Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-104>HA1018

General Background

The F-104 Starfighter was the first aircraft to be able to maintain Mach 2 not just in short bursts. The Starfighter shattered speed and rate of climb records that still are impressive today. This extremely high speed earned the plane the nickname “The Missile With A Man In It”. The F-104 was operated by approximately 15 countries. The Starfighter first flew with the USAF in 1958 and the last airplane was decommissioned in Italy in 2004.

The Aircraft

Taiwan developed a special recon version of the RF-104G that had an extra long pointed radome that housed a LOng-Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) camera. This special radome made it possible to switch the aircraft from an F-104G standard arrangement to an RF-104G or vice versa in a matter of one perhaps two days. There were 3 RF-104Gs and these aircraft were called Stargazers. German F-104G #2076 serial 63-13260 was sold to the RoCAF and coded 4378. The Rocaf stopped using the Stargazers in late 1994.

Specifications:

F-104G:
Role:	all-weather multi-role fighter-bomber
Production:	1,122
Crew:	1
TF-104G:
Role:	combat-capable trainer version of F-104G
Production:	220
Crew:	2
Normal Performance:
Engine:	1 x General Electric J-79 of 15,600 lbs. thrust with afterburner
Increased Internal Fuel Capacity :
Maximum speed:	1,320 mph
Cruising Speed :	575 mph
Combat Radius:	420 mi
Ferry Range:	1,630 mi
Service Ceiling:	58,000 ft
Rate Of Climb:	48,000 ft/min
Dimensions:
Span:	21 ft. 11 in
Length:	54 ft. 10 in
Height:	13 ft. 6 in
Weight:
Empty:	14,000 lbs
Loaded:	20,640 lbs
Maximum Takeoff:	29,027 lbs
Armament :
F-104G:	1 x M-61 20mm M61 Vulcan 6-barrel cannon
Hardpoints :	7 x capable of carrying a maximum 4,000 lbs of stores
Located :	2 x wing-tip launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinder or similar missiles
	4 x 2 under each wing
	1 x under-fuselage center-line pylon
TF-104G:	No cannon or centerline pylon
	Reduced internal fuel