F-104G Starfighter Escadron 104, Ala 6/16, Spanish AF (Ejercito del Aire) (1:72)

The F-104G was known as the Super Starfighter, with the G standing for Germany, because they were among the first foreign orders for the Lockheed plane and they placed the largest order. Depending on the source there were between 1,122 and 1,700 G models built under license by 4 European companies, Canadair and Lockheed. The G was a multi-role all weather single seat fighter-bomber with a new upward firing ejection seat, a strengthened fuselage and wings, increased internal fuel capacity, new improved full length flaps added to the wings leading edge for better combat maneuvering, a larger vertical fin, a new radar system with air-air and air-ground modes, inertial navigation that made the F-104G the first production fighter to receive this new equipment, new infrared sight, an additional hard-point under each wing, improved weapons capability now was 4,000 lbs and beefed up landing gear and larger wheels to carry all the added weight of the improvements. The larger gear and wheels made it necessary to create a bulge in the fuselage to accommodate them. The G even received a new engine, though it didn't deliver any more power it was a much more reliable engine. The G was considered the best version of the F-104.

In 1965 the Spanish Air Force Ejercito del Aire (EdA) received 18 Canadair'built F-104Gs through the Military Assistance Program (MAP). In EdA service the F-104s were designated C.8 with serials running from C.8-1 to C.8-18. They were assigned to Ala 6 (Wing 6) that was later renamed Ala 16. The F-104 flew with the EdA for 7 years accumulating 17,000 operational hours without the loss of a single Starfighter. Perhaps this was due to the skill of the pilots or the fact that they Spanish used the F-104 to do the role of interceptor that it was designed for. Or perhaps it was a combination of both factors. In 1972 they were replaced by F-4C Phantoms and returned to the USAF where they were transferred to Greece and Turkey.

Specifications for the F-104G

Performance
Engine
(1) General Electric J79-GE-11A turbojet, 10,000 lb.s.t. dry and 15,600 lb.s.t. with afterburning.
Maximum Speed ' 1,146 mph @ 50,000 feet, 1,328 mph @ 35,000 feet.
Stalling Speed - 216 mph.
Initial Climb Rate - 48,000 feet per minute.
Service Ceiling - 50,000 feet, and absolute ceiling 90,000 feet.
Normal Range ' 1,080 miles. Maximum range with four drop-tanks was 1,630 miles.

Fuel
Internal fuel capacity was 897 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two under-wing tanks was 1,784 US gallons.

Dimensions
Length - 54 ft 8 in
Height - 13 ft 6 in
Wingspan - 21 ft 9 in
Wing Area - 196.1 sq ft.

Weights
Empty - 13,996 lbs
Combat - 20,640 lbs
Maximum Takeoff - 29,038 lbs

Armament
(1) 20-mm M61A1 cannon with 725 rounds in the fuselage Plus up to (4) AIM-9B Sidewinder infrared homing air-to-air missiles.
Up to 4,000 pounds of external ordnance (bombs, rockets, napalm, drop tanks) could be carried on under-wing and under-fuselage hard-points.