Lockheed F-104 Starfighter

Data for A, G (CF-104A), & S variants

Photo from Canada's National Aviation Museum CF-104A

Chief Lockheed designer Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson visited fighter pilots in Korea in 1951, he came back with requests for better flight performance even at the expense of avionics, fuel, and weaponry. Germany was the first to order the F-104G because of its low-level penetration and nuclear delivery capabilities. Many other countries followed suit, with Canada building around 200 CF-104's. The F-104S is roughly equivalent to the Russian Su-21 Flagon F and is only still in front line service with the Italian Air Force. Most of the non-Italian F-104's have found their way into the air forces of Greece and Turkey. The Luftwaffe -by far the biggest foreign customer of the F-104- has replaced its more than 1 000 Starfighters with Tornados. While Norway, Belgium, and the Netherlands upgraded to the F-16 in the early 1980's. The F-104 is still a capable interceptor if armed with AAM's, but otherwise it is used in the auxiliary role. Now the F-104 is regarded as less than a front line fighter, however, in its day the Starfighter was truly incredible. On December 14th, 1959 Captain Joe B. Jordan set a world altitude record of 31 018.7 meters (103 395.9 feet) in an F-104C. A day later Major Joseph W. Rogers reached a world speed record of 2 441.44 kph (1 525.9 mph) at Edwards AFB. In 1966 the entire German Starfighter fleet was grounded after 65 accidents. The Starfighter suffered a poor safety throughout its career which led to it being one of the most controversial aircraft ever to go into production. This is perhaps because a plane conceived as an high-altitude air superiority fighter was pressed into service as a low level strike aircraft.

Specifications

(Data for F-104A)

Origin: Lockheed
Type: Fighter
Crew: Pilot
Powerplant: One General Electric J79-GE-3B afterburning turbojet delivering 6 713 kg (14 800 lbs)

Dimensions

Span: 6.63 m (21' 9")
Height: 4.09 m (13' 5")
Length: 16.66 m (54' 8")
Weight: 11 271 kg (25 840 lbs)

Performance

Maximum Speed: 1 669 kph (1 037 mph)
Cruising Speed: 835 kph (519 mph)
Climb Rate: 18 408 m (60 395 feet)/min
Range: 1 175 km (730 miles)
Service Ceiling: 19 750 meters (64 795 feet)

Armament



First Flight: (XF-104) February 7, 1954
User(s):
Production: (All variants) 2 536 including only 737 by Lockheed
Unit Cost:

Specifications

(Data for F-104G (CF-105))

Origin: Lockheed (CF-105 Canadair/Lockeed)
Type: Fighter/Fighter-bomber
Crew: Pilot
Powerplant: One General Electric J79-GE-11A afterburning turbojet delivering 7 076 kg (15 600 lbs)

Dimensions

Span: 6.67 m (21' 11")
Height: 4.11 m (13' 6")
Length: 16.7 m (54' 10")
Weight: 13 172 kg (29 038 lbs)

Performance

Maximum Speed: 2 137 kph (1 328 mph)
Cruising Speed: 821 kph (510 mph)
Climb Rate: 14 630 m (48 000 feet)/min
Range: 1 754 km (1 080 miles)
Service Ceiling: 15 240 meters (50 000 feet)

Armament

One M-61 multi-barrel canon with 725 rounds & up to 1 814 kg (4 000 lbs) of external ordanance (which includes AAM's and bombs)

First Flight: October 5, 1960
User(s): (Pretty much retired across the board except possibly in Greece and Turkey) Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, others maybe (Taiwan, Japan)
Production: (All variants) 2 536 including only 737 by Lockheed
Unit Cost:

Specifications

(Data for F-104S)

Origin: Lockheed/Aeritalia
Type: All weather interceptor
Crew: Pilot
Powerplant: One General Electric J79-GE-19 afterburning turbojet delivering 8 119 kg (17 900 lbs)

Dimensions

Span: 6.67 m (21' 11")
Height: 4.11 m (13' 6")
Length: 16.7 m (54' 10")
Weight: 14 061 kg (31 000 lbs)

Performance

Maximum Speed: 2 333 kph (1 450 mph)
Cruising Speed: 981 kph (610 mph)
Climb Rate: 16 764 m (55 000 feet)/min
Range: 2 495 km (1 550 miles)
Service Ceiling: 17 680 meters (58 000 feet)

Armament

One M-61 multi-barrel canon & Two Sparrow or two Aspide AAM's & two Sidewinder AAM's &/or bombs

First Flight: December 30, 1968
User(s): Italy
Production: 205
Unit Cost:

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