They used these to train astronauts for space flight in the 1960's. Chuck Yeager was in one of them when its solid rocket attitude pitch failed to fire at 70k feet. He burned half his face after ejecting on the way down. Some kid found him in the desert off to the side of the road. The poor kid asked if he needed help cause he seen all the blood and burned face, he almost ran off and left him.
What in the world is a "Vaught Victor"? Ha!! No such plane! It SOUNDS like the other F-104G that Rick's company flys. They're getting ready to put several more in the air, and all of them are used in government contracts, NOT by "rich boys who want big toys"! I've flown the F-105, F-16, F\A-18, and even the MiG-29UB...but never a '104. Love to, though!
@AmFearLiathMor Ok mr English rocks may i remind you who invented the SR-71 and the F-104, which by the way are way cooler than the lightning. oh yeah the we the Americans. Kelly Johnson R.I.P. and calling it the lawn dart is very disrespectful.
@norriealex your totally right becuase it was the fastest plane of its time had a better climbrate then anything else. It was a great bomber intercepter as it was designed to be
270 aircraft crashed and 110 pilots died in peace time operations, if thats true did they ever think after say a few crashes lets fly a different plane? I know moneys a big factor but still :\
Germans lost a lot of f-104's for many reasons, one being that due to post WWII restrictions when they got back into the high performance aircraft business they had skipped one generation, the ground crews and and air crews were a little behind the curve, as they got more experience they greatly reduced their losses.
It is one of the worst aircraft ever, but pretty? Oh God it is pretty and sexy. The leading edge of the wings is so sharp that whilst the aircraft is on ground it has covers and flags saying "Causion". Since people have hurt themselves when going against them. I think the radius of the leading edge is like 0,25 - 0,5 milli meter. Pretty sharp for being and aircraft wing LOL
wow... starfighter... about the ugliest plane in the world... but kudos for him for loving it as the most beautiful... i've got to respect that kind of love... just not the bird for me.
Well, I'll agree with you on that, the F-100 and F-4 are both uninspiring. I just don't like the Starfighter because it looks more like a rocket with large fins, than and airplane with tiny wings. And those two big old fuel tanks on the wing tips, what are those, hood ornaments? In the end, what is really sexy is performance, and I'll grant the Starfighter that, it was king of the pile for its day, and I think still holds some records. Nobody today builds literally a rocket you strap on.
Ahh! The "Earth Nail!"
Lee78072 3 months ago
They used these to train astronauts for space flight in the 1960's. Chuck Yeager was in one of them when its solid rocket attitude pitch failed to fire at 70k feet. He burned half his face after ejecting on the way down. Some kid found him in the desert off to the side of the road. The poor kid asked if he needed help cause he seen all the blood and burned face, he almost ran off and left him.
WizzRacing 5 months ago
Good looking plane ,but just like big old American cars it cant go around corners.
lendusaquid 7 months ago
canada can't fly
NeeKroVal 7 months ago
@NeeKroVal and your basing this off of what?
hawker800FO 1 month ago
I thought it was the G variant, built for the West Germans, that started killing pilots. It Too much wing-loading, if I remember correctly
archolman 9 months ago
What in the world is a "Vaught Victor"? Ha!! No such plane! It SOUNDS like the other F-104G that Rick's company flys. They're getting ready to put several more in the air, and all of them are used in government contracts, NOT by "rich boys who want big toys"! I've flown the F-105, F-16, F\A-18, and even the MiG-29UB...but never a '104. Love to, though!
KXYOKC 10 months ago
Sat in that F-104 Rick "Comrade" Svetkoff rocks!
wittmann 10 months ago
my father used to be a F-104 pilot.. he says it is the best aircraft he ever flew.. the sound and the acceleration was perfect..
ottomaaannn 10 months ago
@AmFearLiathMor Ok mr English rocks may i remind you who invented the SR-71 and the F-104, which by the way are way cooler than the lightning. oh yeah the we the Americans. Kelly Johnson R.I.P. and calling it the lawn dart is very disrespectful.
goldcoastflyer 11 months ago
Spain lost no pilot
datzfast 1 year ago
Good for you man !
johnnysouthbound 1 year ago
@AmFearLiathMor Mmmm - i know what i would rather be seen in........
wegfdfhz 1 year ago
does anyone know the plane that shoots past at 1:33?
