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Just prior to flare-out to land. The entire final portion of this flight was made 'dead stick' from rocket shut-off after initiating zoom-climb till touch-down. This wasn't the typical flight-profile of the NF-104A when it was used. Usually the aircraft had its turbine restarted by the time it crossed 35,000 do to the 'windmilling' effect. However I wanted to try a simulated 'X-15' profile landing. Both the X-15 and F-104 had extreamly similar glide-ratios, on the order of 4 feet forward for every foot decent travelled. You have to be very careful in this sort of landing that you don't either waste your energy too high and stall, or carry too much of it by your flare, and your speed break is very important since its the *ONLY* means of energy management during this portion of flight. As it was? I carried a bit too much energy and hit rather hard, I have a feeling in real life I would have blown a tire at best, worst? Collapsed my left main gear.

From the album:

Starfighter Tests

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