RF-104G 21+21 of MFG 2 passing over patrol boat (Schnellboot) "F 306"

The West-German Navy, Italy and Norway were the only operators of the F-104 Starfighter in the anti-shipping role.
The German Navy received a total of 119 F-104G and 27 RF-104G for reconnaissance.
Main purpose was surface attack of amphibian operations by the Warsaw Pact in the Baltic Sea.
When the German Navy had to replace their Hawker Sea Hawks in the early 1960s, their choice would have been the Blackburn B-103 Buccaneer,
but political reasons (and pressure...) led to acquiring the Lockheed F-104 for both Navy and Airforce.
In the 1980s, German Navy Starfighters were replaced by the Panavia Tornado and retired from service in 1988.

The RF-104G though being a "photo bird", could still carry out its secondary role of maritime Fighterbomber and could be armed
with the same array of ordnance as the F-104G. It only lacked the internal gun, as this place was needed for the camera assortment.
In contrary to its Luftwaffe sister aircraft, the career of navy RF-104G was pretty long.
Until the very end of Navy Starfighter in 1987, the RF-104G continued to fly their recce missions.

copyright © Axel Ostermann