- Yes
- No
Overview
The F-104G Starfighter was an export version of the F-104 initially developed for Germany though purchased by several countries. The Luftwaffe purchased a whopping 885 F-104Gs, TF-40G trainers, and RF-104G reconnaissance aircraft, along with 30 F-104F trainers beginning in 1959, making them the first export customer of the F-104, as well as the largest operator. The F-104G was based on the F-104C but featured a reenforced airframe, new radar, and more reliable engine. Due to poor training and operational procedures (the F-104G being used in a variety of roles, despite only being designed for interception) the F-104G had a terrible safety record, with 270 aircraft and 110 pilots lost in crashes during the Starfighter’s service. This earned the F-104G the nicknames of “Witwenmacher” (Widowmaker), “Fliegender Sarg” (Flying coffin), and “Erdnagel” (Ground nail). While the F-104G is already in game, it is a late configuration in Bundesmarine service. This would be an earlier configuration in Luftwaffe service, much more akin to the F-104A/C in terms of performance.
History
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Origins
Development of the F-104 began in 1952 with the goal of producing a light, simple, powerful high-altitude interceptor/superiority fighter. Weight and complexity would be minimized at all costs while speed and climb rate would be maximized, based on experience in the Korean War. The resulting XF-104, first flown in 1954, had tiny low-aspect wings, a massive and massively powerful J65-W-7 engine, a T-tail (the thought at the time was that engine fires would destroy fuselage-mounted tail surfaces), and the brand-new M61 Vulcan cannon.
The F-104A would enter service in 1956. It had originally been intended for the TAC, but the TAC decided the F-101 with its superior range and handling suited them better and cancelled their order. Instead, the F-104A was taken up by the ADC, as the F-106 was delayed.
The F-104A was produced concurrently with the twin-seat F-104B trainer, meaning the F-104C was the next combat variant. This version featured additional pylons for suspended armaments or fuel tanks, as well as in-flight refueling capability. It was intended to rectify the shortcomings of the F-104A in the eyes of the TAC. This was somewhat successful, as the TAC ordered 77 F-104Cs, primarily serving as nuclear interdictors. However, the F-104C also saw combat in Vietnam as an escort aircraft. The F-104C underwent improvements during Project Grindstone, allowing carriage of a wider array of armament, including rockets, napalm, conventional bombs, and an additional pair of AIM-9B Sidewinders. The F-104C was unpopular and replacement began in 1967, with the F-104C being replaced by F-4Ds and sent to PR ANG service, performing a similar role to the F-104A. These ANG units would replace their F-104s with A-7Ds by 1975.
The F-104G
F-104 procurement by the USAF fell far below Lockheed expectations, with less than 300 procured. These aircraft additionally had very short service lives in the US, being quickly passed on to nations such as Taiwan, Pakistan, and Jordan. However, European air forces showed promise as export customers. Except for France and Britain, almost every European NATO member was looking to purchase their first supersonic aircraft for interception, strike, and nuclear strike missions. Unlike the USAF, these nations didn’t really require a long range for their combat aircraft. In particular, West Germany expressed an urgent need to replace their aging fleet of F-84Fs and CL-13s with a cutting-edge multirole fighter. To accommodate this need, Lockheed developed the F-104G (G for Germany). Based on the F-104C, the F-104G featured improved fuel capacity, the larger tail of the twin-seat F-104B/D, reenforced wings and airframe, and a new ranging radar. Pretty much every major aeronautics company of the time pitched their aircraft for this lucrative deal. The F-104G was evaluated alongside the Lightning, SR.177, Mirage III, J-35, F-102, F-106, F-105, F8U, and F-11F. The F-104G was selected as the winner on November 6th, 1958, potentially thanks to the $10 million of bribes German Federal Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauss supposedly collected from Lockheed. The F-104G would be built in Germany. In 1959, Canada would purchase the F-104G as the CF-104, license-producing the vehicle. With two major NATO customers operating the F-104, 1960 saw the Netherlands and Belgium purchasing the F-104G, while Italy followed in 1962 with Fiat license-producing the vehicle. The Bundesmarine, while initially considering the F-4 Phantom, purchased 151 F-104Gs in 1964 for commonality with the Luftwaffe. 1963-64 also saw purchases of F-104Gs and CF-104s from Norway, Greece, Spain, and Turkey. Japan would purchase the F-104J in 1960, this being an F-104G with ground-attack capabilities removed.
The Widow Maker
The first F-104s in Luftwaffe service were actually F-104Fs, F-104Gs converted to unarmed twin-seat trainers essentially identical to the F-104D. Deliveries began in July 1960. The first F-104Gs followed in 1961, with the first Starfighter-equipped wing, JBG31, becoming operational in 1963. The F-104G quickly established a poor reputation, with 61 aircraft and 35 pilots lost in the first 5 years of service. The F-104G had a maximum accident rate of 139 per 100,000 flight hours. While there were issues with the F-104, including an unreliable ejection seat (complicated by the US’s refusal to allow replacement by a German zero-zero seat), poor stall mechanics, and the stability issues of a T-tail at high AoA, the primary issue was the training of pilots and utilization of the Starfighters. German pilots were trained in the clear blue skies of Arizona, leaving them unprepared for the murky weather of Germany. Additionally, the F-104 had been designed for high-altitude interception and not the low-level, high-speed strike missions they were used for. It was during this time that the Starfighter received its nicknames. It was also said during this time that soon every square kilometer of Germany would soon be occupied by the crater of a crashed F-104, and that the best way to acquire an F-104 was to buy a German farm and wait for one to crash in it.
