America's Last Really Cool Warbird

[fncceo]

America's has produced a lot of really cool-looking warbirds. The P-51, the P-38, the F-22.

But, in my humble opinion, the last really cool looking warbird we produced was the F-104.

Shaped like a hypodermic needle, with razor blades for winds, our last plane that flew with naked, polished aluminum instead of grey paint.

Yes, it had a bad accident record (30 crashes per 100,000 flight hours), mostly because of failures with the J-79 engine.

Yes, despite 30 years of operational flying and limited service in Vietnam, it hasn't got a single combat kill.

It still evokes an era of flying where men alone dependent on stick and rudder and not computers doing the flying.

I anticipate rebuttal.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

America's has produced a lot of really cool-looking warbirds. The P-51, the P-38, the F-22.

But, in my humble opinion, the last really cool looking warbird we produced was the F-104.

View attachment 664664

Shaped like a hypodermic needle, with razor blades for winds, our last plane that flew with naked, polished aluminum instead of grey paint.

Yes, it had a bad accident record (30 crashes per 100,000 flight hours), mostly because of failures with the J-79 engine.

Yes, despite 30 years of operational flying and limited service in Vietnam, it hasn't got a single combat kill.

It still evokes an era of flying where men alone dependent on stick and rudder and not computers doing the flying.

View attachment 664666


I anticipate rebuttal.

Wow. Beautiful. Orville must be proud

Let's send 100 to the Taliban for nothing courtesy of Uncle Joe the Veg

I wonder if you could do the Mile High act in one of those. Enough lap room I wonder

I;m such a pig....sorry people.....You know you like it

 

[fncceo]

I wonder if you could do the Mile High act in one of those. Enough lap room I wonder

You tell me.

But, I guarantee, when you landed, you had no shortage of admirers ready to serve their country.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

You tell me.

View attachment 664676

I bet Ashley Biden could take that whole thing in a second

God I'm such a pig.......Sorry any ladies reading.....But you know you like it

 

[JGalt]

The F-104 Starfighter was indeed a pretty bird. It was also the warbird that the Vulcan cannon was designed for. Unfortunately, its performance was sub-optimal. They were deployed to Vietnam, where they flew 5,206 combat sorties, recording no air-to-air kills, and losing 14 aircraft to all causes, only one of which was shot down by an enemy J-6 (MiG-19) fighter. This disappointing performance led the Air Force to wind down Starfighter operations, and retire them from active service by 1969.

 

[TroglocratsRdumb]

In the 60s they wanted fighters to be extremely fast.
They wanted planes to go mach 2+.

 

[Manonthestreet]

The F-104 Starfighter was indeed a pretty bird. It was also the warbird that the Vulcan cannon was designed for. Unfortunately, its performance was sub-optimal. They were deployed to Vietnam, where they flew 5,206 combat sorties, recording no air-to-air kills, and losing 14 aircraft to all causes, only one of which was shot down by an enemy J-6 (MiG-19) fighter. This disappointing performance led the Air Force to wind down Starfighter operations, and retire them from active service by 1969.

Wasn't a fighter it was an interceptor. Stupid Generals using wrong tool for the wrong job.

 

[fncceo]

Unfortunately, its performance was sub-optimal.

It was faster than most of our modern fighters, with an equivalent service ceiling.

In fact, a rocket assisted NF-104 achieved 120,000 feet right off the ground. So high that control surfaces were no longer effective and the plane used spacecraft style hydrozine thrusters to maneuver at altitude.

Not bad for the 1960's

 

[fncceo]

Wasn't a fighter it was an interceptor.

And intercept it did ...

 

[Oddball]

America's has produced a lot of really cool-looking warbirds. The P-51, the P-38, the F-22.

But, in my humble opinion, the last really cool looking warbird we produced was the F-104.

View attachment 664664

Shaped like a hypodermic needle, with razor blades for winds, our last plane that flew with naked, polished aluminum instead of grey paint.

Yes, it had a bad accident record (30 crashes per 100,000 flight hours), mostly because of failures with the J-79 engine.

Yes, despite 30 years of operational flying and limited service in Vietnam, it hasn't got a single combat kill.

It still evokes an era of flying where men alone dependent on stick and rudder and not computers doing the flying.

View attachment 664666


I anticipate rebuttal.

The sexiest TAC aircraft of the Cold War, bar none,,,,,Now for you more-is-better SAC fans out there, I submit.....

 

[Darkwind]

The sexiest fighter going, bar none.

 

[ReinyDays]

The problem with the SR-22 was that it would fly faster than the bullets it was shooting ...

 

[yidnar]

It was faster than most of our modern fighters, with an equivalent service ceiling.

In fact, a rocket assisted NF-104 achieved 120,000 feet right off the ground. So high that control surfaces were no longer effective and the plane used spacecraft style hydrozine thrusters to maneuver at altitude.

Not bad for the 1960's

if we had that tech in the 60s imagine what we have may have that hasnt been revealed today !