Last days of F-104 Starfighter - Italian Air Force

Another great video caught at Patrick's Aviation website (www.patricksaviation.com) showing that wonderful jet developed by Kelly Johnson and Lockheed.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• F-104
• Starfighter
• Italian
• Air
• Force

[Chuckjagermeister]

I think the tales of the '104 being a "widow maker" are a bit exagerated. I have heard and seen that it is a stable and powerful and SAFE airplane as long as the speed was kept up (^250 knots clean and ^200 knots with flaps and gear). This was a plane that did not like to go slow. Especially at low altitude. Actually, with its small wing area it liked flying at low level and high speed and it's low profile and stubby wings made for a rather smooth ride even in hot, wet bumpy air.

[cmtecarvalho]

You told everything! :)

[Z12IT]

Grazie Spillone! Continua a proteggere i nostri cieli per sempre!

Per Aspera ad Astram!

[LimboBeaver]

This is my religion !

[mytmousemalibu]

Fantastic video!



[fastwallypower]

people this plane was made during the cold war.its main fuction was to intersept russan bomber and shoot them down.this plane time to climb rate was sea level to 48.000 feet in one minute and it was fast.but when the wisdom of our military put bombs on it and told our pilots to do low level bombing runs.thats when lives were lost. most poeple incharge are ASSHOLES!!

[justforever96]

@Chuckjagermeister Oh, I know how the wing area affects the ride at low level, I just thought maybe you had an exact number. Both the F-101 and the F-104 are damn cool planes, anyway. Well...most of the "Century Series" were, to be honest. But somehow the F-104 is the one I'd like to fly in the most, personally.

[Chuckjagermeister]

@justforever96 I'd think the F-104 because of it's slickness and smaller wing area.. ? Generally, the more the wing area the rougher the ride and harder to control at low level high speed. For example the F-102/106 would be a wild and bumpy ride at low level high speed.

[justforever96]

@Chuckjagermeister Which was faster at low level? The F-104 or the F-101? The F-101 was faster than an F-4 Phantom at low level, even though the F-4 had far more thrust and was faster at altitude...I guess because the F-4 was a big and draggy plane. But it seems like an F-104 would be at least competitive with the F-101, even though it only has a single engine. Like the F-4, it's Mach 2+ at high level while the F-101 is Mach 1.7, yet the F-104 is also far sleeker than the F-4.

[justforever96]

2:07....now, that's a pretty cool shot! One thing no one can deny about the Starfighter...it's one HELL of a good lookin' plane! I did always think it looked a bit odd without the wingtip tanks installed (like the black-and-yellow machine at 2:30), although it's not so bad if the Sidewinders are in place. When the wings are bare, they just look odd...way too small for the fuselage. I notice that that plane has a greyhound on the intake...that's "Veltro", right? Like the WWII Macchi C.205?

[justforever96]

@Hvnscent Maybe so, but there are older planes still in service out there! Mig-15's and -17's are still being used in China, last I knew...although I think some of them are newer-built ones. I guess the thing is that many of the countries flying planes that old probably aren't all that good at keeping logbooks! In any case, I never cease to be amazed at how long an airplane can be made to last....a lot longer than the average car, but that's probably because they get much better maintanence!

[justforever96]

@Chuckjagermeister All true. The F-104 wasn't a "Widow maker" because it was a bad plane, it was just absolutely unforgiving while taking off and landing, and the high speeds made it essential to pay attention out the window while at low level. Most of the Luftwaffes losses were from pilots getting distracted and flying into the ground, or on takeoff/landing. They went from subsonic jets to THIS...a pretty big jump. So it WAS a dangerous plane, but only if the pilot couldn't "hack it".

[harrytheduck]

5 stormo-23 gruppo kicked ass...I had a base-visit at Rimini AB in 1992 and in 1994...in 1992 Majore Bianci (ret) showed me proudly his F104ASA ( MM6722) ...Greetings to you Majore!