Posted on 04/04/2025 3:58:30 PM PDT by Macho MAGA Man
The photographers who flew on Aviation PhotoCrew‘s mission on April 2nd were treated to an exquisite surprise when Starfighter Aerospace‘s TF-104G unexpectedly appeared in their viewfinders, posing for a series of dramatic photographs. Starfighter Aerospace’s Chief Pilot, PierCarlo Chiacchi, took off from Cape Canaveral around 2:00 PM and rendezvoused with Aviation PhotoCrew’s Short SC.7 Skyvan. Aviation PhotoCrew had organized this photoshoot covertly to surprise its loyal photographer clients.
Aviation photographer Ricardo von Puttkammer of Aviation Photojournal was on board the Skyvan to capture this rare and exhilarating moment. Since the appearance of the TF-104G was completely unexpected, it created an atmosphere of euphoria and excitement, accompanied by an adrenaline-fueled rush to seize the best shots of this rare opportunity. The Starfighter remained in formation for approximately 25 minutes before heading back to Cape Canaveral.
(Excerpt) Read more at vintageaviationnews.com ...
Stationed at Luke AFB outside Phoenix back in 72-73. German Luftwaffe trained in their F104s there. Saw plenty of them.
Had one flame out on takeoff. Heard roar roar then silence then pop there went the pilot. He was OK. Lots of farm fields out there back then; we bought some farmer’s crop.
1978 or so: Cruising a crooked river valley down by Trier, Germany on a Gold Wing, about 400 or 500 hundred above the river, got a buddy on the back. Here comes some crazy in a F104 following the river - under us. Buddy asks “Did you see that?” Sure did, fighter buddy was about five seconds behind, doing the same stunt.
Them Boys Were Crazy.
The Flying Coffin. Germans made a VTOL version, it’s at one of their military museums.
-The West German air force used Starfighters, and they had a bad reputation for crashing.-
The German air force bought over 900 Starfighters and crashed a third of them hence the nickname Witwenmacher (”widowmaker”).
When I was stationed at Luke AFB in the early 80’s the German’s had two squadrons of F-104s there and they crashed those things all the time on the range. The pilots always punched-out and never went down with the plane. I guess they would get out as soon as any problem came up because of the nickname.
The F-104 was used by all our NATO allies and I watched a Turkish pilot, in Incerlik, land one that have an in-flight emergency with the throttle stuck at ¾ on. The 104 was always fast on approach but that guy was screaming, near super-sonic, and broke through the incoming barrier on landing, but he did get it down. It seems the Turks like their planes better than their pilots.
Interesting the U2 spy-plane and the F-104 have a lot in common as they were designed at the same time (early 50s) by Kelly Johnson at Lockheed Skunk Works. They use the same fuselage and J-73 engine but they look so different with such different missions.
Obviously populist propaganda.
Like Papa Joe told us repeatedly FOR FOUR FRIGGIN’ YEARS, civilians can’t own fighter jets!
Those are really pretty in that Blue Livery.
Clearly not vertical, in the Harrier or F-35B sense. Crazy idea, though I can see the benefit in a nation with lots of mountainous terrain. I'm pretty sure that I read something about Lockheed being very opposed to that idea, which speaks volumes. Those '60s SkunkWorks guys were not exactly risk-averse.
Ironically, the design was modified into one of the longest-serving U.S. jets, the U-2. You can see the similarities in the fuselage.
Not that one. This one https://www.jetsprops.com/prototype/german-tilt-jet-experimental-fighter-ewr-vj-101.html
Made me think of the Steve Canyon tv show.
I think they flew 104’s or maybe 102’s?
First plane to break the sound barrier going vertical.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.