F104 Starfighter

Airplane: Lockheed F104 Starfighter Type: Multi-purpose fighter HISTORY:
First Flight	(XF-104) 7 February 1954
Service Entry	January 1958
Retirement	(F-104S) 27 October 2004
CREW:	1 pilot
ESTIMATED COST:	unknown
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root	Biconvex 3.36%
Wing Tip	Biconvex 3.36%
DIMENSIONS:
Length	54.75 ft (16.69 m)
Wingspan	21.92 ft (6.68 m)
Height	13.50 ft (4.11 m)
Wing Area	196.1 ft2 (18.22 m2)
Canard Area	not applicable
WEIGHTS:
Empty	14,082 lb (6,387 kg)
Typical Load	unknown
Max Takeoff	28,779 lb (13,054 kg)
Fuel Capacity	internal: 5,822 lb (2,641 kg) external: 5,538 lb (2,512 kg)
Max Payload	4,310 lb (1,995 kg)
PROPULSION:
Powerplant	one General Electric J79-19 turbojet
Thrust	10,000 lb (44.5 kN) 15,800 lb (70.28 kN) with afterburner
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed	at altitude: 1,450 mph (2,335 km/h) at 36,000 ft (10,975 m), Mach 2.2 at sea level: Mach 1.2
Initial Climb Rate	50,000 ft (15,239 m) / min
Service Ceiling	58,000 ft (17,680 m) 90,000 ft (27,430 m) zoom ceiling
Range	typical: 260 nm (480 km) with max payload ferry: 1,576 nm (2,920 km)
g-Limits	unknown
ARMAMENT:
Gun	one 20-mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon (750 rds)
Stations	7 external hardpoints and 2 wingtip rails
Air-to-Air Missile	AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-7 Sparrow, Apside
Air-to-Surface Missile	AGM-65 Maverick, Kormoran, Penguin
Bomb	nuclear bombs, Mk 82/83 GP, cluster bombs
Other	rocket pods, ECM pods
KNOWN VARIANTS:
XF-104	Prototype
YF-104	Pre-production aircraft used to test different engines; 17 built
F-104A	Production model for the USAF with blown flaps to reduce landing speeds; 153 built
NF-104A	F-104A airframes used for astronaut training; 3 converted
QF-104A	YF-104 and F-104A aircraft used as radio-controlled target drones
F-104B	Two-seat trainer based on the F-104A but with new fuel system and armament layout; 26 built
F-104C	Upgraded one-seat tactical fighter bomber used by the USAF with a new engine and armed with Sidewinder missiles, bombs, or rocket pods; 77 built
F-104D	Two-seat trainer based on the F-104C model; 21 built
CF-104D	Canadian two-seat trainer built under license; 38 built
F-104DJ	Two-seat trainer for Japan; 20 built
F-104F	Improved attack fighter based on the F-104D model and sold to Germany; 30 built
F-104G	German multi-role fighter with ground attack capability, aerodynamic refinements, stronger airframe, more advanced avionics, and a new engine; 1,127 built for European countries
TF-104G	German two-seat trainer; 220 built
RF-104G	German reconnaissance model with a camera pod in place of the Vulcan cannon; 189 built
RTF-104G	Two-seat trainer that can be equipped for reconnaissance duties
CF-104	Canadian multi-role fighter based on the F-104G and built under license; 200 built
F-104J	Japanese multi-role fighter based on the F-104G and built under license; 210 built
F-104N	F-104G aircraft built for NASA as supersonic chase planes
F-104S	Multi-role fighter based on the F-104G and built by Aeritalia for Italy and Turkey, last operational version; 245 built
F-104S ASA	Italian F-104S models upgraded by Aeritalia/Alenia under the Aggiornamento Sistemi d'Arma program with new radar, avionics, and weapon systems; 150 converted
F-104S ASA M	Final modernization program to keep the Italian F-104S ASA fleet in service into the 21st century by replacing outdated power systems and navigation avionics to improve maintainability; approximately 100 converted
KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:	Vietnam War (USAF, 1965-1968) Bangladesh War (Pakistan, 1971)
KNOWN OPERATORS:	US Air Force Belgium Canada Denmark German Air Force German Navy Greece Italy Japan Netherlands Norway Pakistan Spain Taiwan Turkey
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