F-104C in you tube video

[F4DPhantomII]

What is the sensor under nose in this video.Is it the same one that some later Canadian F-104G's used on their aircraft?Hasegawa included it in their canadian kits as a white metal addition.Thanks.

[habu2]

umm, a link to the video in question would help....

[RiderFan]

What is the sensor under nose in this video.Is it the same one that some later Canadian F-104G's used on their aircraft?Hasegawa included it in their Canadian kits as a white metal addition.Thanks.

Well, without a link to the video this is a guess, but if it's what I think you're talking about, it's an Radar Warning Receiver. There's one on the nose and two on the rear by the exhaust.

http://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/small/000/312/312037.jpg

Also, Canada never flew F-104G's. We flew CF-104's.

[F4DPhantomII]

Oops and now I can't find video on you tube.Did the USAF use that sensor on the C models?But that link contains the sensor I was talking about.

Edited June 20, 2013 by F4DPhantomII

[gmat]

During their last deployment to SEA, the F-104C were assigned to the 435th TFS. I think that the initial camoed a/c were replaced with updated aircraft that included the RHAW fit. Early photos of the SEA camo F-104s didn't have the RHAW antennas, but later photos show them. I've seen only one photo of a PRANG F-104C with the same antennas. I think that this was an ex-SEA bird and I think that it was later removed. The rear antennas are very similar to the ones on the CAF CF-104s but the nose one is more boxy.

435th TFS F-104C that later went to the PRANG.

http://www.petemuseum.org/f104c56093601large.html

From Airlinersnet PRANG a/c w/o antennas.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/Lockheed-F-104C-Starfighter/1264854/L/

Scroll down to the flightline photos of camoed F-104Cs. You can see the nose and rear antennas.

http://kevsaviationpics.blogspot.jp/2012/04/lockheed-f-104c-starfighter.html

Scroll down to the photo of the two F-104Cs with 750 lb bombs. They don't have the antennas.

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=119249

Best wishes,

Grant

Edited June 20, 2013 by gmat

[nfiler]

There were no "replacement" a/c. A far more likely situation was that the RHAW equipment was added during the deployment. There was no need for that equipment during stateside flying nor operations over South Viet Nam.

All four of the 479th squadrons were based at George AFB and deployed to VN on temporary duty as required. Since the birds did accompany some of the strike packages into North Viet Nam, the RHAW equipment was added.

The 479th was the only active Air Force unit to fly the C model. First deliveries were on Oct. 1958 and over the years I suspect every C model airframe probably was assigned to every one of the four squadrons as they went through various updates and overhauls and then returned to the wing. By the time VN deployments started I suspect the number of available airframes probably were considerably reduced. I know that when I left in the summer of 1960 attrition was already a factor in available aircraft.

During their last deployment to SEA, the F-104C were assigned to the 435th TFS. I think that the initial camoed a/c were replaced with updated aircraft that included the RHAW fit. Early photos of the SEA camo F-104s didn't have the RHAW antennas, but later photos show them. I've seen only one photo of a PRANG F-104C with the same antennas. I think that this was an ex-SEA bird and I think that it was later removed. The rear antennas are very similar to the ones on the CAF CF-104s but the nose one is more boxy.

435th TFS F-104C that later went to the PRANG.

http://www.petemuseum.org/f104c56093601large.html

From Airlinersnet PRANG a/c w/o antennas.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/Lockheed-F-104C-Starfighter/1264854/L/

Scroll down to the flightline photos of camoed F-104Cs. You can see the nose and rear antennas.

http://kevsaviationpics.blogspot.jp/2012/04/lockheed-f-104c-starfighter.html

Scroll down to the photo of the two F-104Cs with 750 lb bombs. They don't have the antennas.

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=119249

Best wishes,

Grant

[F4DPhantomII]

Well, without a link to the video this is a guess, but if it's what I think you're talking about, it's an Radar Warning Receiver. There's one on the nose and two on the rear by the exhaust.

http://www.airport-data.com/images/aircraft/small/000/312/312037.jpg

Also, Canada never flew F-104G's. We flew CF-104's.

But wasn't the CF-104 closer to the F-104G than the F-104C is what I was getting at.

[gmat]

The 8th TFW also operated the F-104Cs. The 435th was reassigned to the 8th TFW during it's second deployment to SEA in 1966. It later re-equipped with F-4s while still flying with the 8th TFW. So while the 479th TFW was the only Wing to be completely equipped with F-104Cs, it was not the only Wing to operate them.

The comments about the RHAW replacements comes from an article that I remember about flying the Zipper. That author/pilot made mention of that and it stuck to my mind. I could be misremembering it.

Best wishes,

Grant

Edited June 20, 2013 by gmat

[nfiler]

Grant

The assignment to the 8th was an administrative TDY (temporary duty) assignment. Parent organization was still the 479th back at George. While overseas, they operated pretty much as an independent squadron with the 8th providing administrative duties and of course tasking. The installation of the RHAW equipment would be well within the capabilities of the squadron maint. troops. With an assignment like this, the squadron traveled with all the associated maint. specialists temporarily attached to the squadron. During the "consolidated maint." years they would have been assigned to support squadrons, not the fighter squadron. Finding a place to put the cockpit warning gages would have been interesting. The C cockpit was very well organized, but there was not a lot of extra room.

When I went to Spain with the 476th in 1959, we took all the various specialty troops with us as full members of the squadron. And we were assigned to USAFE on a TDY basis. I was long gone by the time the wing started deployments to VN, but I am pretty sure the Air Force still did these deployments the same way then.

The 8th TFW also operated the F-104Cs. The 435th was reassigned to the 8th TFW during it's second deployment to SEA in 1966. It later re-equipped with F-4s while still flying with the 8th TFW. So while the 479th TFW was the only Wing to be completely equipped with F-104Cs, it was not the only Wing to operate them.

The comments about the RHAW replacements comes from an article that I remember about flying the Zipper. That author/pilot made mention of that and it stuck to my mind. I could be misremembering it.

Best wishes,

Grant

[gmat]

nfiler, I respect your first hand experience with the F-104s.

I was interested in the SEA deployments of various units, especially the F-104C deployments and this info is from my notes taken from Maurer's USAF Combat Wings. The 435th TFS was assigned to the 479th TFW from 8 Oct. 57 to 20 Jul. 66. After that it was assigned to the 8th TFW. I'm sure that you are right in that the squadron operated as an independent squadron at Ubon, but officially, it was assigned to the 8th TFW. As an aside, the 435th TFS at Ubon converted to F-4Ds in July 67 with aircraft ferried over by the 4th TFS.

The 435th TFS stood down from operations on 19th Jul. 67 and on the 25th redeployed its Starfighters to Ramey AFB for use by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard. The latter info comes from the Historical Highlights of the First 25 Years of PACAF, published by the Office of History, PACAF.

Best wishes,

Grant