F-104A

This page is about the jet fighter F-104A. For other versions, see F-104 (Family).

F-104A

F-80C-10

F-104C

F-104A

F-80C-10

F-104C

USA

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.7	9.3	9.7

Class:

Fighter

Jet fighter

Research:160 000

Purchase:450 000

Show in game

Description

The F-104A Starfighter is a rank VI American jet fighter with a battle rating of 9.7 (AB/SB) and 9.3 (RB). It was introduced in Update "Starfighters".

General info

Flight performance

Arrestor gear

Accelerates braking by grabbing the brake cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Drogue parachute

Reduces braking distance when landing on any runway

Max speed

at 10 668 m2 149 km/h

Turn time32 s

Max altitude18 900 m

EngineGeneral Electric J79-GE-3B

Type

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight24 t

A F-104A Starfighter breaks the sound barrier at sunset

The F-104s are generally very fast and the F-104A is no exception. Even when it is stock the climb rate can be comparable to that of both the MiGs and the Phantoms. Its max speed of 2,079 km/h is just as good if not better than other top-tier jets. The acceleration of the F-104A is amazing so even when you are at low speeds it can quickly gain back the lost energy. However, the jet's manoeuvrability leaves much to be desired. Although it can out-turn other jets at its BR it can only do so when it is going above mach 1, at low speeds any other top-tier jets can easily out-turn you.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	2,104	2,076	18900	32.4	32.8	202.5	193.7	1,180
Upgraded	2,195	2,149		31.6	32.0	270.2	235.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1,527	546	N/A	827	444	~13	~5

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 720	< 950	< 800	N/A

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric J79-GE-3B		1	6,112 kg		509 kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)				Max Takeoff Weight
Weight (each)	Type		10m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	35m fuel
1,750 kg	Afterburning axial-flow turbojet		6,915 kg	7,624 kg	8,380 kg	8,789 kg	24,000 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition	100%	WEP	10m fuel	20m fuel	30m fuel	35m fuel	MTOW
Stationary	4,190 kgf	6,571 kgf	0.95	0.86	0.78	0.75	0.27
Optimal	4,190 kgf (0 km/h)	8,584 kgf (1,200 km/h)	1.24	1.13	1.02	0.98	0.36

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear546 km/h

There is no armour on the F-104A. Since the F-104A relies on high speed, it wouldn't need armour as that would reduce the speed and manoeuvrability of the plane. The F-104A is a very long plane and it is not very manoeuvrable, making it a large, easy target for enemy guns. As such, the only characteristic that should be relied upon for survivability is the plane's speed. It is very quick, and as such is hard to catch. Of course, it's not quicker than a missile!

• No armour
• Self-sealing fuel tanks

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB3 081 → 4 085

RB10 323 → 13 688

SB9 906 → 13 135

Total cost of modifications143 000

224 000

Talisman cost2 400

Crew training130 000

Experts450 000

Aces2 200

Research Aces890 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

120 / 380 / 600 %

214 / 214 / 214 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 380 Compressor Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 300 Wings repair Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 330 Engine Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 330 G-suit Research: 23 000 Cost: 36 000 630	Airframe Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 300 Cover Research: 23 000 Cost: 36 000 630	M60_belt_pack Research: 14 000 Cost: 22 000 380 AIM-9B Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 300 M60_new_gun Research: 12 000 Cost: 19 000 330

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 120 mm M61A1 cannon

Ammunition750 rounds

Fire rate6 000 shots/min

The F-104A is armed with:

• 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (750 rpg)

Suspended armament

List of setups (1)

Setup 12 x AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles

The F-104A can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles

Usage in battles

The F-104A is a high speed, high altitude fighter-bomber/interceptor. It performs well in high altitude flights meant to intercept fighters and mainly bombers at high altitudes. When the F-104A is fighting at low altitudes with a slower plane, the pilot should consider a hit and run technique to out-speed and return to the target to avoid getting shot back. If you need to turn, be sure to extend your combat flaps as they significantly decrease your turn time.

