F-104's combat capability at Mach 2

[datafuser]

The F-104C Standard Aircraft Characteristics document of 1958 shows that the F-104C's combat speed could reach Mach 2.0 at 35,000 feet.

Does it mean the F-104C could fire the AIM-9B in that condition?

Perhaps in a hot pursuit against a fast target.

 

[HoHun]

Hi,

Does it mean the F-104C could fire the AIM-9B in that condition?

While it might not answer this specific question, the most specific information you might be able to find on the tactical employment of the F-104 Starfighter are the SURE Project series books.

Here's a video showcasing a bit of the content ... in German, but I'm sure the translated subtitles will be OK:

View: https://youtu.be/WlzBtq5LaJk?t=138


I've been told the Lockheed SURE Project manuals can be found online somewhere, but as my main area of interest are propeller aircraft, I didn't really try to dig for them ... SURE isn't the best of search terms, but of course they didn't know about Google back then ;-)

Regards,

Henning (HoHun)

 

[datafuser]

Thanks a lot!

Here's one of them.

https://916-starfighter.de/SURE%205_airflow%20effects.pdf