Aeritalia F-104S Starfighter

[Milocat 4,854]

The Aeritalia F-104S Starfighter was a modified variant of the American Lockheed F-104 Starfighter constructed under license in Italy that entered Italian service in the late 1960s.  It was based on the prototype Lockheed "Super Starfighter" and was equipped with a more powerful engine than the standard F-104 as well as an improved radar array that allowed the aircraft to fire radar-guided missiles and track both ground targets and the terrain.  It was also fitted with additional ordinance hardpoints, with a total of nine; one centerline, two underneath the forward fuselage, four under the wings, and two on the wingtips.  Due to these modifications the 20mm Vulcan cannon was often removed to reduce weight and provide extra room within the airframe.  A total of 246 were built, with 40 being sent to Turkey.  The aircraft was flown in two main loadout modes; when flown as an interceptor it was armed with the 20mm cannon, two radar-guided missiles, and two heat-seeking missiles, while when flown as an attack aircraft the cannon was removed and it carried 3,400 kg of ordinance.  Originally used with AIM-9B Sidewinder and AIM-7E Sparrow missiles, it was fitted with improved AIM-9L Sidewinder and Aspide IA radar-guided missiles later in its career.  The F-104S entered Italian service in 1966 and, with upgrades, continued to serve in frontline roles until 2004.  

 

The Italian F-104S is the ultimate modification of the F-104 Starfighter and would be an excellent addition to the Italian tree in the near future!

 

Specifications: 

Engines:  One General Electric J79-GE-19 afterburning turbojet, 52.8 KN (11,870 lbs) thrust without afterburner, 79.6 KN (17,900 lbs) thrust with afterburner

Length:  16.69m

Wingspan:  6.68m

Height:  4.11m

Empty Weight:  6,760 kg (14,900 lbs)

Gross Weight:  9,840 kg (21,690 lbs)

Maximum Takeoff Weight:  14,060 kg (31,000 lbs)

Maximum Speed:  2,330 kmh (1,448 mph) (Mach 2.2)

Cruising Speed:  981 kmh (610 mph)

Crew:  1

Armament:  One 20mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon (725 rounds) in nose (incompatible with radar-guided missiles), nine pylons for up to 3,400 kg (7,496 lbs) of ordinance

Standard loads:  

-Interceptor:  Two AIM-7E Sparrow or Aspide IA radar-guided missiles under wings, two AIM-9B/F/L Sidewinder heat-seeking missiles on wingtips 

-Attacker:  One 20mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon (725 rounds) in nose, 3,400 kg of bombs on nine external pylons

Number Built:  246

 

Images:  

Spoiler

 

Sources:  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeritalia_F-104S_Starfighter 

http://www.combataircraft.com/en/Military-Aircraft/Aeritalia/Lockheed-F-104S-Starfighter/ 

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/f104_33.html

http://www.airwar.ru/enc/fighter/f104s.html 

Edited October 2, 2019 by Milocat

[leroyonly 4,310]

Open for discussion. 

[Milocat 4,854]

4 hours ago, leroyonly said:

Open for discussion. 

 

Thank you!  

[Grimbergen95 362]

+1

 

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

I'd agree if:

 

The climb rate wasn't 279.4 m/s 

The AIM-7 and AIM-9 weapons were not AIM-7F and AIM-9L missiles

 

This plane is far fetched currently speaking

[Milocat 4,854]

2 minutes ago, EpicBlitzkrieg87 said:

I'd agree if:

 

The climb rate wasn't 279.4 m/s 

The AIM-7 and AIM-9 weapons were not AIM-7F and AIM-9L missiles

 

This plane is far fetched currently speaking

 

I don't exactly think this aircraft is needed for the game right now, but I think the writing is on the wall for where air battles are going and this aircraft will be a good fit in a few updates.

[benboy24 1,127]

Gimme, I want that 280 m/s climbrate. It might not want to turn, but it's fast and I've wanted this plane in-game for years!

[Охраняет-Камни 6,650]

+1

[eleks12 1,079]

+1 Gib to Italy, US, Germany, Japan, and possible trees like Scandinavia/Sweden

[Охраняет-Камни 6,650]

3 minutes ago, eleks12 said:

+1 Gib to Italy, US, Germany, Japan, and possible trees like Scandinavia/Sweden

S version can be added only to the Italian tree and probably Turkish tree

But I'm sure you mean other versions such as F-104G for example)

[eleks12 1,079]

2 minutes ago, _Condottiero_ said:

S version can be added only to the Italian tree and probably Turkish tree

But I'm sure you mean other versions such as F-104G for example)

 

I was clearly talking about the Starfighter in general 

[EpicBlitzkrieg87 8,350]

2 hours ago, benboy24 said:

Gimme, I want that 280 m/s climbrate. It might not want to turn, but it's fast and I've wanted this plane in-game for years!

 

I'm not interested in what could potentially turn out to be a game-breaker. Not just with that climb rate and almost 1500 kph of speed at sea level, but those AIM-9L missiles 

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

not now but in the futur with more potent missiles , countermeasures etc it could do it

[Solarmod 1,203]

Yes I would like all of the F-104 action +1

[Охраняет-Камни 6,650]

@Milocat Are you right about armament?

As I understand CI (Interceptor) didn't have cannon(because it wasn't needed for interception), while CB(fighter-bomber) did. 

btw Russian post about differences between G and S: http://www.greenmats.club/forums/topic/590-f-104s-f-104s-asa-f-104s-asa-m-итальянские-старфайтеры-матчасть/

[MadMax_ITA_ 789]

There's an old f104 inside the aerospace university near me, it's together with a g91 and another jet, would you like some photos? 

Edited October 1, 2019 by MadMax_ITA_

[Grimbergen95 362]

2 hours ago, MadMax_ITA_ said:

There's an old f104 inside the aerospace university near me, it's together with a g91 and another jet, would you like some photos? 

Yes

[Milocat 4,854]

On 30/09/2019 at 19:31, _Condottiero_ said:

@Milocat Are you right about armament?

As I understand CI (Interceptor) didn't have cannon(because it wasn't needed for interception), while CB(fighter-bomber) did. 

btw Russian post about differences between G and S: http://www.greenmats.club/forums/topic/590-f-104s-f-104s-asa-f-104s-asa-m-итальянские-старфайтеры-матчасть/

 

I think you're right, actually.  The 20mm cannon couldn't be carried with the radar-guided missiles because the space was needed for avionics.  

 

I don't know where I got that idea.  I'll change the intro post.

[Solarmod 1,203]

On 01/10/2019 at 02:54, MadMax_ITA_ said:

There's an old f104 inside the aerospace university near me, it's together with a g91 and another jet, would you like some photos? 

Yes

[Охраняет-Камни 6,650]

Flight manual

Technical manual

[CokeSpray 7,274]

Suggestion passed to the developers for consideration.

[leroyonly 4,310]

As the F-104S has been added as per update 1.99 Starfighters,

 

Moved to Implemented Suggestions.