The F-104A has a decent stock turn time of 33 seconds which is the average or decent turn time of most supersonic jets at rank VI for Russian jets. The F-104A will have difficulties when trying to hit an enemy less than 1 or 2 kilometers away using the 20 mm M61 cannon since this cannon will take some time to warm-up before shooting and turn fights will also be difficult due to high speed manoeuvres causing an average 8 or more Gs rendering the pilot unconscious for most of the time.

Using the F-104A's M61 cannon against helicopters would be very easy since they're slow and most of the time are in constant direction and speed, while you are attacking from the side or back with speeds almost or higher than mach 1, the helicopter won't notice until you strafe at them.

Unfortunately, the AIM-9B sidewinder missiles the F-104A carries are lacking at its BR. Most other jets at top tier have much better air-to-air missiles which travel, lock and turn better than the AIM-9B. Therefore, they should only be used in situations where they cannot effectively turn or dodge, or don't know its coming.

The F-104A isn't carrying any flares, so you would have to rely on the planes decent manoeuvrability, and high speed, and maybe turn off the afterburner and maybe even the engine to reduce the incoming AAMs chance to hit the plane. Always remember the insane climb rate for the plane, this means you can also face the incoming AAM at the sun even when the sun is at a steep angle. This in turn would spend more fuel since you would need to use afterburners to efficiently climb at steep angles, out-running short-range anti-air missiles are tricky since some go mach 1.7, while others go mach 2.5, do not expect all missiles to be outrun.

Radars

The F-104A is equipped with an AN/ASG-14 search and tracking radar. The radar is mounted in the nose of the aircraft.

AN/ASG-14 - Target Detection Radar
Maximum Detection Range	Guaranteed Detection Range	Max Azimuth Scan Angle	Max Elevation Scan Angle
37,000 m (theoretical)	15,000 m	±45°	±45°
AN/ASG-14 - Target Tracking Radar
Maximum Tracking Range	Minimum Tracking Range	Azimuth Tracking Angle	Elevation Tracking Angle
18,500 m	150 m	±10°	±10°

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Great top speed for its rank
• Great rate of climb
• Decent high-speed manoeuvrability, in spite of its tiny wings
• Powerful 20 mm Vulcan gun with high rate of fire rate and muzzle velocity
• Great roll rate

Cons:

• Lousy low-speed manoeuvrability
• Bleeds speed quickly in sustained turns
• No ground attack payloads whatsoever
• Relatively low ammo count for the Vulcan: trigger discipline is necessary
• No RWR or countermeasures
• At its BR, only 2x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles are inadequate

History

The brainchild of famed Lockheed engineer Clarence "Kelly" Johnson, after having spoken to USAF pilots about their experience in the Korean Air War, the F-104 Starfighter was innovative in both its design and speed. Developed from the start as a daytime air-superiority fighter with speed in mind, the Starfighter began life at Lockheed's famous "Skunk Works" facility in 1952 to combat the Soviet's new age of supersonic jet fighters. The aircraft would incorporate the smallest airframe, combined with the most technologically advanced turbojet at the time, to create the base of what would become the F-104.

In 1953, the USAF showed interest in the project, and proposed an open contest with Lockheed and multiple other firms for a supersonic interceptor, based wholly on performance. Lockheed evidently won the contest and approval for two prototypes to be produced and, in February of 1954, took flight for the first time. Although it was slated to be fitted with the General Electric J79 turbofan, due to shortages of the engines the prototypes were mated to a license-built variant of the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire engine, called the Wright XJ65-W-6, until the initial power-plant was available. The aircraft however was not without its problems, resulting in a four-year long developmental period for the aircraft. By the end of it, 17 pre-production YF-104As had been built, tested, and used to iron out any problems that would be noticeable on the final F-104. In 1958, the F-104 would finally be available for deliveries featuring some differences from the initial prototypes in the form of a longer fuselage as well as the fitting of General Electric J79GE-3 engines putting out a whopping 14,800 lbs of thrust.

