F-104G "FN-W" 331 squadron RNoAF 1969

F-104G, construction number 683C-4041, model 683-04-10, US serial number 62-12239, built by Lockheed
MAP to Norway; delivered to Norway via the USS Fiddler which arrived at Torp harbor on October 26, 1963
with 22 flight hours coded "FN-W" to 331 squadron, modified to F-104G in August 1963; coded "239" from September 1, 1972
62-12239 has been seen a few times outside Norway, for example at Wattisham Air Base, UK in September 1976 and
Leeuwarden Air Base in March 1976; it received maintenance like all other Norwegian Starfighters with Fokker-Avio-Diepen at Ypenburg AB,
Netherlands. For example in May 1973 and also in March 1976 (arrival March 23) till July 1976
coded "239" arrived RAF Sculthorpe with 331skv markings on July 8, 1981, returned to USAF inventory on July 9, 1981 with 3.385 flight hours
departed as "THK 239" from RAF Sculthorpe to Grosseto on July 15, 1981 and after a fuel stop it continued from Grosseto to Murted
on July 16, 1981; to Turkish on July 15, 1981, to 141 Filo (THK serial number 62-12239) coded "4-239", noted 1983,
it was transferred to 9.AJU mid 80s; preserved on a pole at Kutahya Airport at least since September 1999
coded "2239" preserved Bursa, a large city with two F-104, nose to nose, mounted beside the military sports arena on the highest point
of the city, first noted in June 2011; May 2015 last noted; on March 10, 2018 a F-104 Starfighter was displayed officially at Trabzon, Turkey
received 'OF-104' on its nose-section and fake serial "78-135", aircraft also got the signature of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

copyright © Erik Dahlen