However, as crews became more used to the F-104, its accident rate decreased, being half its peak levels by 1968 and half that again in 1970. Additionally, the F-104 wasn’t alone in poor service record- the preceding F-84F’s was nearly as bad. The F-104G served both as a Jabo fighter-bomber and a dedicated interceptor, eventually replaced by the Tornado IDS and F-4F respectively. The RF-104G reconnaissance aircraft was replaced by the RF-4E.
One major concern was that the Warsaw Pact would target airfields during a first-strike scenario, rendering the Luftwaffe helpless. To address this, F-104Gs experiemented with catapult launches from short, rough airfields. A more ambitious project was the Zero-Length Launch (ZELL), where F-104Gs would be fitted with massive rocket boosters and launched from ramps. Neither program was successful. Finally, a single F-104G was modified to test fly-by-wire technology in 1977, designated the F-104G CCV.
Nuclear Starfighters
One interesting role the F-104G served in was as a nuclear strike aircraft. The F-104G could carry a single B43, or later B61, nuclear bomb under the fuselage. 250 German F-104Gs were allocated to this role, forming a core part of NATO’s nuclear deterrent. However, Germany didn’t have any nuclear bombs themselves and were not allowed to. So instead, the bombs were owned, operated, and maintained by the US, and would only be used under American orders. Many other F-104G operators, notably Canada and Italy, had their F-104s similarly nuclear-capable.
Perhaps most interesting about this system is that it was mirrored in the East- many Warsaw Pact nations, including East Germany, had nuclear-capable MiG-21PFMs fitted with weapons owned and operated by the Soviet Union to be used at Soviet discretion.
Specifications
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Airframe
Length: 16.66m
Wingspan: 6.70m
Height: 4.12m
Wing Area: 18.22m^2
Empty weight: 6,552kg
Loaded weight: 8,057kg
MTOW: 24,000kg
Powerplant
General Electric J79-GE-11A
Max thrust (dry): 40.45kN
Max thrust (afterburning): 82.23kn
Max TWR: 1.14
Internal fuel: 3,854L
External fuel: 1,382L
Performance
Max speed, sea level: 1,450km/h (Mach 1.17)
Max speed, 15,240m: 2,387km/h (Mach 2.25)
Max climb rate: 260m/s
Max g overload: +12/-5g
Armament
Built-in:
M61A1 Vulcan
6-barrel 20mm rotary cannon
750 rounds ammunition
6,000RPM
1,030m/s
Fuselage hardpoint:
Mk 82 LDGP 500lb bomb
Mk 82 Snakeye 500lb retarded bomb
M117 750lb bomb
Mk 83 LDGP 1000lb bomb
Mk 77 incendiary bomb
BLU-1 incendiary bomb
2x AIM-9B Sidewinder
2x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder
Under-wing hardpoints (each, 2):
1x or 2x Mk 82 LDGP 500lb bomb
1x or 2x Mk 82 Snakeye 500lb retarded bomb
1x or 2x Matra 25E 250kg bomb
M117 750lb bomb
Mk 83 LDGP 1000lb bomb
2x Mk 77 incendiary bomb
BLU-1 incendiary bomb
1x or 2x LAU-32 (7 FFAR each)
1x or 2x LAU-51 (19 FFAR each)
738L external fuel tank
Wingtip hardpoints (each, 2):
AIM-9B Sidewinder
AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder
644L external fuel tank
*note, historically, Sidewinders were only used by Jagdgeschwaders (fighter wings) JG71 and JG74, while bombs, rockets, napalm, etc. were only used by a number of Jagdbombergeschwaders (fighter-bomber wings), so never together. But there is no limitation for their carriage, of course
The F-104G (Early) in game
Flight-performance wise, the F-104G (Early) would be identical to the F-104G. That is, it is slightly heavier and with a slightly weaker engine than the F-104A or C. However, compared to the F-104G, the Early is missing a number of key features. First and foremost are the AIM-9Js- the Early would be limited to AIM-9B/FGW.2s. Additionally, the F-104G (Early) would lack countermeasures, as these were only used by the Bundesmarine. Finally, the Early would lack any guided A2G ordinance, though it can carry more unguided rockets than the Bundesmarine G, and the F-104s aren’t really ground strike aircraft anyways. Compared to the F-104A/C, the G would have slightly worse flight performance particularly in terms of acceleration, but the trade-off would be a pair of additional Sidewinders. I believe the F-104G (Early) would best fit as a BR 9.3 Tech Tree vehicle between the F-86K and F-104G.
Gallery
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Doppellastrager with Matra 25Es. Not an option on the current F-104G for some reason
The F-104G, like the C, could be fitted with an IFR probe. However, most customers, including Germany, lacked refueling aircraft and instead opted to use external fuel tanks
Average uptier
Two Starfighters of JG71 scramble during a training mission
AIM-9B FGW.2 on the fuselage LAU-7 pylons.
The F-104G could carry up to 76 FFAR rockets thanks to the Doppellastrager
The F-104Gs were originally used in bare metal to reduce weight, but were later painted to reduce drag and corrosion
Some cool liveries
The F-104G ZELL
An F-104G with a B61 nuclear bomb. This weapon replaced the B43 in the early 70s
The F-104G-CCV testbed
Sources
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Basic specs
1-14404-1 F-104G Flight Manual
F-104G (China) - War Thunder Wiki
Lockheed F-104G Starfighter (joebaugher.com)
History
916 Starfighter (916-starfighter.de)
Starfighter with Luftwaffe (joebaugher.com)
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter
[2.0] F-104 In Foreign Service (1) (airvectors.net)
Armament and Systems specs
F-104G Starfighter, das G steht (nicht) fuer Germany (rolfferch.de)
F-104G Starfighter, das G steht (nicht) fuer Germany (rolfferch.de)
