F-104C of 479th Tactical Fighter Wing 1960

Specification of the F-104C:
Engine: One General Electric J79-GE-7 turbojet, 10,000 lbs static thrust dry and 15,800 lbs static thrust with afterburning
Performance: Maximum speeds as high as 1588 mph at 50,000 feet have been quoted, while equipped with wingtip launch rails
Stalling speed 167 mph with gear and flaps down
Initial climb rate 54,000 feet per minute
Service ceiling 58,000 feet
Normal range 850 miles. Maximum range with four drop tanks was 1500 miles
Fuel: Internal fuel capacity was 897 US gallons, and maximum fuel capacity with two wingtip tanks and two under wing tanks was 1627 US gallons
A 195 US gallon drop tank could be carried on each of the under wing pylons, plus a 170 US gallon drop tank at each wingtip
Dimensions: wingspan 21 feet 9 inches, length 54 feet 8 inches, height 13 feet 6 inches, wing area 196.1 square feet
Weights: 12,760 pounds empty, 19,470 pounds combat, 22,410 pounds gross, 27,853 pounds maximum take-off
Armament: One 20-mm M61A1 cannon with 725 rounds in the fuselage,
plus a pair of wingtip-mounted AIM-9B Sidewinder infra-red homing air-to-air missiles
Up to 2000 pounds of external ordinance (bombs, rockets, napalm, drop tanks) could be carried on under wing and under-fuselage attachment points
Later, an additional pair of Sidewinder missiles could be carried underneath the fuselage.

copyright © Dick Moore