Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>F-104>HA1066

General Background

The RCAF received their first CF-104 in March 1962. Although originally designed as a supersonic interceptor the Canadian Air Force used it primarily for low level strike and reconnaissance. The Canadian version of the F-104 was capable of carrying a ventral mounted Vinten Vicon pod with 4 cameras inside for reconnaissance picture taking. On September 4, 1963 number 12900 was the 200th and final CF-104 produced and entered service on January 10, 1964. The CF-104 retired from service in 1985 when it was replaced by the CF-18 Hornet. Over the 25 years of active service 110 aircraft were lost to accidents earning it nicknames like "Widow Maker" and "Lawn Dart". The RCAF CF- 104 probably had the most flying time of any variant with an average of 6,000 hours per plane over their life time compared to the Luftwaffe's 3,000 hours.

The Aircraft

Constructed for the RCAF in 1962 as c/n 683A-1101 and given the serial number 12801. The aircraft was assigned to the No. 3 Wing at CFB Zweibrucken, Germany. In 1970 the aircraft was retired and stored until 1973 when it was sold to Norway. In 1980 the aircraft was renumbered as 104801 “801” and in 1982 was retired and was flown to Oslo to begin its preservation at the Central Defence Museum, on display RNoAF Museum (Forsvarsmuseet) at Gardermoen with 334 Skv marks. In 2006 moved to "Norwegian Aviation Museum" (Norsk Luftfartsmuseum) at Bodø.

Specifications:

Manufacturer:	Canadair
Designation:	originally a super-sonic interceptor but adapted for low level strike and reconnaissance
Crew:	1 x pilot - “D” variant 2 crew
Dimensions:
Wingspan:	21’ 11”
Length:	54’ 9”
Height:	13’ 6”
Wing area:	196.1 sq. ft
Powerplant:	1 x Orenda Engines J79-OEL-7, 10,000 lb. s.t. dry / 15,800 lb. s.t. with after burner
Performance:
Maximum speed:
Dash:	1,550 mph (mach 2.35) @ 40,000’
	915 mph (mach 1.2) @ sea-level
Climb to 30,000’:	1.5 minutes
Service ceiling:	50,000 ft (12,000 m)
Range:	1,630 mi (1,420 nm, 2,630 km)
Weights:
Empty:	13,909 lbs.
Clean:	21,005 lbs
Maximum take-off:	28,891 lbs
External stores:
5 hard points:	1 x under the fuselage, 1 x under each wing, 1 x at each wing tip
Armament:
External bombs and missiles such as:	Napalm bomb
	Cluster bomb
	BL755 cluster bomb
	1 x 19 rocket rocket-pod
	Mk. 82 bomb
	MN1A practice bomb dispenser
	1 x M61A1 Vulcan
	1 x 20mm cannon added to later versions.