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Lockheed
F-104S Starfighter

Role
National origin United States
Manufacturer Lockheed
First flight 4 March 1954 (XF-104)
Introduction 20 February 1958 (United States)
Status Retired from military service; in use with civilian operators as warbirds
Primary users United States Air Force
German Air Force
Turkish Air Force
Italian Air Force
Number built 2,578
Variants Lockheed NF-104A
Canadair CF-104 Starfighter
Aeritalia F-104S Starfighter
Developed into Lockheed CL-1200 Lancer/X-27
Lockheed CL-288
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History Lockheed Aircraft Company
Lockheed F-104S Starfighter  



Forty-nine airframes were upgraded from 1995 to 1997 to ASA/M standard with GPS, new TACAN, and Litton LN-30A2 INS, a refurbished airframe, and improved cockpit displays. All strike-related equipment was removed. The last Starfighters in combat service, the F-104S-ASA/M was withdrawn in October 2004 and temporarily replaced by the F-16 Fighting Falcon, while awaiting Eurofighter Typhoon deliveries.

This was an upgraded F-104S equipped with the Fiat R21G/M1 radar with frequency hopping and a look-down/shoot-down capability, new IFF system and weapon delivery computer, and provision for the AIM-9L all-aspect Sidewinder and Selenia Aspide missiles. A total of 150 were built, with the first flight in 1985.

Background and early development

Main article: Lockheed XF-104
Italian F-104S parked on tarmac with underwing-mounted AIM-7 Sparrow missiles
Italian Air Force F-104S in original camouflage scheme with AIM-7 Sparrow missiles mounted under the wings, c. 1969
FIAT built 246 of the final production version, the F-104S (one of these aircraft crashed prior to delivery and is often not included in the total number produced). Forty of these aircraft were delivered to the Turkish Air Force and the rest to the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana). The F-104S was upgraded for the interception role, adding the NASARR R-21G/H radar with moving-target indicator and continuous-wave illuminator for semi-active radar homing missiles (initially the AIM-7 Sparrow), two additional wing and two underbelly hardpoints (increasing the total to nine), the more powerful J79-GE-19 engine, and two additional ventral fins to increase stability. The M61 cannon was sacrificed to make room for the missile avionics in the interceptor version, but was retained for the fighter-bomber variant. Typically two Sparrow and two (and sometimes four or six) Sidewinder missiles were carried on all the hardpoints except the central (underbelly), or up to seven 750 lb (340 kg) bombs (normally two to four 500–750 lb [230–340 kg] bombs). The F-104S was cleared for a higher maximum takeoff weight, allowing it to carry up to 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) of stores; other Starfighters had a maximum external load of 4,000 lb (1,800 kg). Its combat radius was up to 775 mi (1,247 km) with four external fuel tanks .

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Lockheed F-104S Starfighter

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Lockheed / Martin Aerospace

Lockheed Aircraft Company
Lockheed F-104S Starfighter

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General characteristics

    • Crew: 1
    • Length: 54 ft 8 in (16.66 m)
    • Wingspan: 21 ft 9 in (6.63 m)
    • Height: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
    • Wing area: 196.1 sq ft (18.22 m2)
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Powerplant

    • Empty weight: 14,000 lb (6,350 kg)
    • Max takeoff weight: (13,166 kg)
    • Powerplant: 1 × General Electric J79 afterburning turbojet, 10,000 lbf (44 kN) thrust dry, 15,600 lbf (69 kN) with afterburner
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Specifications

    • Maximum speed: (2,459 km/h, 
    • Maximum speed: Mach 2
    • Combat range:  (680 km, 360 nmi)
    • Ferry range: 1,630 mi (2,620 km
    • Service ceiling: 73,000 ft (22,000 m)
    • Rate of climb: 48,000 ft/min (240 m/s) Initially
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Performance

  • Guns: 1 × 20 mm (0.787 in) M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled rotary cannon, 725 rounds
  • Hardpoints: 7 with a capacity of 4,000 lb (1,800 kg), with provisions to carry combinations of:
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Special Links Lockheed / Martin Aerospace 

Links to Youtube & Others

The F-104 series all had a very high wing loading (made even higher when carrying external stores). During the early stall tests, the aircraft demonstrated the tendency to suddenly "pitch up" once it reached an angle of attack of approximately 15 degrees.

Lockheed Aircraft 
F-104S Starfighter

Clarence L. "Kelly" Johnson, vice president of engineering and research at Lockheed's Skunk Works

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Youtube Link

The Starfighter served with NASA from 1956 until 1994. A total of 12 F-104A, F-104B, F-104N, and TF-104G aircraft performed high-speed.

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