F-104 ejection seats?

[Space Tiger Hobbes]

Anybody know what seats the NF-104A and JF-104A for NASA used?  C1, C2 or one of the Stanleys?

[CF104]

3 hours ago, Space Tiger Hobbes said:

Anybody know what seats the NF-104A and JF-104A for NASA used?  C1, C2 or one of the Stanleys?

 

The NF-104A's had the C-2 ejection seat.

 

As for the NASA JF-104A's, this is where photo references will come in to determine the correct seat for any particular NASA JF-104A depending on date.

 

1. 55-2961/N818NA delivered with the C-1 and subsequently modified with the C-2.

2. 56-734 delivered with a C-1 seat and has a C-2 seat as a QF-104A. 

3. 56-745 delivered with a C-1 seat and has a C-2 seat as a QF-104A.

4. 56-749 delivered with a C-1 seat. Would have had a C-2 seat installed before it crashed in 1962.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers,

 

John

 

 

Edited July 23, 2020 by CF104
correction

[Space Tiger Hobbes]

Wow, thanks! So there must be a database of tail numbers somewhere. I'm not surprised. But a database that says what seat they had as delivered and what seat they had when struck is amazing. 

[Dave Williams]

I believe all most all early F-104 models that were built with the downward firing C-1 seat were retro fitted with the upward firing C-2, no matter who used them.

[CF104]

2 hours ago, Space Tiger Hobbes said:

Wow, thanks! So there must be a database of tail numbers somewhere. I'm not surprised. But a database that says what seat they had as delivered and what seat they had when struck is amazing. 

 

There is no database on which seats were installed at delivery. It's a fact that all F-104A's were delivered with the C-1 seat. All F-104A's that survived in service past approximately 1960 had the C-1 seat replaced with the C-2 seat. 

 

Cheers,

 

John

[Space Tiger Hobbes]

Great. Thanks!