Subject: Number 104 in the Series--Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (17 of 20)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 14 Jan 94 17:15:25 GMT

>From [email-masked]

On November of 1960, the Japanese government announced that it would 
acquire the Starfighter as its standard air superiority fighter.  An 
industrial cartel headed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was given the 
responsibility for the license manufacture of the Starfighter in 
Japan.  At first, the Japanese Starfighter would be assembled in Japan 
from Lockheed-supplied components, but ultimately the Starfighter 
would be built in Japan entirely from Japanese-manufactured 
components.  

The Japanese Starfighter was given the designation F-104J, the J 
standing for Japan.  It was similar in overall structure to the 
F-104G, but was equipped as an all-weather interceptor rather than as 
an air-to-ground strike aircraft.  One of the reasons for the choice 
of this option was that treaty restrictions at the time prevented 
Japan from acquiring any aircraft which had even a hint of an 
offensive role.  The F-104J was powered by a Japanese-built 
J79-IHI-11A engine built under license by Ishikawajima-Harima.  It had 
an Autonetics NASARR F-15J-31 fire control system optimized for the 
air-to-air mode, and was armed with a 20-mm M61A1 cannon and four 
AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, two mounted underwing and two 
carried on a rack on the fuselage centerline.  

The first Lockheed-built F-104J (Model 683-07-14) flew on June 30, 
1961.  Three F-104Js were built by Lockheed.  Deliveries of 
Mitsubishi-assembled F-104Js extended from March of 1962 through March 
of 1965, a total of 29 machines being delivered.  The delivery of 
Mitsubishi-manufactured F-104Js extended from March of 1965 through 
1967.  A total of 178 F-104Js were built from scratch by Mitsubishi.  

The F-104DJ (Model 583B-10-17) was the two-seat trainer version of the 
F-104J for Japan.  They had electronics and other items that were 
compatible with those of the single-seat version.  Twenty examples 
were built by Lockheed and reassembled in Japan between July of 1962 
and January 1964.  No F-104DJ two-seaters were built from scratch in 
Japan.  

The F-104J entered with the Koku Jietai (Japanese Air Self Defense 
Force, or JASDF) in October of 1966.  The first JASDF units to convert 
to the F-104J were the 201st and 202nd Fighter Interceptor Squadrons 
(Hiko-tais) based at Chitose and Nyutabaru.  The two hundred and ten 
F-104Js and the twenty F-104DJ operational trainers were used 
exclusively in the interceptor role by seven Hiko-tais (the 201st to 
207th) of the Koku Jieitai.  

Beginning in December of 1981, the Japanese Starfighters were replaced 
by Mitsubishi-built F-15J/F-15DJ Eagles.  The last JASDF F-104J was 
retired by the 207th Hiko-tai in March of 1986.  

JASDF serial numbers: 

16-5001/5009 	Lockheed-built F-104DJ Starfighter 
26-8501/8503 	Lockheed-built F-104J Starfighter 
26-8504/8507 	Mitsubishi-built F-104J Starfighter 
36-5010/5020 	Lockheed-built F-104DJ Starfighter 
36-8508/8563 	Mitsubishi-built F-104J Starfighter 
46-8564/8658 	Mitsubishi-built F-104J Starfighter 
56-8659/8680 	Mitsubishi-built F-104J Starfighter 
76/8681/8710 	Mitsubishi-built F-104J Starfighter 

Sources:

    The Lockheed F-104G/CF-104, Gerhard Joos, Aircraft in Profile No.
    131, Doubleday, 1969.  

    The World's Great Interceptor Aircraft, Gallery Books, 1989.

    Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, Steve Pace, Motorbooks International, 
    1992.

    Lockheed Aircraft Since 1913, Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute
    Press, 1987.

    The American Fighter, Enzo Angelucci and Peter Bowers, Orion, 1987.

    The World's Fighting Planes, William Green, Doubleday 1968.

    The Aircraft of the World, William Green and Gerald Pollinger,
    Doubleday, 1965.

    American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Third Enlarged Edition, Doubleday,
    1982.

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