F-104G "3-11" 132°Gruppo of 3°Stormo "Carlo Emanuele Buscaglia" at Pratica di Mare AB 2004

F-104G, construction number 683-9998, serial number MM6501, model 683-10-19, built by Lockheed
The aircraft rolled out from the Lockheed assembly plant in Palmdale, CA, in February 1962 with manufacturer's number 9998
first flight Palmdale, CA with AMI pilot Capt. Franco Bonazzi March 2, 1962 at Lockheed; delivery date AMI March 3, 1962
the aircraft was then temporarily "loaned" by IAF to FIAT and used by Vittorio Sanseverino, FIAT chief test pilot, for familiarization flights
at Palmdale before being shipped to Torino, Italy
first Starfighter in service with Aeronautica Militare Italiana; first flight Caselle June 9, 1962 coded to MM6501 by Vittorio Sanseverino
ready August 10, 1962; September 29, 1962 delivered again to the AMI and re-accepted by Franco Bonazzi
delivery in 1962 MM 6501 was assigned to the IAF Flight Test Center (RSV-Reparto Sperimentale di Volo) in Pratica di Mare as RS-1
and in 1967 she was still there; IRAN till 18.3.1969; delivery date 102°Gruppo 18.3.1969, 5-04 03.1969-06.1972
IRAN 15.3.1972-13.11.1972; delivery date 154°Gruppo 13.11.1972, 6-20(?) 6-05(?) 12.1972-3.5.1976; IRAN from 3.5.1976; 3-46(?)
3-02 04.1977-1.4.1980; IRAN 1.4.1980-6.1.1981; delivery date 154°Gruppo 6.1.1981, 6-11 3.81-5.83
delivery date 132°Gruppo 20.10.1982, 3-11 8.83-18.12.84 132 Gruppo 3 Stormo at Villafranca; damaged cat.R.2 Villafranca 08.1983
withdrawn from use with 3557 flight hours; delivery date Vigna di Valle 5.11.1985
preserved in hangar Museo Storico dell'Aeronautica Militare Italiana at Vigna di Valle, Roma (modified to RF-104G)
display Pratica di Mare AB May November 1985; restoration Grosseto 1995
static display at the Pratica di Mare F-104 farewell and 50th birthday 2004; December 10, 2005 noted; January 2023 noted.

copyright © Riccardo Vestuto