aircraft

When four F-104s were training for the type’s “introduction-into-service” demonstration in June 1962 and crashed in formation, killing all four pilots, it was a very terrible start for the Starfighter in Germany

Early in 1956, the first futuristic-looking F-104 Starfighter took to the air, and with its long circular fuselage, pointed nose, and small, thin wings, it appeared to be the world’s best fighter.

The Lockheed F-104 was created by C. L. “Kelly” Johnson and his “Skunk Works,” who also created some iconic combat planes like the U-2 and the SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft. The company dubbed it the “missile with a man in it,” but the Luftwaffe and Marineflieger (German Navy) referred to it as the “widowmaker.”

The F-104’s svelte appearance concealed a host of defects, as Dr. Marshall Michel, 52nd Fighter Wing Historian, explains in his article F-104: Germany’s “Widow Maker.”

For example, the landing gear and fuel had to be stored in the fuselage because the wings’ capacity was so limited. To achieve the Starfighter’s exceptional acceleration, rate of climb, and top speed, however, narrow wings were required. In contrast, the F-104’s narrow wings gave it poor sustained turn performance and a relatively short range because it couldn’t carry fuel.

Additionally, the aircraft lacked a functional radar and had a limited loadout of a gun and heat-seeking missiles, making it a daytime and clear weather fighter only. It was quietly pushed to the side once it became clear that it was not truly what the U.S. Air Force (USAF) intended.

However, at the same time, some NATO air forces decided to replace their outdated first-generation fighters with the F-104 as part of what was dubbed the “Deal of the Century.” More than 900 of these aircraft, the majority of which were delivered to the Luftwaffe and Marineflieger air forces.

The Luftwaffe and Marineflieger operated 11 F-104 wings at their busiest in the middle of the 1970s. The variation that was given to the Germans was code-named F-104G (with the G standing for Germany) and was an all-weather, ground-attack variant that was 2,000 pounds heavier than the original F-104 with the same engine. Its weight was increased by the requirement to transport four external fuel tanks for the majority of missions.

When four F-104s practiced for the type’s “introduction-into-service” demonstration in June 1962 and crashed in formation, killing all four pilots, it was a very disastrous start for the Starfighter.

Because of its superior training facilities and proximity to Phoenix, Arizona, Luke Air Force Base (AFB) was selected by Germany to prepare its future F-104 pilots. Luke Air Force Base (AFB) boasts about 300 days of sunshine annually. However, issues surfaced right away when the pilots returned to the severe German weather. There were two problems.

First off, the F-104 had to fly at very high speeds for approach and landing – far higher than earlier aircraft – and moved extremely quickly, especially for a novice pilot operating in extremely bad weather.

Second, because the Luftwaffe Starfighters had to carry out low-level, high-speed attack missions, they were exceptionally sensitive to control input and unforgiving of pilot error in these operations.

There were a terrible lot of accidents as a result. By the middle of 1966, 61 German F-104s had actually crashed, killing 35 pilots.

When he claimed that the Starfighter acquisition was prompted by politics, Gen. Wernher Panitzki, the then-Commander of the Luftwaffe, was compelled to quit. Lt. Gen. Johannes Steinhoff, a veteran of the Luftwaffe during World War II, succeeded him. According to Michel, Steinhoff promptly grounded the F-104Gs, at least partially to put in a new ejection seat.

Even though the German Starfighter purchase records had been deleted in 1962 by the Ministry of Defence, it was later discovered that Lockheed had actually bought favor with government officials in Germany and other nations in order to sell the F-104.

Nevertheless, after numerous improvements, the crashes persisted. Between 1968 and 1972, every year saw between 15 and 20 German 104s crash, and until it was replaced, the number each year was around 10. In total, 292 of the 916 Starfighters were lost, and 115 pilots lost their lives.

Photo by Luftwaffe and U.S. Air Force

The F-16 program changed the fighter forces of the USAF

The 388th Fighter Wing (FW), now more well known as the Viper, was to be the first squadron to switch over to the F-16 Fighting Falcon, according to an announcement made by the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1977. At Hill Air Force Base (AFB), the first operational F-16A flew for the first time in 1988.

On January 23, 1979, the first operational F-16A arrived at Hill AFB, starting a 40-year period of tactical and logistical innovation as well as practically continuous global deployments in support of training exercises and contingency operations. On September 23, 1979, the 34th Tactical Fighter Squadron (TFS) received its first F-16A, and by November 18, 1980, the 34th TFS, 4th TFS, and 421st TFS, Hill AFB’s three fighting squadrons, were all outfitted with F-16As.

The ‘Fuujins’ of the 4th TFS announced Full Operational Capability (FOC) four months after acquiring their 24th aircraft, becoming the Air Force’s first fully combat-ready F-16 squadron. The Viper, arguably the most successful fighter in history, underwent numerous changes during its nearly four decades of duty at Hill to become an aircraft that its creators could not have possibly envisaged.

The 388th FW Airmen who flew and maintained it are given even more honor with this fitting homage to their skill. As has always been the case, the men and women who served during this time helped make it possible for the F-16 to be flown for almost 40 years and for more than 25 years straight in combat operations. These Airmen diligently maintained it, tenderly trained its pilots for battle, and bravely piloted it into peril.

However, 2017 was bittersweet for the 388th FW because as the group gets ready for the last combat-coded F-16 to depart from Hill for good, its pilots were prepared to make history once more with the brand-new F-35A Lightning II, and notable changes were made to the USAF’s fighter forces by the F-16 program.

Cutting-edge aerospace engineering and tried-and-true components from previous combat aircraft, such as the F-15 and F-111, were used to design the aircraft. Combining them resulted in a more straightforward airplane that had smaller dimensions and lower weight, purchase, and maintenance expenses. The fuselage’s strength is maintained while being made lighter. The F-16 can sustain up to nine Gs or nine times the force of gravity when its internal fuel tank is completely fueled.

The pilot has unrestricted forward and upward views as well as a much better side and rear vision thanks to the cockpit and its bubble canopy. Pilot comfort and tolerance for gravity forces were improved by extending the seat-back angle from the standard 13 degrees to 30 degrees. The “fly-by-wire” system of the F-16 gives the pilot superior flight control. The conventional cables and linkage controls are replaced by electrical lines that relay commands. The traditional center-mounted stick is replaced with a side-stick controller allowing quick and precise control of the aircraft during high G combat maneuvers. Electrical signals are sent to actuators of flight control surfaces like the ailerons and rudder by hand pressure on the side stick controller.

Since November 1981, all F-16s that have been delivered have had structural, electrical, and system architectural features that enable the multirole flexibility to be expanded to execute missions like precision strike, night assault, and beyond visual range interception. The F-16C and F-16D aircraft, which are the single- and two-place counterparts of the F-16A/B and have the most recent cockpit control and display technologies, are the result of this upgrading initiative.

Source: Hill F-16 squadron celebrating 40 years of combat airpower, part 1 and part 2 by Lt. Col. Steven Engberg and Lt. Col. Michael Meyer, 4th Fighter Squadron and 421st Fighter Squadron; Additional source: U.S. Air Force. Photo by Master Sgt. Andy Dunaway, Felicia Juenke, and R. Nial Bradshaw / U.S. Air Force