starfighter

F-104 Starfighter
Name	F-104 Starfighter
Caption	An F-104G in flight.
Type	Fighter aircraft
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Lockheed Corporation
Designer	Clarence "Kelly" Johnson
First flight	4 March 1954
Introduction	20 February 1958
Retired	2004 (Italy)
Status	Retired from military service
Primary user	United States Air Force
More users	German Air Force, Italian Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force
Number built	2,578
Unit cost	$1.42 million (F-104G, 1962)

F-104 Starfighter. The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed by the Lockheed Corporation for the United States Air Force. Designed by a team led by the legendary Clarence "Kelly" Johnson of the famed Skunk Works, it was conceived as a high-performance day fighter in response to experiences during the Korean War. Its radical design, featuring a distinctive short, thin wing and a powerful General Electric J79 turbojet engine, earned it nicknames like "the missile with a man in it" and established numerous world records for speed and altitude.

Development and design

The genesis of the aircraft stemmed from discussions between Clarence "Kelly" Johnson and United States Air Force pilots returning from combat in the Korean War, who desired a lightweight, high-performance fighter. Johnson's team at the Skunk Works in Burbank, California pursued an extremely minimalist design philosophy, resulting in an airframe built around the powerful General Electric J79 engine. Key features included a unique, very thin, short-span wing requiring leading-edge flaps for controllability, a T-tail configuration, and a downward-firing ejection seat designed by Stanley Aviation for low-altitude safety. The M61 Vulcan rotary cannon was integrated as its primary armament, supplemented by AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and external stores on wingtip and under-fuselage pylons. The design was finalized after extensive testing at the NASA Ames Research Center and first flew from Edwards Air Force Base.

Operational history

Service with the United States Air Force began with the 83rd Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Hamilton Air Force Base, but its tenure as a frontline interceptor was brief, soon supplanted by the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. It saw limited combat during the Vietnam War with the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing, primarily in air-to-ground roles, suffering several losses to North Vietnamese ground fire. Its most extensive and consequential service was with the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) as part of a major NATO procurement program, where it formed the backbone of West German air defense and strike capability for decades. Other major operators included the Italian Air Force, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Republic of China Air Force on Taiwan.

Variants

The initial production model for the United States Air Force was the F-104A, followed by the improved F-104C with in-flight refueling and ground-attack capability. The definitive multi-role version was the F-104G (G for Germany), developed through a multinational consortium including Lockheed, Messerschmitt, Fiat, and Fokker, featuring strengthened structure, enhanced NASARR radar, and improved avionics. The Canadian-built version, designated CF-104, was optimized for nuclear strike with the Royal Canadian Air Force and NATO. Reconnaissance versions included the RF-104G, while the two-seat TF-104G served as a combat trainer. Japan produced the F-104J under license by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

Operators

Primary operators spanned the globe, with the United States Air Force and Air National Guard units like the South Dakota Air National Guard using it into the 1970s. In Europe, the German Air Force was the largest operator, followed closely by the Italian Air Force, the Royal Norwegian Air Force, the Royal Netherlands Air Force, and the Belgian Air Component. The Royal Canadian Air Force (later unified into the Canadian Armed Forces) operated a large fleet of CF-104s. In Asia, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and the Republic of China Air Force were significant users. Other operators included the Spanish Air Force, the Hellenic Air Force, the Turkish Air Force, the Pakistan Air Force, and the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

Specifications (F-104G)

General characteristics included a crew of one, a length of 54 feet 8 inches, and a wingspan of just 21 feet 9 inches. Power was provided by a single General Electric J79-GE-11A turbojet engine with an afterburner, generating 15,600 pounds of thrust. Performance figures were exceptional, with a maximum speed of Mach 2.2, a combat radius of 420 nautical miles, and a service ceiling of 58,000 feet. Armament centered on a 20mm M61 Vulcan cannon and up to four AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, with provisions for external fuel tanks and ordnance such as BLU-1 napalm bombs or a B43 nuclear bomb on a centerline pylon.

Accidents and safety record

The aircraft gained significant notoriety for a high accident rate, particularly during its service with the German Air Force, where it was controversially dubbed "the Widowmaker." Contributing factors included its demanding high-speed, low-altitude flight profile, susceptibility to engine stall and flameout, and the challenging handling characteristics of its short wing, especially during the critical landing phase. The Bundestag established investigative committees, and issues with maintenance logistics and pilot training were scrutinized. While other air forces like the Italian Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force also experienced losses, the scale of the problem in West Germany led to a major political scandal, impacting the reputation of both the Luftwaffe and Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauss.

Category:Military aircraft