From the start the F-104A smashed records, taking the record as the first operational fighter in service to succeed Mach 2, as well as going on to take the records for both altitude and speed in both the F-104A and F-104C variants respectively. On May 7th, 1958, Maj. Howard C. Johnson, in his F-104A, set a new world altitude record at 91,243 feet, and 11 days later another aircraft set a new speed record at 1,403.19 mph. The altitude record was later bested by another variant of the aircraft, the F-104C, at a whopping altitude of 103,389 feet. In the 1950s, the aircraft had come to be exactly what the public had expected a fighter of this magnitude to look like. With a long, pencil shaped fuselage with short, sharp edged wings it encompassed the era of space flight and Sci-Fi with its design. The wings were one of the most unique parts of the aircraft, as well as its long fuselage taken up mostly by its large engine and fuel storage, and were only 4 inches and its thickest. Sweeping was only utilized on the leading edge, and a slight anhedral was in place to combat "Dutch Roll", a phenomenon where the aircraft rocks side-to-side uncontrollably. The wings, while helping with supersonic flight, were harmful to ground crews, and special equipment had to be issued to service these areas.

While having a history of accidents and high pilot attrition, the aircraft was fitted with an ejection seat. Due to the great speed of the aircraft at Mach 2, it was believed that the seat wouldn't have enough time to clear the tail section in an ejection scenario. Therefore, a downward firing ejection seat known as the Stanley C-1 was fitted into early models of the F-104. While a good idea, and in theory could work, the C-1 was also believed harmful in the case of a low-altitude ejection of the aircraft. After a failed introduction of the Stanley C-2 ejection seat, the problem was finally solved by the introduction of the Martin-Baker ejection system, particularly in foreign-operator's Starfighters. Roughly 153 F-104As were produced, with 26 more being F-104B two-seat variants. The F-104A spend a short time in USAF service before being send to Air National Guard (ANG) units, which some others being sent to foreign operators which had some success in their service. The first combat of the F-104 however wouldn't be seen until the Vietnam War, and while not having any kills to count was successful in keeping MiGs back and from intercepting friendly aircraft. The aircraft had a short service life in this theatre, only serving in 1965, and again from 1967-1969 until the introduction of the more-capable F-4 Phantom II by which it was replaced.

Devblog

The development history of the F-104 Starfighter begins in 1951, when Lockheed's lead engineer visited US pilots in Korea. The feedback given to Johnson was clear - US planes were too large and complex and would often find themselves inferior to the much smaller and simpler Soviet MiG-15. On his return to the United States, Johnson assembled a team of engineers and started developing an aircraft that would address the concerns of the pilots.

The result of this undertaking was the F-104 Starfighter, whose first prototype, designated XF-104, first took to the skies on the 4th March 1954. Although both prototypes were lost during testing, the results delivered by the prototypes were promising enough for the USAF to accept the aircraft into service in November 1955.

Soon after entering production, the F-104 quickly also became a highly popular aircraft on the export market. West Germany was, alongside the United States, the primary operator of the Starfighter, owning over 900 F-104s in its air force at the peak of its service career. However, 13 other nations also employed the F-104 such as Canada, Italy, Japan, Spain, and many more.

The F-104 saw most of its combat service with the USAF, most notably taking part in the Vietnam War. Furthermore, the F-104 also saw combat during the Indo-Pakistani Wars in the mid '60's - early '70's while flying under Pakistani colors.

In the end, over 2,500 Starfighters would be built, with most being gradually decommissioned by the end of the Cold War. Italy was the last to decommission its F-104s in the early 2000s.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the F-104A from live.warthunder.com.

Images

• 

  F104A Starfighter flying with a full afterburner on a clear starry night

• 

  F-104A taking off

Videos

The Shooting Range #202 - Metal Beasts section at 00:30 discusses the F-104 Starfighter.

The Shooting Range #211 - Pages of History section at 04:15 discusses the F-104 Starfighter.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Bibliography

• Military Factory - Lockheed F-104 Starfighter: website
• Winchester, Jim - American Military Aircraft: A Century of Innovation - p.238-239 - 1, October 2017: website