Aeroplane Aviation Archive — Issue 33 The World’s Fastest Aircraft

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rotary cannon and two wingtip-mounted AIM-9
Sidewinder missiles.
In total, Lockheed built 77 F-104Cs, bringing
total Star ghter deliveries to the US Air Force
to just 277. This might well have been the end
of the Star ghter story, had it not been for West
Germany’s pressing need for a new aircraft to
equip its re-emergent Luftwa e. Lockheed had
anticipated this and by 1956 was redesigning
the F-104 as a heavier aircraft with true multi-
mission capability. Thus was born the F-104G,
the ‘G’ standing for Germany. Lockheed put
its all into aggressively promoting this ‘Super
Star ghter’ (as it was initially called) and in
March 1959 West Germany con rmed its
selection of the F-104G. This announcement
Left: One of the design hallmarks of the F-104 was
its short-span wing, just 21ft 9in (6.63m), with
a maximum thickness of 4.2in (10.7cm). Blown
 aps increased the air ow over the wing to keep
the aircraft controllable at low speeds despite
the lack of wing area. Wingtips could mount fuel
tanks or launch rails for AIM-9 Sidewinders.
Below: Lockheed Star ghter F-104A of the 83rd
FIS, US Air Force, circa 1958.
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