military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) (01/27/91)
From: ihlpm!jfb (Joseph F Baugher +1 708 713 4548)
Number 33 in the series--the Lockheed Starfighter flown by the air forces
of Italy, Jordan, and Turkey:
Aeritalia F-104S Starfighter
Powerplant:
One General Electric J79-GE-19 turbojet, 17,900 lb. st. with
afterburner
Performance:
Maximum speed: Mach 2.2 (1450 mph) at 36,000 ft.
Maximum speed: Mach 1.2 (920 mph) at sea level
Initial climb rate: 55,000 feet/min
Service ceiling: 58,000 feet
Takeoff run: 2700 ft (two AAMs)
Wing Area: 196 sq. ft.
Tactical radius: 775 miles (maximum internal fuel)
Ferry range: 1820 miles (maximum internal and external fuel).
Weights:
Empty weight: 14,900 lbs.
Combat weight: 21,700 lbs.
Maximum take-off weight: 31,000 lb.
Armament:
One 20 mm M61A1 rotary cannon mounted internally in port side
of lower fuselage.
Four underwing weapons pylons. One centerline hardpoint.
Hardpoints for missiles or droptanks at the wingtips.
Total of nine external stores stations.
Can carry up to 7500 lbs of ordinance.
In typical intercept mission, carries two 2 AIM-9 Sidewinder
infrared homers on inner underwing pylons, two Selenia Aspide
or AIM-7 Sparrow radar homers on outer underwing pylons. Two
jettisonable droptanks could be provided at the wingtips.
An additional pair of Sidewinders could be carried on an
adapter that was attached to the centerline hardpoint.
Electronics:
R-21G/H radar with moving target indication and tracking in
association with a medium-range radar-guided missile fit.
Contour/ground mapping and terrain avoidance modes are also
available.
Remarks:
F-104 Starfighter was the product of Clarence "Kelly" Johnson's
ideas about a high-performance daylight interceptor that would
halt the trend toward successively heavier, ever more complex,
ever more costly fighter aircraft. Speed, service ceiling
and simplicity were to be optimized.
F-104A was initial production variant with J79-GE-3A engine of
14,800 lb. st (with ab). Carried one 20-mm rotary cannon in the
port side of lower fuselage. Provision for two AIM-9B
Sidewinder air-to-air missiles at the wingtips. 156 built.
F-104A entered service in 1958. Initial problems with engine
failures and with the downward ejection seat. Temporarily
withdrawn from USAF service in late 1959. Some were
transferred to the Air National Guard. Some were eventually
returned to service for a brief time with USAF. Service of
F-104A with USAF was relatively brief, since it was found that
the Starfighter had an inadequate range and insufficient
electronics to make a good interceptor.
10 USAF F-104As were transferred to Pakistani Air Force.
32 F-104As were transferred to Jordan. 3 were transferred to
NASA. One was transferred to Canada.
24 F-104A airframes were converted to QF-104A unmanned drone.
Three F-104As were fitted with 6000 lb. st. Rocketdyne AR-2
liquid-fuelled rocket engine mounted above the rear jet
engine exhaust. These were given the designation NF-104A and
were used in high-altitude research by the USAF and for the
training of astronauts. Altitudes of up to 130,000 feet could
be attained in a zoom climb. I think that Chuck Yeager was
forced to eject from one of these when he lost control while
coming down from a high-altitude run.
Pakistani F-104As saw action in the 1965 war with India.
Ineffective in combat with the Folland Gnat of IAF, which
proved to be more maneuverable. In addition, the small size
of the Gnat made it difficult to see.
RF-104A photorecon version of F-104A was cancelled before
any could be delivered.
F-104B was two-seat dual-control trainer version. No internal
20-mm cannon. Increased vertical fin area. 26 built.
General Electric J79-GE-3A/3B turbojet, 14,800 lb. st. with ab.
Some were given to Taiwan and to Jordan. One given to NASA.
F-104C was tactical fighter version of F-104A with uprated
15,800 lb st (with ab) J79-GE-7 jet. Equipped with blown flaps.
Provision for inflight refuelling by a removable boom on the
port side of the aircraft. Equipped with underwing hardpoints.
77 built. Some service in early stages of Vietnam War.
Perhaps someone has some details about its combat effectiveness.
F-104C was withdrawn from service in 1965.
F-104D was two seat trainer version of F-104C. No internal
20-mm cannon. 21 built.
USAF Starfighters had only a short-lived service, as it was
quickly recognized that the aircraft was lacking in range and
weapons system performance. The F-104 served in the largest
numbers carrying the insignia of foreign air forces.
F-104F was a two seat trainer identical to F-104D built for
initial conversion by the Luftwaffe to the F-104G. 30 built.
The career of the F-104 would have been relatively brief were
it not for the success of the F-104G in winning major orders
from West Germany, Italy, Canada, Japan, Belgium, Holland,
Denmark, Japan and Norway. Built under license by several
European manufacturers, as well as by Mitsubishi in Japan and
Canadair in Canada. Optimized for the nuclear strike role.