3ISAMAGICNUMBR 1 year ago
hey, can anyone tell me the music which plays at the end of this episode, i want it !!!
paparrazi1 1 year ago
@AmFearLiathMor Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..........
wegfdfhz 1 year ago 3
Are most aircraft called the widow maker?? lol
michaelpham12 2 years ago
The Star fighter was a piece of junk. A forced sale by the Americans to the Canadians and the Germans, just like their Junk Toxic Debt.
norriealex 2 years ago
@norriealex Not the Canadian-built ones. Most of the F-104s still flying are most likely former CF-104s built by Canadair (bought out by Bombardier).
maddogmcrae 2 years ago
@norriealex your totally right becuase it was the fastest plane of its time had a better climbrate then anything else. It was a great bomber intercepter as it was designed to be
greencurrycamo 1 year ago
@greencurrycamo It held all the time to climb records, but lost every one of them to the T-38.
MrExspert 3 months ago
270 aircraft crashed and 110 pilots died in peace time operations, if thats true did they ever think after say a few crashes lets fly a different plane? I know moneys a big factor but still :\
daveywaveydave 2 years ago
Germans lost a lot of f-104's for many reasons, one being that due to post WWII restrictions when they got back into the high performance aircraft business they had skipped one generation, the ground crews and and air crews were a little behind the curve, as they got more experience they greatly reduced their losses.
denmalski 2 years ago
It is one of the worst aircraft ever, but pretty? Oh God it is pretty and sexy. The leading edge of the wings is so sharp that whilst the aircraft is on ground it has covers and flags saying "Causion". Since people have hurt themselves when going against them. I think the radius of the leading edge is like 0,25 - 0,5 milli meter. Pretty sharp for being and aircraft wing LOL
MajSolo 2 years ago
Ugly? CF-100 Canuck.
Great airplane. Not very pretty.
F-4? Brutally handsome.
raynus1 2 years ago 5
Ugly?? Take a look at the British Lightning if you want to see ugly...
b1bmsgt 2 years ago
I'd rather look at the British Camel or Spitfire
cobrachoppergirl 2 years ago
Not one former CF-104 pilot I've met has EVER referred to it as a 'Widowmaker'.
They all hold this machine in the highest esteem.
'Widowmaker' was media-driven hyperbole.
raynus1 2 years ago 2
It was mainly the germans that called it that cos they were the ones that crashed to most of them
STRURM249 2 years ago
Ugly?
Hardly.
Planform (with the tip tanks), it's gotta be the most beautiful machine that ever took wing.
raynus1 2 years ago
wow... starfighter... about the ugliest plane in the world... but kudos for him for loving it as the most beautiful... i've got to respect that kind of love... just not the bird for me.
cobrachoppergirl 3 years ago
Ugliest? Did you see some Migs?
This one is a awesome machine.
Dangerous like a fast stallion.
zvast 3 years ago
no its awesome lookin
Andrewfly24 2 years ago
Ugly? I think not. The F-100 Super Sabre was butt ugly. Park a 104 next to an F-4 Phantom-wow! Like parking a Jag XKE next to a dump truck.
usm7j 2 years ago
Well, I'll agree with you on that, the F-100 and F-4 are both uninspiring. I just don't like the Starfighter because it looks more like a rocket with large fins, than and airplane with tiny wings. And those two big old fuel tanks on the wing tips, what are those, hood ornaments? In the end, what is really sexy is performance, and I'll grant the Starfighter that, it was king of the pile for its day, and I think still holds some records. Nobody today builds literally a rocket you strap on.
cobrachoppergirl 2 years ago
High speed stalls are unforgiving-and often not recoverable
kev123a 4 years ago 11
yup....you better punch out if you get in trouble. awesome plane though. such thin but strong wings
mww88 4 years ago