F104 Starfighters

[@TimmyBoyAZ]

My Dad, USAF (Ret.) Lt Col. Gary "Spud" Blake logged the second-most hours in the F-104, flying it for 18 of his 22 active duty years. He absolutely LOVED the Zipper. The 104 static display at Luke AFB has his name on this side of it. Also, R.I.P. Tom "Sharkbait" Delashaw.

[@jeffreylindsey1757]

Your dad sounds like a great man. Would like to have known him. Thank him for me 4 his service to this great country! Semper Fi

[@billgund4532]

Hello Tim. I think we may have communicated previously. My dad (Lt. Col Ed Gund) too was a Zipper IP, stationed at Luke AFB (1964-1970).. He was fortunate enough to fly a slew of USAF birds, and always maintained the '104 was his favorite, with the F-86 & A-4 tied for second place (he did 18 months Navy Exchange flying in the early 60's). It was a privilege to be an Air Force brat. Think of all the cool a/c we got to see in the course of a day. Dad began his AF career flying the Lockheed F-80 and retired flying the '104. His biggest regret? When his callsign was changed from "Bacardi" to "Bolero."

[@benhudman7911]

Oh wow! I saw his name on it when I was at Luke!

[@danr308]

My Grandpa was Glendon Dunaway. He flew a lot in F-104s when they first came out. I wonder if they knew each other?

[@TimmyBoyAZ]

@benhudman7911 Yes sir...that's my hero's 104.

[@ericvimeney2241]

What a amazing airplane!! Thanks for this beautifull video. My dad did a backseat ride in it with danish air force in 1970s. He was so impress by the power he didn't have in his mirage 3C. Great respect, for clarence kelly Johnson the lockeed designer, for all the pilots who flew F104s, and for all the ingineers who keeped them flying.

[@vindicari]

and all the pilots who died flying this piece of shit, 115 in Germany alone. google it.

[@bananajoe3669]

@@vindicari This was not the fault of the F-104, it was the fault of the german government in its total inability to handle the new technology! My home country Germany bought 900 F-104 and after that Germany was broke, means: no money for covered parking, so the planes were parked in the weather the whole year. This was realy good (not) for the mechanik and the electronic. It was no money for the maintenance aviable, compulsory military service people did that, and when they were ready, they were replaced with new compulsory military service people, and the shit started over. AND (!) it was no money for training of the pilots in the sometimes poor weather in Germany, too little flights, too little training and thus no savety. The plane wanted to be flown and didn't forgive any mistakes! And the fuckin politicians? All what they did was to blame the other fraction for the problems, but not to work on it! With Johannes Steinhoff and his work on the problem the Starfighter crisis was over and the savety level was ascending to the same level like in other air forces!

[@Idahoguy10157]

@@vindicari ... the wrong aircraft for air too ground. Clarence Kelly designed the Starfighter as an interceptor. Not a fighter-bomber. The Luftwaffe should have split their buy and bought A-4 Skyhawks to drop bombs

[@nicolaandria522]

@@vindicari apart from the reasons listed by Banana Joe for the problems in Germany, the fact was that they transformed an interceptor optimised for high speed / high altitude air to air combat in a fighter bomber to deliver its payload, conventional or nuclear, flying at high speed at tree level (talking of square bit in a round hole...), and there is to be said that ALL the planes from that period (above all the century series) were unforgiving.

[@wegfdfhz]

@@vindicari I suggest you google it - you may learn something. For a start, Spain used it for a number of years without a single incident.

[@francoisroberge5882]

Seven years after the BELL-X1 broke the sound barrier the F-104 first flew in 1954 and could achieve MACH 2. Now that's progress.

[@doctorreno9439]

STILL one of the coolest planes ever built.

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

Agreed

[@contraststriker8198]

Small and POWERFUL

[@mattfgln]

First time I see condensation around the canopy during a pull

[@markrayton6385]

The Widow Maker. Great aircraft though. I loved its famous howl. Very well missed.

[@ladygodiva9461]

Was für tolle Aufnahmen 👍ich liebe den Starfigther F-104 G ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@mickb474]

Brilliant aircraft but what was that tube the passenger was holding?🤔

[@Yosemite-George-61]

...that was the sorriest excuse to get an F-104 ride... Congrats !

