Old Lockheed "Starfighter" story
We (19 Squadron at Wildenrath) had a visit from Dutch 104 Squadron that didn't end so happily. A pairs landing in a crosswind revealed a weakness in the104's braking system. If the weight was off one mainwheel (starboard, I think), there was no braking. This was not generally known until the number two was beheaded by the leader's trailing edge.
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The heading was consistent, then - more than possible they'd overflown EGCC from extrapolation, possibly as an airfield mis-ident but for where?
Memory would put them at ~ 400 ft & 400 kts from my vantage point - plus or minus for teenage exaggeration! Someone, somewhere must know more...
Memory would put them at ~ 400 ft & 400 kts from my vantage point - plus or minus for teenage exaggeration! Someone, somewhere must know more...
Saw the smoke coming from my office in the tower...
We (19 Squadron at Wildenrath) had a visit from Dutch 104 Squadron that didn't end so happily. A pairs landing in a crosswind revealed a weakness in the104's braking system. If the weight was off one mainwheel (starboard, I think), there was no braking. This was not generally known until the number two was beheaded by the leader's trailing edge.
https://www.i-f-s.nl/squadron-exchanges-1978/
Lowest flying aircraft I ever saw in the UK, One of the large AD exercises in Sector South which resulted in J/T MainJafad manning a Sanger on the Bloodhound Site at West Raynham in either 1986 or 1987. Cue a number of Luftwaffe Alpha Jets doing high speed, very low level attacks on the Station (Had to pull up to get over buildings kind of low).
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My first trip to Gioia and the IAF were having an AD exercise on one of our down days. Two Jags volunteered to add something different. The usual Macchis from Lecce stooged in from the East at 1000', straight and level and unsurprisingly were clobbered by the resident Spada battery. The Jags departed NE, got down behind the escarpment, worked around to the south and headed back in. I remember their wakes rattling through the olive groves on the edge of the airfield and the plume of dust as they wired the station HQ and nipped off around the back of the town. Apparently the Spada battery complained and the Jags said that if it had been for real they would have been much lower 
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In the 1970’s the Luftwaffe where operating the Lockheed 104G Starfighter.
Northern Germany was a low level training area sometimes as low as 250 feet !!
A British Army helicopter was flying south with the Chaplain to the Forces as pax.
Out of nowhere two Starfighters went under the helicopter from the right.
“jesus christ !!” shouted the pilot.
A voice from back seat “He heard you”
Northern Germany was a low level training area sometimes as low as 250 feet !!
A British Army helicopter was flying south with the Chaplain to the Forces as pax.
Out of nowhere two Starfighters went under the helicopter from the right.
“jesus christ !!” shouted the pilot.
A voice from back seat “He heard you”
I was once doing photo work in a Super Cub on the eastern edge of R2901 at Avon Park FL at about 200 feet. Totally consumed with the photo taking, the photographer and I both saw an F-4 with 2 occupants fly underneath us. Totally cool.
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I recall as a kid on the roof of my uncle's house watching an F104 doing some training at the nearby local military base. We managed to get the pilot's attention and he came up and made a slow speed turn around us. A few minutes later we were buzzed by two prop driven trainers flying in formation just 10ft above us. Happy days.
I remain in awe of the F104 pocket rocket, the view of the one parked out the back of the Athens military museum when arriving by bus from the main airport to my hotel never fails to impress me.
I remain in awe of the F104 pocket rocket, the view of the one parked out the back of the Athens military museum when arriving by bus from the main airport to my hotel never fails to impress me.
It's almost as if they took off and headed 170ish directly for UH and drifted right of track.
Last edited by SLXOwft; 27th Oct 2020 at 13:17.
In the late 70's, I landed my jumping bean at a lovely little gliding club in Germany, for an air display. The downhill RVL on the 750m strip was interesting (!) but I managed to get the hood open and my mask off before I ran off the end of the strip onto the grass. I taxied back to the clubhouse and was marshalled in to park next to an ....F104!!
My question "Wie in Himmel kommt das hier?" was answered with a broad grin, "On a large lorry!"
'Twas a fine weekend!
Mog
My question "Wie in Himmel kommt das hier?" was answered with a broad grin, "On a large lorry!"
'Twas a fine weekend!
Mog
Mog's tale reminds me of a Harrier RIC P.I. being cross examined during an in field Taceval on our interoperability with other recce platforms in NATO,
" For example , what sort of report would be produced if a Recce Starfighter lobbed in?"
" I would guess an accident report"
" For example , what sort of report would be produced if a Recce Starfighter lobbed in?"
" I would guess an accident report"
Many moons ago I recall standing on he deck of a jack-up rig in the Heligoland Bight and watching German Navy Starfighters fly past at low level and very high speed., They were typically below deck level and making quite close passes to us. With near flat calm weather and early morning mists I suspect they were using us a visual height reference. Impressive to see, with a hint of wake sometimes in the water behind them.
Wandering around Italy by motorbike and we just had to stop and admire this roadside tribute; at Gaggio Montano, Emilia-Romagna 
But what an indication of how the past that we lived with is now corroding out in all weathers
Meanwhile back at RNAS Culdrose Airday 1975
But what an indication of how the past that we lived with is now corroding out in all weathers
Meanwhile back at RNAS Culdrose Airday 1975
On a visit to Villafranca many years ago I saw a compound on the airfield with at least one F-104 residing in it in the vertical with nose down, just like a scrap heap!
Well done John and close second place to OmegaV6. Part of the momentoes collected by Ferrari and displayed at their private test track 'Fiorano' within Maranello town.
Back in the 90s we used to see the Italian Air Force taxiing the F104s around at Sigonella at warp speed. We were moving a lot slower in our hemp heavy and they used to dive ahead of us on the narrow taxiways, always with a friendly wave though! (not sure what wave back our flight deck gave them
)
Back in the 90s we used to see the Italian Air Force taxiing the F104s around at Sigonella at warp speed. We were moving a lot slower in our hemp heavy and they used to dive ahead of us on the narrow taxiways, always with a friendly wave though! (not sure what wave back our flight deck gave them
)
Thought police antagonist
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A great example of a plane from the good old days when sex was safe and airplanes were dangerous
Big Reheat
Fortunately JB in the back had far more SA than I and suspected something was up - he spotted the 104 in the mirror just as he went past the tower.. The 104 guy never saw us 😳
A couple of years I remember looking at a 104 in a hangar at Gutersloh that had had a mid-air with a Jaguar (I think part of the tail ended up in a swimming pool at Warendorf) his pitot was bent right back, little other damage - I recall the Jag guy (Who I subsequently worked on another Jag mid-air BOI with) did not even Realise what had happened until he landed at Bruggen..
Happy days