F-104S "51-03" 22°Gruppo of 51°Stormo at Kleine-Brogel AB in October 1997

F-104S, construction number 783-1014, serial number MM6714, model 783, built by Aeritalia
production line 17.7.1969; delivery date AMI 19.2.1970; delivery date 22°Gruppo 26.3.1970, 51-11 22 Gruppo of 51 Stormo 2.5.1970-11.7.1974; IRAN 11.7.1974-18.3.1975
delivery date 22°Gruppo 25.3.1975, 51-11 03.1975-6.4.1979; IRAN 6.4.1979-11.1979; 5-41 23 Gruppo of 5 Stormo 18.7.1980-10.6.1983; 5-45 10.4.1985-11.1.1988
delivery date 21°Gruppo 11.1.1988, 53-20 06.1988-1.8.1989; IRAN + F-104S ASA conversion 1.8.1988-15.11.1990; delivery date 10°Gruppo 15.11.1990, 9-50 06.1991-10.3.1994
delivery date 311°Gruppo 10.3.1994; IRAN 06.1996-8.7.1997 grey camouflage scheme; delivery date 22°Gruppo 8.7.1997, 51-03 31.7.1997-3.11.1998 
October 1997 Belgium Air Force 23 Smaldeel (10 Wing) based at Kleine Brogel AB flying the F-16A, exchanged with the Italian Air Force 22 Gruppo (51 Stormo) based at Istrana AB
delivery date 9°Gruppo 4.11.1998; 4-11 8.3.1999-4.3.2002; withdrawn from use at Grosseto with 5.141 flight hours 7.4.2002
in October 2004 it was transported to Grazzanise, and it was parked on the CFE flightline
December 9, 2005 it was officially withdrawn from use and that same month it was cut-up and partly scrapped
the forward fuselage was saved and brought over to the Italian air museum in Vigna Di Valle where it arrived later that month
It is interesting to see that the fuselage received code "9-51" which replaced the original code "4-11". Its CFE plate came from aircraft MM6741. 
The cockpit section with serial "9-51" was taken at Vigna di Valle on December 11, 2005; March 2025 noted.

copyright © Harry Prins