[@RockyAllenLane]

If this is aircraft CF104D serial# 104632 from the Canadian air force, I flew in the back seat in 1964. It is an experience that cannot be matched.

[@hankhenry9199]

Who was your pilot then and where?

[@worldbestpilot]

AND (positively): Early 1950ies Technology. From my perspective, a real beauty, along with the B58 and the XB70

[@valtermoras4317]

Beautiful and very nice video. I remember old time when I work on this famous aircraft

[@hankhenry9199]

Where? Italy, Turkey?

[@nickkerssens5444]

Magnificent Experience: a must for bucketlist...Yoohah!!!

[@kmfiz]

Nick Kerssens I’m looking into this, can you tell me about the cost?

[@fermainjackson2899]

next time you need an untrained civilian, please let me know....! I'm available 👍😎

[@noversibirsk]

Yea me too

[@toxicnova5849]

Me three

[@MrLuvOldies]

Thanks, My Favorite Airplane---US Air Force Lockheed F-104 Starfighter.

[@Ronin4614]

I came into the USAF too late for any of the century series aircraft. Each had a unique ability and that variable edge each airframe had, made it harder to get the best of the USAF. If I could have had my pick of century series aircraft to fly, it would have been the F-104. Like the SR-71, the Starfighter looked exciting sitting still on the tarmac or on an alert shelter just waiting to launch and pounce.

[@thor3399able]

Someone knows the nose angle for landing this plane, I searched in wiki and other without luck.

[@lesterbeedell9725]

The widow maker! I witnessed a German one crashing at Yeovilton, the pilot ejected but was killed, his family were in the Control Tower watching!

[@peterweicker77]

You don't need excuses to fly Starfighters. Just keep flying them because they're the coolest thing ever.

[@hein-peteroellerer3201]

Loop Mit Looking back it was an interesting duty in Germany assisting our pilots by preparing their Navigation Dokuments. The starfighter F104G was an eyecatcher, unfortunately dangerous due to very often engine failures. I remember the deadly crash in Lechfeld of Feldwebel Thiedemann in 1967.

[@joopbekkema6490]

Not exactly true. The J79 engine hardly ever quitted. Very reliable engine. I flew 1600 hrs in the F104 and never experienced ANY engine problems. A collegue of mine had multiple birdhits (seagulls) during first take off in night flying. A large flock of birds was resting on the still warm runway. He managed to land the plane. Engine instruments indicated normal values (temp, rpm and oilpressure) but when the engine was checked the complete first stage of the 7 compressors was missing and consequently parts were all blown through the rest of the engine without causing the engine to quit.

[@alessandrobaratta8965]

la musica sottofondo è fantastica, dove posso trovarla.

[@alpaytatli590]

One of the best classics ✈️

[@jacobtthoronn672]

please don't torture me !! oh boy F-104 flying? the most beautiful plane in the world, Kelly Johnson a dangerous one, it's like Jack Russell dog unpredictable, but love it!!!!

[@bananajoe3669]

When I was a boy we had (Germany) so many of them in the sky, l loved it so much...

[@japa9991]

RIP Col. Homer C. Boles. The baddest badass of the F104

[@alexandrossotiropoulos5621]

I noticed that this F104 has a flybywire system.

[@sebgiannini7864]

Absolutely a seat with a engine that loves to climb.the name starfighter is very apropo!

[@DUBEE43]

One of my absolute favorite airplanes, this plane looks like it is hauling ass, PARKED!!!!

[@Yosemite-George-61]

Y'all went past 50.000ft without a pressure suit?

[@Woody-nc1ru]

Are there flight controls in the back??

[@Yosemite-George-61]

how about suborbital beer tests?

[@johnedwards8896]

still a beautiful aircraft the ones that had all the problems were the eruo built one's they changed the specs to metric us did have some problems too

[@jasonafterburner4596]

Pure Awesomness!!!

[@VenturaRossell]

What is tha instrument that uses the pilot in the minute 2:20?

[@gamalat122]

Pee

[@Ceusky]

Do starfighters perform in public?

[@pilot3016]

Yes.. a group called "Starfighters".

