When RAF Pilots Flew the F-104
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Lixwm,Flintshire
Posts: 262
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Did that charming man speak with a slight lilt in his voice? If so, beware, because when fuelled with a few beers, he was prone to smack one over the head. Charmingly. Lovely man PL!
The reason I mentioned Don Kingaby was that he was the W/C Flying at RAF Celle in the late 1950s and his next posting was to be a desk job. The story related many years later was that he was thinking of resigning his commission when a pal from Fontainebleau tipped him off that the GAF were seeking current PAIs. This led to training in the USA and his job at Oldenburg.
What interested me particularly was the initial flying training of the nascent GAF and the involvement of RAF aircrew. Were many involved and where did they do their training?
This was a short time after WW11 and there must have been many interesting meetings with recent foes.
At a Squadron Exchange in Husum in the early 80s, an elderly G-91 Gino pilot told me his instructor on pilots course was RAF. This was the mid to late 1950s (Luftwaffe reformed 1956?) and he was trained in Germany.
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Longton, Lancs, UK
Age: 80
Posts: 1,527
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Here's your man from Llandwrog, CB ------
Far right, visiting old mates at RAF Valley in his F-104 during the station Open Day 1975(I think). The Staish, Gp Capt Edwards is on the left.
And another of him (far left), about a year earlier, Dragons formation team --
Far right, visiting old mates at RAF Valley in his F-104 during the station Open Day 1975(I think). The Staish, Gp Capt Edwards is on the left.
And another of him (far left), about a year earlier, Dragons formation team --
Last edited by jindabyne; 27th Aug 2011 at 09:38.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Tr_no 688
Posts: 235
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
quote fug.
."I remember my father (now deceased) making a joke when we were stationed in RAFG Wildenrath in the early eighties. It was only later that I 'got it'. Q: How do you get yourself a Starfighter? A: Buy a field in Germany and wait."
..................Hmm Robert Calvert fan was he?
."I remember my father (now deceased) making a joke when we were stationed in RAFG Wildenrath in the early eighties. It was only later that I 'got it'. Q: How do you get yourself a Starfighter? A: Buy a field in Germany and wait."
..................Hmm Robert Calvert fan was he?
Re that old business about the German accident record with the F104:
They bought 800+ F104s and crashed just over 200 of them.
What percentage of the RAF's Lightning force did we write off? Over half a squadron's worth doing show-off wheels-up takeoffs for a start!
What percentage of the RAF's Harrier force did we write off? A lot more than 25%, I'm sure.
They bought 800+ F104s and crashed just over 200 of them.
What percentage of the RAF's Lightning force did we write off? Over half a squadron's worth doing show-off wheels-up takeoffs for a start!
What percentage of the RAF's Harrier force did we write off? A lot more than 25%, I'm sure.
Well the RAAF didn't do too well with the Mirage. A fine ship but....
.....came into service in December 1963. The fleet was built to a total of 100 Single seat 111Os and 16 dual seat 111Ds. Over the next twenty four years 43 aircraft were lost and 14 pilots were killed.
.....came into service in December 1963. The fleet was built to a total of 100 Single seat 111Os and 16 dual seat 111Ds. Over the next twenty four years 43 aircraft were lost and 14 pilots were killed.
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Cloud9
Posts: 365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The Gnat did not require weapons to inflict damage; I had the dubious distinction of chopping off a colleague's finger with a port aileron during a functional test in the hangar. Stand clear when I'm in the cockpit.......
HB
HB
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New York & California
Posts: 414
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Okay, I got a good question for you guys. I was told the F-104 had a really crappy range, but some pilots who talked about it said that it's range was on par with other fighters of the era. The fact that the aircraft had a very high fuel fraction, it's wing-loading was lighter than the F-101 and Ps was said to be about the same as the F-101 and the F-101 could fly very far...
Which one is correct if it's not classified?
Which one is correct if it's not classified?
Last edited by Jane-DoH; 21st Aug 2011 at 20:29.
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: by the Great Salt Lake, USA
Posts: 1,542
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
F-104A: J79-GE-3A/3B; Normal range 730 miles*. Maximum range with external drop tanks 1400 miles.
Fuel: Internal fuel capacity was 897 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two underwing tanks was 1627 US gallons.
F-104B: as above, except internal fuel capacity was 752 US gallons.
F-104C:J79-GE-7; Normal range 850 miles*. Maximum range with four drop tanks was 1500 miles.
Fuel: Internal fuel capacity was 897 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two underwing tanks was 1627 US gallons. A 195 US gallon drop tank could be carried on each of the underwing pylons, plus a 170 US gallon drop tank at each wingtip.
F-104G: J79-GE-11A; Normal range 1080 miles**. Maximum range with four drop tanks was 1630 miles.
Fuel: Internal fuel capacity was 1,054 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two underwing tanks was 1784 US gallons.
F-104S: J79-GE-19; Normal range was 1550 miles***, and maximum range with four drop tanks was 1815 miles.
Fuel: Standard internal fuel capacity 896 US gallons, which can be supplemented by one 225 US gallon centerline tank, two 195-US gallon underwing tanks and two 170-US gallon wingtip tanks. In addition, 121 US gallons could be carried in an auxiliary tank in the ammunition bay.
* "normal" was with no external tanks.
** "normal" was with no external tanks, but external tank capacity was increased.
*** "normal" was with the centerline tank and the wingtip tanks.
Fuel: Internal fuel capacity was 897 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two underwing tanks was 1627 US gallons.
F-104B: as above, except internal fuel capacity was 752 US gallons.
F-104C:J79-GE-7; Normal range 850 miles*. Maximum range with four drop tanks was 1500 miles.
Fuel: Internal fuel capacity was 897 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two underwing tanks was 1627 US gallons. A 195 US gallon drop tank could be carried on each of the underwing pylons, plus a 170 US gallon drop tank at each wingtip.
F-104G: J79-GE-11A; Normal range 1080 miles**. Maximum range with four drop tanks was 1630 miles.
Fuel: Internal fuel capacity was 1,054 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two underwing tanks was 1784 US gallons.
F-104S: J79-GE-19; Normal range was 1550 miles***, and maximum range with four drop tanks was 1815 miles.
Fuel: Standard internal fuel capacity 896 US gallons, which can be supplemented by one 225 US gallon centerline tank, two 195-US gallon underwing tanks and two 170-US gallon wingtip tanks. In addition, 121 US gallons could be carried in an auxiliary tank in the ammunition bay.
* "normal" was with no external tanks.
** "normal" was with no external tanks, but external tank capacity was increased.
*** "normal" was with the centerline tank and the wingtip tanks.
Last edited by GreenKnight121; 9th Aug 2011 at 02:47.
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Sunny (or Rainy) Somerset, England
Posts: 2,026
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
For anyone who may be interested, there have been 2 threads in the past on the 104:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...accidents.html
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ly-flawed.html
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...accidents.html
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...ly-flawed.html