An improved Starfighter for ADC

[Spinners]

Lockheed F-104H Starfighter - 318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Aerospace Defense Command, USAF, 1971

On March 15th 1963, two Soviet bombers overflew Alaska and despite a desperate chase the F-102A's of Alaskan Air Command were unable to intercept them. The immediate response to this embarrassing intrusion was to deploy ten F-106A's drawn from various Aerospace Defense Command Fighter-Interceptor Squadrons to Alaska and to recall the remaining F-104A's that had previously been transferred to the Air National Guard back in 1960.

Despite the excellence of the F-106A it did come with a pretty hefty price tag and Aerospace Defense Command realised that in order to replace the earlier F-101's and F-102's a cheaper alternative was required. With Lockheed's multi-role F-104G Starfighter in a high-rate of production the relatively low unit cost attracted the attention of the US Secretary of Defence Robert McNamara who authorised production of the F-104H a dedicated interceptor version based on the F-104Gand an initial order for 200 was made.

The F-104H was powered by the uprated General Electric J79-GE-10 engine rated at 11,905 lbf dry thrust and 17,844 lbf thrust with afterburner although initial deliveries were powered by the earlier J79-GE-8B. The F-104H incorporated the advanced Litton LN-3 inertial navigation system and also featured the Autonetics NASARR F-15J-50 radar and fire control system optimised for the air-to-air mode with all ground-mapping, contour-mapping and terrain-avoidance modes deleted. After some debate, the M61 20mm cannon was retained but the main armament for the F-104H was the AIM-7 Sparrow semi-active homing missile, the AIM-9 Sidewinder infra-red heat-seeking missile and the AIR-2 Genie unguided air-to-air rocket with a 1.5 kt nuclear warhead.

Entering service in April 1965 the F-104H eventually served with nine squadrons and was gradually withdrawn from Aerospace Defense Command service from the late 1970's onwards - a relatively short service life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Template Credit: bobrock (you'll find it in the SF1 downloads section).

Stock decals apart from the 318th FIS' tail marking.

318STARFIGHTERTAIL.TGA

DECALS.ini

Edited December 24, 2023 by Spinners

[Stratos]

Really Beautiful!!

[Spinners]

Lockheed F-104H Starfighter - 186th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Aerospace Defense Command, USAF, 1969

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Spinners]

Lockheed F-104H Starfighter - 178th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Aerospace Defense Command, USAF, 1972

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Wrench]

Very Nice!!!

[+daddyairplanes]

im loving the Zipper skins, but have to ask

are they bare metal all over, or light coat ADC gray over all but the engine section (which would have burnt off and they would have known how it looked from the Huns)?

maybe my eyes are just screwy from looking at a whole bunch of Eagle shades of grey.....

[Spinners]

I've used bobrock's excellent F-104G template and used a nice light grey but spliced in the Third Wire 'hot end' at 50% opacity.  I'm doing this from memory but I think I went;

Specular: 0.300000

Glossiness: 0.600000

Reflection: 0.150000

Edited December 28, 2023 by Spinners

[Spinners]

[Wrench]

just out of curiousity, why didn't you use the F-104S Pylon set for the Sparrows and such?

[Spinners]

I did look at the 'S' but prefer the load outs built into the 'G' including the M61 which I think is covered up in the 'S' conversion I looked at. I also looked at the 'C' as I fancied the refuelling probe but prefer the broader fin on the 'G'. So, for me, the 'G' hit the spot!

[Wrench]

Quote

for me, the 'G' hit the spot

I see what you did there ...