[@theeaselrider4032]

Excellent video. The music is necessary though.

[@sly2392]

F-104 a rocket ship with wings. one of the all time great jets of our country. i love this video. i wish it were longer. and the music is perfect. thank you guys. also is the gentleman who says GOOD GRIEF is that dick rutan?

[@wolfganghinze8447]

F 104 best Sound.Best Plane ever. Vorever

[@Nana-rk2xn]

That's right,,,, one of the most beautiful memories in my life. JaboG 32 on the Lechfeld.

[@dankuettel5063]

This is an often misrepresented jet, it had capabilities many don't know of. Fantastic video. I wonder how much each flight costs via the NASA checking account.

[@andreaprodan4432]

amazing visibility, whatsmore....

[@Azawakh1974]

I love Zippers ! Beautyfull plane !!!!! Great plane !!!!!!!

[@peteman8160]

The video would have been great without the loud annoying music and affects.

[@geraldrembert8321]

How do I go about getting a ride in a Jet Fighter. Make a model not important. I'll pay for the gas.

[@sperryunivac7791]

Harvesting plants? Any excuse to get a Starfighter ride.

[@thescourged1]

The Manned Missile.

[@Saucebrunette]

Is that pee in that pump?

[@lobosolitario-j4c]

Was that a pee sample in the tube?

[@michaeljacques5128]

That's because it's a humid day.

[@benhudman7911]

This thing taxis faster than my 152 cruises.

[@jeffreylindsey1757]

The flying " stove pipe " coke bottle design. Would love the opportunity to be privileged to fly in a Lockheed piece of American history but I'm quite sure my budget couldn't withstand the deficit.

[@andrewe3165]

The wings are just for show

[@matthewspry4217]

Does not make a good crop duster!

[@Lethgar_Smith]

A very unforgiving aircraft to fly. It wasn't called "The widow maker" for nuttin'. Not a plane to hot dog in. Keep her flying fast and level and she'll do you right. Almost impossible to recover in a stall. The second you lose lift, EJECT!

[@matthewspry4217]

How fast does your plane fly? Pilot: Yes

[@Anlushac11]

A very good aircraft for what it was designed to do. Was not a good choice for a fighter bomber for Germany and Italy. Not sure why the F-104 was even considered for purchase (That scandal is a whole topic unto itself). The F-5E Tiger II would have been much better as a fighter bomber.

[@hankhenry9199]

using a CF-104 for as a bomber was a waste of a very effective air superiority interceptor.

[@baron2375]

To me, it was a high speed interceptor for Russian bomber threat that didn't exist. Real air to air combat, it sucked. The F-5, which we flew in the USAF aggressors is indeed a better air to air platform but still very limited in the fire control system. It had radar but really just down the bore sight as it really only did range for the gun.

[@braddywarbucks]

This is over at cape Canaveral. I looked it up a few years ago. They offer flights for like $18k or at least that was the price before Bidenflation. I have seen that F-104 fly around here before.

[@codymoe4986]

Ah yes...blaming the "overpriced" luxury of a fighter jet ride along, on the current, Democratic administration... Wonder what percentage of the general population, can afford to drop $18k on this particular bucket list item? LOL! Loosen the strap on your red hat, it's cutting off the oxygen to your brains, or lack thereof...

[@pilot3016]

The most beautiful fighter ever built.

[@ladygodiva9461]

Yes 👍😊

[@vincenzogreco219]

I FISCHIONE COME SI SETIVA 😢

[@dsanalysis5013]

Very dangerous plane to be hot rodding in. Go in lines . don't turn like an idiot

[@chartphred1]

Get rid of the awful fucking music and repost

[@ramslade]

some War Thunder player be like:

[@vincenzogreco219]

❤🎉🎉il

[@avenueb]

bad a@@ plane!

[@birgerkagan6087]

Get that plane repainted immediately - that color is blasfemic

[@bo2web]

Widow maker !

[@josephku5441]

too old plane

[@GENERATOR-924]

too bad speech....

[@josephku5441]

+mixalis mike 924 taiwan air crash

[@lilianahenry4572]

Can still blow the doors off most modern aircraft. Get over it.