Subject: Number 104 in the Series--Lockheed F-104 Starfighter (8 of 20)

From: [email-masked]
Date: 29 Dec 93 17:03:59 GMT

>From [email-masked]

For some odd reason, the designation F-104E was never assigned, and the 
next designation in the series was the F-104F.  The F-104F was the 
initial training version of the multi-role Starfighter designed for 
service with European air forces.  

The Lockheed Starfighter was not really well-suited to USAF needs, 
being deficient in range, endurance, and offensive capability.  In 
addition, it lacked true all-weather capability.  Consequently, it 
quickly became surplus to USAF requirements and its service with the 
Air Defense Command and the Tactical Air Command was relatively brief, 
most examples soon being transferred over to the Air National Guard.  
Out of the total of 722 Starfighters originally ordered for the USAF, 
only 296 were actually delivered, the remainder being cancelled.  

By the late 1950s, it would appear that the Starfighter was doomed to 
be only a relatively minor footnote in the history of military 
aviation, yet another example of a combat aircraft which ended up 
serving only briefly and in small numbers before being quickly 
relegated to the boneyards.  However, the Starfighter was rescued from 
oblivion by its unexpected win of a major multinational contract.  

The new West German Luftwaffe was in need of a supersonic replacement 
for its Canadair Sabres and Republic F-84F Thunderstreak combat 
aircraft, and that service issued a request for proposals.  Nine 
separate entries were made by aircraft manufacturers in England, 
France, Sweden, and the USA.  These were the English Electric 
Lightning, the Saunders-Roe SR.177, the Dassault Mirage III, the SAAB 
J-35 Draken, the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger, the Convair F-106 Delta 
Dart, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, the Grumman F11F-1F Tiger, and 
the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.  

The Lockheed entry was designated F-104G (G for Germany).  It was 
proposed as a multi-role, all-weather aircraft.  It was based on the 
F-104C, but was to be upgraded to have full all-weather capability, 
carrying an Autonetics F15A NASARR (North American Search and Ranging 
Radar).  The fuselage, wing, and empennage were strengthened to enable 
the aircraft to carry an increased load and to handle the stresses of 
low-altitude combat missions at high speeds.  Five hardpoints were to 
be fitted, enabling up to 4000 pounds of external stores to be 
carried.  The internal fuel tankage was revised to increase the fuel 
load from 1624 to 1784 US gallons.  The Starfighter had metamorphosed 
from an air-superiority day fighter into a multirole all-weather 
strike fighter.  

The F-104G was declared the winner of the contest in October of 1958.  
An initial contract for 66 F-104Gs was awarded to Lockheed on February 
6, 1959.  On March 18, 1959, a consortium of German aircraft 
manufacturers acquired a license to manufacture the Starfighter.  

Other European NATO nations quickly jumped onto the Starfighter 
bandwagon.  The Netherlands completed a licensing agreement on April 
20, 1960.  On June 20, Belgium signed a similar agreement.  On March 
2, 1962 Italy announced that it too would participate in the 
Starfighter program.  By now the Starfighter was the Free World's 
premiere fighter aircraft, and the project became known as the 
"aircraft deal of the century".  

Before European production of the F-104G could get underway, it was 
felt that the Luftwaffe should get some two-seat trainer Starfighters 
that could be used to train Luftwaffe instructors.  The result of this 
project was the F-104F (company Model 483-04-08), which was a minimum- 
change version of the F-104D two-seat combat trainer.  It lacked the 
all-weather NASARR fire-control system of the F-104G and was not 
considered as being combat-capable.  It was equipped with Martin-Baker 
upward ejector seats.  30 examples were built for the Luftwaffe.  
However, they were initially used in the United States and carried 
standard USAF markings and were provided with USAF serial numbers 
(59-4994/5023).  They were used to train an initial cadre of German 
instructors.  After this task was completed, they were handed over to 
the Luftwaffe's Waffenschule 10 based at Norvenich in Germany, at 
which time they were given Luftwaffe serial numbers (BB360/BB389).  In 
January of 1968, these Luftwaffe serial numbers were changed to 
2901/2930.  

The F-104F Starfighter trainers were withdrawn from Luftwaffe service 
in December of 1971, being superseded by the combat-capable TF-104G 
two-seater.  

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.

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

Joe Baugher		AT&T Bell Laboratories   	
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