F-104C "0-60898" (56-0898) 198th TFS "Bucaneros" PRANG 1972

F-104C, construction number 183-1188, model 483-04-05, US serial number 56-0898, built by Lockheed
 available for test flight at Lockheed September 24, 1958; accepted by the USAF on November 28, 1958; delivery date December 2, 1958 to 479th Tactical Fighter Wing (TAC)
George AFB (December 1958-August 1967); deployments to Moron AB, Spain 1959; Hahn AB, Germany 1960; Kung Kuan AB, Taiwan 1960; 436th TFS 1965 at DaNang AB, Vietnam
afterwards overhaul McClellan AFB and camouflage scheme early 1966; back to George in March 1966 and sent to Udorn RTAFB, Thailand on July 22, 1966 with 435 TFS
March 1967 under control of 8th Tactical Fighter Wing (PACAF), Udorn RTAFB; at Udorn it received a remarkable nose art "Sex Machine" around March 1967
198th TFS 156th Tactical Fighter Group (Air National Guard), San Juan IAP, PR (August 1967-August 1975)
1975 dropped from the inventory by transfer to school or museum; August 11th, 1975 declared struck of charge and transfer to museum status
to Hulman Field, Terra Haute Indianapolis, Indiana on August 11, 1975 (taken care by 181 TFG Hulman Field Terra Haute), still owned by the USAF museum
Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, Kalamazoo, International (Municipal) (KAZO) Michigan in Spring 1992; fake serial "86809" noted 1996
60898 FG-898 Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, Kalamazoo 1999, on loan from USAF Museum; June 2005 noted; November 2010 noted; August 2015 noted
September 2016 restored into a more realistic outfit and choose the late 50s TAC style, because the fuselage of the aircraft should need extensive work they decided to choose
a paint scheme instead of bare metal; the aircraft repaint was finished and the aircraft looks very neat in March 2017 noted: March 2024 noted.

copyright @ Eduardo Rivera