Nozzle
Failure at 70,000’
In 1958, being the first TAC squadron to be re-equipped with the F-104C
Starfighter, the 476th TFS had to do a lot of operational testing of tactics,
procedures and capabilities. These included Phase 2 nozzle tests and high
altitude operations.
There had been a spate of nozzle failures in the J79 engine fitted to
the F-104C. It was found that the nozzles, being operated by the engine oil
system, were failing to open or close due to sludge on the oil filters, The system
was changed so that the nozzles were controlled by the engine fuel system and
the problem was solved. The aircraft were being modified at the next major
inspection so some squadron aircraft continued to operate with without the oil
system control being modified.
For the high altitude tests we were fitted with the early “Moon suit”
pressure suit which was based on the same principle as the “G Suit” but with a
full body fitting. Prior to donning the pressure suit you were required to be
powdered all over with talcum powder and then don long underwear, inside out,
so that the seams would not cause irritation points which could not be reached
while wearing the “Moon suit”. Sitting for an hour in the crew room
pre-breathing oxygen was a most boring experience.
I was scheduled for a high zoom flight to 65.000’, and after the
required pre-breathing I carried my portable oxygen unit out to my F-104C,
56-899, strapped in, converted to the aircraft oxygen system and departed for
the high speed area “Stovepipe” up over
Death Valley.
My scheduled profile was to climb to 36,000’ a level, run out to Mach
1.7 in full AB and a pull to 1.5 G. When the machmeter showed Mach 2 or better,
I was to then increase to 3G for the zoom. At 38,000’ the machmeter was
indicating Mach 2.1 with about 35 degrees nose up. The airplane was zooming
like an angel and we rapidly passed 50.000’ where all indications were normal.
As the airplane neared 60.000’ I had to throttle back to keep the EGT
within limits. The AB blew out and when the throttle was near idle I heard
slight “thump” down the back end but all seemed normal. The Starfighter was
still climbing but at a reduced angle of attack, about 20 degrees. As 65,000’
was reached I stop-cocked the throttle to prevent an overspeed over temp. and
eased the stick forward to about level attitude. The cockpit de-pressurized and
I felt the suit pressure come on. It was like being in an all-over G suit and
it was difficult to move my arms or legs. The outside light was poor due to the
blue/black sky and I had to pull out the instrument panel shades to help the
cockpit lighting.
I thought that the aircraft would start to descend but, to my amazement,
we kept climbing in a level flight attitude. As we reached 70.000’, I eased the
stick forward to get a more nose down attitude. The airspeed was about 155
knots and the attitude changed but the Starfighter kept slowly climbing until
it peaked at 72,300’ when it started to pitch down and descend with wings
level. As the speed increased I popped the speed brakes, slowly increased the
dive angle, and commenced a glorious high speed dive down to lower levels.
At 40.000’ I tried a relight without success. At 35.000’ I tried another
relight procedure with same result. At 33.000’ I managed to get a relight and
was delighted to see the RPM and EGT started to rise. With everything appearing
normal I turned towards George passing over the base at 30,000’ prior to
entering the pattern. At this stage I knew something was wrong, as an increased
throttle movement produced the desired RPM but no apparent increase in thrust.
Fortunately, I was aware of the nozzle failure problem where the nozzles
remain open and you have a perfectly good engine but no thrust. This was my
situation then. The book indicated that level flight could be maintained at
2000’ above sea level in this configuration. With the altitude at George at
1800’ I was not about to test this theory. At 25,000’and descending I declared
an emergency and requested a straight-in to Muroc Lake which was almost
right in front of me. I turned so that the approach would be to the North East
and at 15.000’ commenced a high key-low key dead stick approach, which I had
practiced many times, on to the world’s longest runway marked out on the lake
bed.
On final approach the engine was developing a little thrust but I continued
the dead stick approach, dropping the gear at 250 knots and touching down
well into the lake bed at about 185 knots. When I came to a stop, Edwards Tower me to vacate
the airplane and await pick-up. I shut down the engine and when I descended,
by hanging over the side of the airplane, I saw that the nozzles were stuck
wide open. On looking around I could have been on the Moon; nothing but desert
to all horizons. After about fifteen minutes, I was pleased to see a chopper
coming over the horizon from the West. The rescue crew took me back to civilization
and I had a pleasant time in the Officers Club before being returned to George by car that evening.
After the maintenance crew at the Test Pilot’s School had completed the
engine oil/fuel nozzle control modification 56-899 flew on for some years
before being destroyed in an accident in Spain in the early sixties.
Jim Flemming, Canberra in 2004
Vita of Jim Flemming, Air Vice-Marshal ret.
RAAF 75 Sqn 78 Wing, Williamtown NSW 1955-1956
George AFB from December 1957 to January1960
F-100C for about 400 hours in the 476th TFS (Ops
officer)
The 476th was the first squadron to get the F-104C
First foreigner
to fly the F-104C and the first RAAF pilot to get to Mach 2
479th TFW Standardization Officer and flew with the
434th TFS
About 700 odd hours in the Zipper; Starfighter No.304
May 1967 CO No 75 Squadron, Mirage to Butterworth, Malaysia
Ubon in 1968, 79 FS equipped with big engined
CA-27 Avon Sabre jets at RTAFB Ubon
Last Mirage flight was on
1975: London Royal College of Defence Studies
July 1982 Retirement
Forty one years service in the Air Force with every
rank from Airman 2nd to Air Vice-Marshal.
Ended with 9400 hours mostly on fighters.
Back in the fifty's Flight Lieutenant J.H. Flemming (center) led an aerobatic team flying Meteors.
They were called "The Meteorites" where he
got the idea for the Starfighter markings.
The paint job was his design and Tactical Air Command
paid him fifty bucks for the copyright.
All the 479th Wing birds had the same markings but in
different colors for each of the squadrons.
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