F-104 Starfighter Max Performance Climb

The F-104 going 650 mph into a vertical climb.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• F-104 Starfighter
• TICO Warbirds Airshow
• Titusville
• Florida

[crotchboots]

and the wondered if this could take on a mig-21...mig on the 1/2 shell anyone?

[DG121480]

@crotchboots Much agreed!

[criticalpass]

looks much like an F-18 in the vertical, must have been a great aircraft in its day

[DG121480]

Designed originally to carry a Nuke on its belly at supersonic speed, pull into the vertical, deploy it's payload, continue through a half-loop/immelman, and get the hell outa Dodge. Needless to say, it never completed its intended mission.

[usm7j]

I remember watching a '104 doing a max rate climb from takeoff; totally clean-no wing tanks. Hooollllyyyyy Shit!!

[DG121480]

It's a treat to see these classics fly. The modern fighters might be like Indy' cars in the sky, but this one's more like a 67' Ferrari with wings.

[pdutube]

So long, got a date with the International Space Station...

[TV843]

F-104... The "missile with a man in it." What a beautiful machine! Thanks for the post.

[83rrsou]

@noversibirsk Funny how people can differ on something. My dad was a 104 instructor for 6 years and he loved that bird. He also flew F-4's in Vietnam and said the F-4 was like flying a dump truck. Couldn't wait to get back to Luke AFB and strap on the 104. Dad did tell me his scariest moment was in a 104. Didn't elaborate. I can only imagine.

[nyanimal]

Really nice. Don't forget the Lightning F.53. Two great interceptors. Wiki has a nice bit on RAF Flt Lt Mike Hale intercepting U-2.

[0FlyingSwede0]

The crazy thing is that at 0:32 it really does look like a starfighter 

[JC130676]

@criticalpass It still is. F-15, F-16 and F-18 have almost the same rate of climb despite being of 20 years later design. Only the latest generation of aircraft (Eurofighter, F-22, Flanker, MiG-29) can climb faster. Kelly Johnson did a great job designing this plane.

[riderpoet]

The F-104 was designed as an interceptor first, and was only a "fighter" as an afterthought. By "interceptor," we mean an airplane that is intended to chase down and shoot down bombers. The truth is that the Mig-21 was a better all-around "fighter," but that doesn't mean that the F-104 isn't @#$%ing cool as hell. Just imagine having all that speed available. But where enemy fighters were concerned, boom and zoom would be the rule. No turning fights.

[noversibirsk]

Love the f-104, but was a shitty aircraft could not dogfight worth a damn, a mig-17 could outgun the F-104 assuming it could actually get close enough to get it, the F-104's only advantage was wicked acceleration and speed my family friend flew the F-104 he is 67 years old, he hated the plane said it was shit, but loves the F-4

[TheWheels777]

haulin the mail!

[denmalski]

@1JAMESGARROW CF-104's were high speed low altitude nuclear bombers, that was their original role. the 104 was originally an interceptor but Canadian versions were never employed in this role. and as that plane your looking at is an old CF-104 then it was meant and designed to carry nukes. the 104 was incredibly fast at low level due to very little drag from those very little wings. but your right Straight and fast is what the 104 did best, that's why it made a good low level nuclear bomber

[kb3glo]

it's like a lawn dart with a jet engine... so beautiful

[criticalpass]

@1JAMESGARROW who ever said anything about carrying a nuke? Fuck you asshole! You fucked up Canuck!