Redesigned fuselage structure for withstanding the high
stresses of low-level strike and ground attack roles. Larger
tailplane. General Electric J79-GE-11 turbojet, 15,600 lb. st
with afterburner. F15A NASAAR fire control system with
air-to-air and air-to-ground modes, positioning and homing
indicator for automatic dead reckoning, and LN-3 inertial
navigation system. Total of 1127 F-104Gs were built.
Mach 2.0 (1320 mph) at 35,000 feet. Maximum takeoff weight of
29,000 lbs. 50,000 feet service ceiling.
In nuclear strike role, can carry a single nuclear weapon on
the centerline pylon, and relies solely on the internal cannon
for self defense. In conventional strike role, the F-104G
can carry a total weapons load of 4300 pounds on 5 external
stations.
In antishipping role, F-104G typically carried two MBB Kormoran
air to surface missiles on the inner underwing stores pylons.
F-104G had an unusually high accident rate in German service.
This may have beem more a result of inadequate training for
low-altitude, high-speed missions in the bad-weather conditions
typical of Northern Europe than any intrinsic flaw with the
F-104G.
RF-104G was recon version of F-104G. Three KS-67A cameras in
fuselage aft of nosewheel housing. Cannon armament was deleted.
189 built.
In Luftwaffe service, has largely been replaced in front-line
service by the Panavia Tornado. With the exception of Italy,
the Starfighter no longer serves in any appreciable numbers
with front-line units of the air forces that initially ordered
the F-104G. Most of the surviving F-104Gs have been transferred
by their original users to the air forces of other nations.
Many F-104Gs were ceded to Turkey, Greece, Spain, Jordan, and
Taiwan after they were withdrawn from front-line service with
other NATO nations.
CF-104 was designation given to the Canadair-built version of
the F-104G. Orenda-built J79-OEL-7. R24A NASAAR radar
optimized for air-to-air combat. Similar in configuration
to consortium-built F-104G. Provision for a centerline-mounted
Vicon photo-recon pod under the fuselage. 340 built, 200 for
the RCAF and the rest for various NATO air forces.
CF-104D was two-seat version of CF-104 built by Lockheed for
RCAF. 16 built.
F-104J was version of F-104G built by Mitsubishi for JASDF.
Four AIM-9 infrared homing missiles. Powered by license-built
J79-IHI-11A jet engine. Total of 210 built (3 by Lockheed,
29 assembled by Mitsubishi from Lockheed-supplied parts, and
178 entirely by Mitsubishi). Served with JASDF primarily in
the all-weather interception role. Flew many intercepts of
Soviet aircraft probing airspace near Japan.
F-104DJ was two-seat version of F-104D without cannon armament
but with avionics and equipment compatible with F-104J. 20
built by Lockheed for assembly in Japan.
F-104N was astronaut proficiency trainer. 3 built.
F-104S was version for Italian Air Force. Optimized for all-
weather interception role. 17,900 lb. st. J79-GE-19 engine.
R-21G/H radar with moving target indication and tracking in
association with a medium-range radar-guided missile fit.
Contour/ground mapping and terrain avoidance modes are also
available. Originally intended to carry AIM-9 Sidewinders and
two AIM-7E Sparrow radar-guided missiles. Is also compatible
with the Aspide all-weather semi-active radar homing AAM.
In ground attack role, can carry a total of 7500 lbs. of
orginance on nine external attachment points. The inital F-104S
modifications were carried out by Lockheed on two Fiat-built
F-104Gs at the request of the Italian Air Force. Subsequent
production was by Fiat-Aeritalia, a total of 245 being built.
Last example came off the line in 1980.
The F-104S is the most potent of all the versions of the
Starfighter. It remains in service with the Italian Air Force
in substantial numbers, although 36 examples were supplied to
Turkey.
I do not know whether the Starfighter has as yet been involved
in combat in the Persian Gulf arena.
Sources:
Various issues of Aviation Week
Various issues of Defense Electronics
The Observer's Book of Aircraft, William Green.
The World's Great Interceptor Aircraft, Gallery Books
Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston, Mike Spick
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft Armament, Bill Gunston
The American Fighter, Enzo Angellucci and Peter Bowers.
Joe Baugher **************************************
AT&T Bell Laboratories * "Of all the gin joints in all the *
200 Park Plaza * towns in all the world, she walks *
Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050 * into mine." *
(708) 713 4548 **************************************
ihlpm!jfb
jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com
Who, me? Speak for AT&T? Surely you jest! rdd@rascal.ics.utexas.edu (Robert Dorsett) (01/28/91)
From: rdd@rascal.ics.utexas.edu (Robert Dorsett) >Number 33 in the series--the Lockheed Starfighter flown by the air forces >of Italy, Jordan, and Turkey: It seems that Jordan no longer uses the F-104B. An article on the Royal Jordanian Air Force in the November 1987 AIR INTERNATIONAL indicates that they 're only used for decoys now. Jordan's front-line aircraft are some 70-odd F-5's and F-1 Mirages. Modernization has been on the mind of the Government for quite a while, but, unfortunately, they can't afford it. Robert Dorsett Internet: rdd@rascal.ics.utexas.edu UUCP: ...cs.utexas.edu!rascal.ics.utexas.edu!rdd "We face the crisis of a world gone mad." -- King Hussein, August 1990