Overview
Nicknamed the "missile with a man in it", the F-104 Starfighter had tiny, razor-thin wings and a powerful J79 engine that pushed it past Mach 2. In 1958 it set world records for both speed and altitude.
It became a NATO workhorse when West Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and others bought it or built it under licence. The German F-104G suffered many crashes in a low-level strike role it was never designed for. Italy flew the last ones until 2004. Specifications are for the F-104G.
Specifications
Dimensions
| Length | 16.66 m |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 6.36 m |
| Height | 4.09 m |
| Wing area | 18.2 m² |
Weights & fuel
| Empty weight | 6,350 kg |
|---|---|
| Max. take-off weight | 13,170 kg |
Performance
| Max. speed | 2,137 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max. Mach | Mach 2.00 |
| Ferry range | 2,623 km |
| Combat radius | 670 km |
| Service ceiling | 15,000 m |
| Rate of climb | 244.0 m/s |
Crew & capacity
| Crew | 1 |
|---|
Powerplant
| Engines | 1 |
|---|---|
| Engine model | GE J79-GE-11A |
| Thrust (each) | 44.5 kN |
| Thrust with afterburner (each) | 69.4 kN |
Figures are compiled from public sources and may be approximate; they can vary by variant and configuration.
Armament
- 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon
- AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, bombs and rockets
Photos
Photo 1: Pajx / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Some text and images come from Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA licences.
