F-104G DA+116 during reassembly at Manching 1962

F-104G, construction number 683-2019, company model 683-10-19, built by Lockheed
manufactured by Group USA (ARGE-USA); assembly in Fighterbomber version according contract lot 3
flight test release October 27, 1961, flown with register number "119" for test flights 1961 at Lockheed-Palmdale
acceptance date by BABwLockheed not known; DA+116 shipped in boxes to Bremerhaven, Germany on November 15, 1961 with 35 flight hours
parts transported by train to Messerschmitt-Manching for reassembly; project "42" as Fighterbomber (for JaboG 31) with Vulcan M61 20 mm machine gun installed and long range tanks as loose parts
stored February 28, 1962 due to missing spare parts; first flight with Messerschmitt on April 3, 1962; acceptance date by BABwMTT on May 15, 1962
DA+116 JaboG 31 "Boelcke" at Norvenich AB delivery date on May 18, 1962; planned for project "Columbus"
crashed on September 3, 1962 near Metternich shortly after take-off from Norvenich AB due to loss of control (stall) after landing gear retraction problems,
the pilot ejected but was killed due to the too late ejection (parachute did not have time to blossom)
struck off charge order (AVA) August 31, 1964; parts were given to Technical School at Delft, Netherlands in October 1966.

Project "42": to equip 42 aircraft (hence the name of the project!) for JaboG 31 (FBW 31) at Nörvenich in Fighterbomber version 
with built-in Vulcan M61 20 mm machine gun, long-distance tanks as loose parts

Shortly after take-off the pilot reported a landing gear malfunction. Pilot of another aircraft confirmed that the forward landing gear doors were open.
Pilot cycled the landing gear and got the APC kicker actuation. Sometime later the aircraft was observed to descent.
The pilot ejected at about 70 feet, but was fatally injured. Pilot raised the flaps at a too low airspeed. Aircraft became uncontrollable.
Descending flight path at moment of ejection, parachute did not have time to blossom.

copyright © Klaus Kropf