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Description
| Manufacturer: | Lockheed | |
| Base model: | F-104 | |
| Designation: | F-104 | |
| Version: | D | |
| Nickname: | Starfighter | |
| Designation System: | U.S. Air Force | |
| Designation Period: | 1948-Present | |
| Basic role: | Fighter | |
Specifications
| Not Yet Available |
Known serial numbers
Examples of this type may be found at
| Museum | City | State |
| Castle Air Museum | Atwater | California |
| Pima Air & Space Museum | Tucson | Arizona |
| Travis Air Force Museum | Travis AFB | California |
| USAF Armament Museum | Eglin AFB | Florida |
| USAF History and Traditions Museum | San Antonio | Texas |
F-104D on display
Castle Air Museum | Pima Air & Space Museum | USAF Armament Museum |
Recent comments by our visitors
| G. Griffin , UT | My father-in-law was Wing & Division CO at George AFB--Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Darrell S. Cramer, who passed away in Jan. 2007. I of course am thinking of him as I watch the documentary about the F-104 on the Military Channel.
A special memory for me is that soon after marrying his daughter we got to stand near the flight line as he led a nighttime non-stop deployment from George AFB to Moron, Spain (as I remember)--the first ever night departure--complete with Los Angeles TV cameras recording the event. This 48-year memory has 104s two-abreast belching fire from their afterburners, taking off just minutes apart. As a civilian courting the Colonel's daughter I felt quite special in that the MPs at the main gate got so used to seeing me in my new 1963 MGB they just waved me through as I headed to #4 Nevada. 6 years ago or so I stood near the GAFB Control Tower before being asked to leave the area by Security--the base had long been deactivated--I told the guard that my father-in-law was the base commander here. His reply: "I hear that all the time". Our LDS Ward (Mormon) in Victorville had many pilots who attended church there, so I had a lot of young 104 pilots to look up to. And a lot of stories from those who maintained the planes as well, including the crew member that was accidentally ejected from one through the canopy. Gary Griffin 10/17/2011 @ 20:40 [ref: 49599] |
| AL BARKL ELKO,, NV | I WAS ENGINE TROUBLE SHOOTER ON THE F-104C,&D MODEL AT GEORGE A.F.B. FROM 1958 TO 1961. I DONE ALOT OF ENGINE RUNUP & TESTING ON FLIGHT LINE & RUNUP PADS.I ROTATED TO SPAIN TWICE, ONCE WITH THE 434TH &ONCE WITH THE 435TH.THE MEMORIES WILL ALWAYS BE WITH ME OF A WONDERFULL TIME IN THE U.S.A.F. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO WAS THERE AT THAT TIME. 09/15/2010 @ 13:39 [ref: 30143] |
| TSgt Randy Colby USAF (Ret) Loveland, CO | I worked on the F-104C/D Fire Control System from 1963-1967. Most of that time was spent at George AFB, CA, with a couple of trips to Danang AB, Viet Nam and Kung Kwan AB, Taiwan. One thing I always think of when the F-104D is mentioned is one night when I was changing the radar indicator in 57-1330. In order to change the indicator, you had to pull the canopy jetison handle, to move it out of the way. I called the Egress Shop, and told them to deactivate the canopy system so I could remove the indicator. Evidently the Egress Tech was not familiar with the difference in the ways the canopy system was deactivated. He deactivated the system, but did not remove the cable from the initiator. When i pulled the handle, the initiator, located in the rear of the seat I was sitting in went off. That was a thrill I would rather not have again. 12/13/2007 @ 10:52 [ref: 18899] |
| Mitchell g tucker avon, IN | I remember these airplanes in the early 70's flying out of San Juan (isla verde) International airport with the puerto Rico air national gaurd. I can't imagine what they were intended to "intercept", I do know that little wing made them a bear to land, you could hear the power adjustments on final approach all over the city. I worked on the ramp with prinair (puerto rico international airlines) From startup to departure and approach it was an adventure to even be around those marvelous airplanes. Last time I went through San Juan I noticed A-7's on the ramp, more mission appropriate, but not nearly the testosterone effect of the 104. I spent two wonderful summers on the ramp and saw a lot of aviation history fly by. From Quisqueyana Connies to scores of 3's and everykind of vagabond bird....those F-104's took the cake. Thank You Kelly Johnson 07/30/2007 @ 16:43 [ref: 17364] |
| Rick Parker , FL | Many thanks to Kelly Johnson for designing such a radical fighter and to my father's comrades-in-arms (especially Chuck Dildine) for dedicating Eglin's F-104 in his honor.
I know he smiles from above at his fellow F-104 drivers. 01/05/2006 @ 15:24 [ref: 12087] |
| Jeff R. Olympia,, WA | The F-104 Star Fighter had wings that were as sharp as razors. Ground crews sometimes used foam rubber on the wing edges to protect themselves from injury while working around this aircraft. The Olympia Air Museum at the Olympia Airport has an F-104 that I believe is under restoration. This will be an excellent addition to this impressive museum. 03/02/2005 @ 05:25 [ref: 9583] |
Recent photos uploaded by our visitors
