TF-104GM Pilot POV Full Flight Video
 

A tenuous link to current military aviation but the F-104s of Starfighter Aerospace are used for R&D and test pilot training at Kennedy Space Center.

Here, former Italian AF pilot Piercarlo Ciacchi - who is now Director of Flight Ops at Starfighters Aerospace - talks through the entire flight describing use of controls, what to look for on instruments etc. He was a front-line pilot on the F-104S and an instructor on Frecce Tricolori.

Pilots might find the handling aspects interesting.

Needs 83% mil power to maintain altitude with flap in a base turn at min speed of 245 knots.

You Tube

https://www.starfighters.net/ciacchi

More videos from his channel:

Just. Wow.
The energy management and need to stay ahead of the jet is pretty intimidating.
It really was a missile with a man in it...

Piercarlo Ciacchi took the TF-104GM over to Italy for the Italian AF's 100th Anniversary.

Long video here with the display including a nice heritage flypast and some J79 howling for the fans !

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Shorter version

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A former Mod and all-round legend told me of his time on Starfighters when on an officer swap scheme with the CAF. I asked how fast he had been and was told something around 1,000 mph. I questioned this as I understood it could fly much faster. He then explained that at 200 feet above the treetops, the limiting factor was the temperature of the air entering the engine.

Respect sir !

:ok: