F-104G USAF Exhaust

[Dave Williams]

Let’s recap what’s been said and linked so far.  This aircraft was built in 1961, photographed in December 1969, and was destroyed in a crash in February 1970.  The aircraft still has the C-2 seat, as evidenced by the photo.  It still has the -11 exhaust because it crashed before the upgrade to the MTU-J1K.  Since it was built in 1961, it originally came with the flat gear doors and narrow wheels.  Beginning in late 1965/early 1966, German F-104s began to be retrofitted with the wide wheels/bugled MLG doors.  How long it took to complete the program or when/if this aircraft got retrofitted isn’t known.  You can’t tell whether it has narrow or wide wheels from this side photo because 1) all F-104Gs had spoked wheel hubs regardless of whether the tire was narrow or wide, and 2) the photo is of too poor quality to see if the MLG door is bulged.

 

As to the link saying it was modified to the latest modification level in 1963, that means the modifications current as of 1963.  Neither the newer engine, MB seat, or wide tires/ bulged MLG mods were available in 1963.  All those came later.

 

So, that’s where we are.  If you want a definitive answer about the wheels, you’ll need to either find a better photo of the same aircraft where you can better see the tire or MLG door, or find details for the modification history (when it was complete for all aircraft, or when/if this particular aircraft was retro fitted).

 

P.S., If I had to guess, Project “Columbus” was probably just shipping F-104s from Europe to the US for use in training at Luke.

Edited July 30, 2022 by Dave Williams

[Mustang381]

I will try to find modification material,and better photos,and if I fail...well I will make nmf USAF F-104G with most reference materials.

[Mustang381]

Ok, I just want to have NMF US F-104G in 1/48 scale.

So, I think that I have find solution in this two photos,please correct me if I am wrong,but I think that on this two aircraft is next confirguration for modeling:

1.) MB seat

2.) Early exhaust

3.) ACL on the top of fuselage,near vertical stabilazer.

4.) Bulged MGL door

5.) Wide tyres for G type.

6.) Color of pitot tube is gray from the nose till the chrome part of it.

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Mustang381

[GeneK]

1 hour ago, Mustang381 said:

3.) ACL on the root of vertical stabilizer

Sorry, I lost the bubble ... what's "ACL"?

 

Thanks,

Gene K

[Mustang381]

50 minutes ago, GeneK said:

Sorry, I lost the bubble ... what's "ACL"?

 

Thanks,

Gene K

Its short for "Anti-Colission Light"

[JeffreyK]

...in any case, don't buy the Eduard wheel set 🙂

Early F-104G, as well as F-104J and CF-104 had narrow wheels with spoked hubs and the spokes were kind of convex, with the centre the widest part and getting narrower towards the edge/tyre.

Late F-104G, as well as F-104S had wide wheels with concave type spokes, with the wheel getting wider from the centre outward to the edge/tyre. If you study the shadows on the wheels in your F-104 pictures you can see that this is the concave type, i.e. wide wheels.

ResKit have got this difference covered in terms of resin wheels, at least if you buy a latest release set. You can see the difference in the convex/concave hubs in their product photo:

https://reskit-models.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2486&search=f-104

https://reskit-models.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=2485&search=f-104

Unfortunately, in their earlier releases, what is supposed to be the narrow type (No 0009), they still supploed the wide tyre. I notified them of the error and they changed it to the narrow one (from the dish type F-104 set) in subsequent production runs.

J

Edited August 1, 2022 by JeffreyK

[hemspilot]

On 7/30/2022 at 1:57 AM, Nebbor said:

I understand the bulged doors are a consequence of the wider wheels used. When true: the photo shows the late styl e wide wheel rims so it should have the bulged doors.

 

Early narrow wheels

 

Late wide wheels

 

Link to a larger image of your OP showing the late wheels:

http://www.916-starfighter.de/Large/Luke/63-13246.htm

 

I think I can just make out some pointy bits at the end of the exhaust so it should be a J79-11A but hard to tell with 100% guarantee.

 

early exhaust:

 

late exhaust

 

Very similar to the short and long nozzles as found in early and later Phantom variants.

F-4B, C, D and N vs F-4 E, F, G, J, S.

[Mustang381]

Thanks friends,Reskit will be 🙂