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 ...
The first > thrust than weight fighter
My uncle was assigned to George Air Force Base back in the mid to late 60s. We would go out to visit him. We would wind up out in the desert shooting guns, and I would see those things taking off. Even as a little kid, those jets were cool.
The West German air force used Starfighters, and they had a bad reputation for crashing.
If you’re into the aviation thing, Sun n Fun is definitely something to see.
Huge engine and tiny, stubby wings. I'm sure they were a handful to fly.
My deceased neighbor was a pilot and asked me to go with him to Sun ‘N Fun several years ago. I had to turn him down due to a charter boat fishing trip in the Gulf of America we had already planned.
Get one now.. :)
https://vintageaviationnews.com/warbirds-news/iconic-cf-104d-starfighter-for-sale.html
When I was in Germany, they were easy to distinguish by their shape when they flew overhead.
Lol
No thanks 👍
While a friend and I were hitchhiking through the Saarland in the early 70s we heard a ssssssssssssSSSSSSS then 2 German 104s passed over going just below the sound barrier and skimming the trees. It was mighty impressive.
The beloved Widow Maker.
Usually traced to poor maintenance by their conscripts. Other NATO allies operated the F-104 with a far better record.
A bomark rocket with stubby wings and a pointy nose cone.pointy is scarey round is not scarey.
Wile E. Coyote strapping himself to a big ACME rocket, a Distinguished Flying Cross awarded pre-flight.
I’ve read them described as human-piloted missiles. “Banking with intent to turn.”
No, it was low quality German pilots. Men who hadn’t flown since the war were brought back. The New German Air Force wasn’t started until 1956.
They brought guys in and trained them in docile straight winged 1st Gen jets like T-33s and F-84s. Then they stepped into an F-104.
To make matters worse, the Germans decided it should be primarily a low altitude ground attack machine. Combine low experience, with low altitude, crappy German weather, and an unusual hot jet, and you get lot’s of crashes.
It wasn’t mechanical failures.
Other NATO countries used them much more as interceptors.
Yeah, that was the cause of their initial issues. But the ongoing multi-decade problems they had were traced to poor maintenance. That is, after the 104s killed the bad pilots.
Said they were a death trap.
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