F-104 Starfighter Projects

F-104 Dogfighter,

Interesting comparison the the F-20 and using the F-5 automatic leading edge system.
Looks like the LEX's come from F-20 as well as the fuselage "step."

I like it!
Would have made a great LWF or Aggressor!
 
Here the patent for the F-104 Schlepptanks / towed fueltanks shown above.
Patent Nr / Veröffentlichungsnummer: DE1244590
Title: Deichselschleppflugkörper, insbesondere für strahlgetriebene Flugzeuge
Inventor: Erich Haberkorn / Bölkow
Year: 13.07.1967

https://depatisnet.dpma.de/DepatisNet/depatisnet?action=einsteiger
 
Was Lockheed also interesting in F-20 class jet fighter?

before they got GD... (After they got GD, there is no need to develop light weight jet fighter...)
 
litzj said:
Was Lockheed also interesting in F-20 class jet fighter?

before they got GD... (After they got GD, there is no need to develop light weight jet fighter...)

Good question.
 
Not sure if this is the correct place for this but thought I'd put it here, mods feel free to move. Pics are from a 1957 report by Kelly Johnson on the development of the F104. Sorry for the low quality of the pictures. Also included a Aviation Week 1953 article from Kelly Johnson, again not sure if this is the right place but figured it tied in nicely to the F104.
 

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Recently (10-Dec-2019) posted on YouTube by the Edwards Air Force Base History Office, footage of Chuck Yeager's famous/infamous NF-104A (USAF Ser. No. 56-0762; c/n 183-1050) flight and crash on December 10, 1963.

YouTube - Edwards Air Force Base - Complete Video: Then Col. Chuck Yeager Crash In NF-104A Dec 10, 1963 At Edwards Air Force Base
 
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A gif showing a F-104A suspended on a test rig, firing a AIR-2A Genie (inert warhead).
true-852.gif

 
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From AW 1965,an old picture to CL-981,

so I am asking if someone has a drawing to CL-981-20 with wing area increased 250 ft. sq.,I have it in my files,
but I can't reach to it right now.
 

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From AW 1965,an old picture to CL-981,

so I am asking if someone has a drawing to CL-981-20 with wing area increased 250 ft. sq.,I have it in my files,
but I can't reach to it right now.
Check page 2 of this thread, post 52.
 
Lancer might have been more attractive if F16 (Be Dk Nl Nw) F18 (Ca Sp) amd Tornado (Ge It) had either fallen through or been too costly
European countries after 1973 were going through a hard time and a low cost F104 replacement might have been just the thing.
 
Next: the L-252 series from 1953. Starts off with the -1, which was an F-104 growed bigger to serve as a long-range interceptor, with jettisonable airturborockets on the wingtips. Then the -2 comes along, ditches the airturborockets in favor of a second turbojet and swaps the straight wing for a delta. Then the -5 comes along and swaps out the turbojets for turboprops. However, it's shown packing a bomb, so it's probably not an interceptor anymore...
Scott,
thx for posting these concepts (a long time ago).
Do you have any additional information about this incredible turboprop version L-252-5? Twin turboprops (Allison?) seem to power one (supersonic?) propeller per wing. Are there any calculated performance parameter known?
 
First up: L-227-14, one of the designs leading to the F-104. Clearly not the direction Lockheed decided to take. (Note: on the original, the dimensions are illegible).

Second: CL-351-10 AKA F-104X, an F-104 with big inlets, a J-79 and the ability to get to Mach 3.2 at 69,000 feet.
CL-351, I did not know the beautiful and sleek F-104 had her own Mach 3 variant that could rival XF-108 and MiG-25/31 series.
 
Here's a fun one. A Navy F-104 used for weapons tests at China Lake.
Just found two more pictures at Flickr.
G. Verver said:
NAF China Lake F-104A Starfighter BuNo 56-0757, west side of hangar 2, Armitage Field, China Lake, circa 1961. Official U.S. Navy photo.
View: https://flic.kr/p/2mn8fBk

G. Verver said:
NAF China Lake F-104A Starfighter BuNo 56-0757, Armitage Field, NAF China Lake, circa August 1959.
View: https://flic.kr/p/2mn5EDt
 
An XF5V-1?

By great coincidence, the winter '08 issue of The Hook magazine (pub'd by the US Navy's Tailhook Association) has mention of what is claimed to be an XF5V. (Copy below) Yes, there were several F-104As at NAS China Lake; their website has photos of 3 different airplanes in the 1958-1960 timeframe, including pics of this aircraft (56-0757). But the website makes no mention of it being modified, let alone to the extent mentioned in the article. This is a new one to me, and I can find no other reference to it. Anybody have further info/confirmation. And, as the Hook editor asks, 'what happened to the F2V, F3V and F4V?' I've never heard of them, either...

Quote from Terry D. Moore, author of the original "XF5V1" story:

Gentlemen:
Not to put too fine a point on this but the XF5V-1 information as published in winter ’08 edition of The Hook appears to be based on an article I wrote for the April, 2004 edition of Internet Modeler. The XF5V-1 is a total work of fiction and even though the Navy flew a few F-104′s they were never designated as the XF5V-1. No F-104′s were modified. No extended wings, no twin ventral fins, no aft opening canopy, no heavier arresting hook. The only F-104 so modified was a Hasegawa 72nd scale kit that I built for the article. Do a google search for April 2004 Internet Modeler/Lockheeds for the Navy. One of the giveaways that this is an April Fools joke are the pilots “associated” with the project: I.B. Fulinya, A. P. Rilfool and so on. Funny, a similar thing happened on a subsequent April issue of IM about the P-47′s that Israel flew…Oh well

Terry D. Moore
 
A real "Gotcha" moment, Sharp as imho.
 
Just going to drop this here from the F-8 thread since the topic fits well here.

And I didnt see mention before so...

Regards  Project Feather Duster :


It looks like Project Feather Duster was conducted ~1965.....

Regards
Pioneer

Huh ok so cant move quotes around...

So have what is hopefully the link to OG post by @Pioneer

 
It was an F-104G with a same span, increased-chord 220 sq ft wing and GE J79-J1Q engine (17,900 lb thrust) for close support mission. No drawings I know of.
 
Nord AS.30 ???

If a German 104G quite possibly, a TAC 104A I'm a bit more dubious of especially as it's an artwork

 

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Apologies, your correct FL., the artworks a 104C, underwing pylons and TAC markings (the lack of refuelling probe threw me) :) I'm still thinking the drawing might be spurious tho ?
 

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The silent film shows the necessary modification given to an F-104 to handle land-based catapults launched and arrested landings. The system was called Short Airfield for Tactical Support or SATS, and utilized a catapult bridle system.

 
Just going to drop this here from the F-8 thread since the topic fits well here.

And I didnt see mention before so...

Regards  Project Feather Duster :


It looks like Project Feather Duster was conducted ~1965.....

Regards
Pioneer

Huh ok so cant move quotes around...

So have what is hopefully the link to OG post by @Pioneer

I would not have expected the 104 to maneuver that well... those small wings!
 

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