Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread

Subject: F-104s AT RAF Binbrook 2009-02-11, 02:26

Hi There
Has anyone got any pics of the various F-104s that visited RAF Binbrook over the years.There was a quiet a few we had in on Sqn exchanges and DACT training i beleive Terry and Keith posted some on the original site and they where nice to see.I go on a site which lists all the F-104 Sqn exchanges from all the NATO countries from the 60s until there final days, and Binbrook had a few there is one exchange in the early 70s involving 1Wing BAF i have never seen pics anywhere of these 104s at Binbrook maybe someone has some in there collection they could post.
Kind Regards
Billyboy

Subject: Re: Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread 2009-02-11, 14:06

Well here`s a start, F-104G s/n D-8048 taxying out 13.07.82 during a Priory exercise. The aircraft carries the badge of 311Sqd/Klu on the tail but the pilot is wearing a helmet with 312 Sqd markings. Somewhere I have more, but the question is where? I did have a nice shot of four lined up on the end throttling-up ready to role with so much black smoke you wouldn`t believe, but where that shot is, I haven`t a clue or the time to find at present.

Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread D8048

Anyone who`s never hear a Starfighter howl has really missed a great sound. When they use to throttle back in the circuit it was the strangest of sounds. That said the Lightnings often used to emit a sound like a Seagull when they were turning in and opening their airbrakes.

No doubt Terry has many more pictures?

As the song said: "Those were the days my friend, we thought they`d never end"

Subject: Nice Shot 2009-02-12, 12:33

Nice shot that thank you for posting :D

Billyboy

Location : boswell lincs Spotter Watch Member : yes

Focal plane , the noise like a seagull from a lightning had nothing to do with the airbrake.
The noise came from the engine bleed duct, cant remember what stage it was but some thing like the fourteenth stage, this bled excess air off the engine during throttling back.
As for the racket the F104 made i believe it was due to the lack of an anti howl shield in the jet pipe

Subject: Re: Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread 2009-02-12, 14:00

Well you live and learn, thanks for the explanation.

John

Subject: Re: Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread 2009-02-12, 14:29

You must admit that it was a great sound though,a cross between blowing into an empty bottle and scraping your finger-nails down a blackboard ! :affraid: :affraid: :affraid:

Location : boswell lincs Spotter Watch Member : yes

Had ten years on lightnings, and the 104 was a frequent visitor to us and to 5 , so you got to know them well , just amazed me how they got off the deck, they had to lower the barrier at the take off end , as the 104 was so low on take off it would have gone through it. The fire crews rolled one day because two were that low they disappeared over the road and into the vale , they only reappeared over the village. Another story , we had a detachment of 104s on X1, one of the 104s had a bird strike on the leading edge of the port wing, the strike caused a small hole and a tear to the skin, the aircraft was now unable to fly and none of the ground crew could do skin repairs , so the 104 detachment commander wanted the aircraft stripped to be air freighted back. One of our rigger chiefs heard this and took a look , he said blow that , and got two lads to do a full skin repair , next day it was flying , thanks to the skill of the RAF.

Subject: Starfighters at IAT's 2009-02-19, 05:17

Greenham Common 1983 (Blimey,26 years ago :affraid: )

Taken from a Photo-bus,104893 1st CAG.
Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0130

26+83 and 26+89 MFG2
Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0126

22+04 Jbg33
Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0129

FX99 10 Wing with 104795,104891 1 CAG and R345,RT684 of Esk726 behind.
Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0132

Fairford 1985
MM6705/5-43,MM6814/5-42 of 23 Gruppo,R348 and RT657 726 Esk
Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0133

104808 1 CAG
Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0131

24+05,25+18,25+30,26+37 of TGP 11 and 26+66,26+82 of MFG2
Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0127

Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread File0128

Hope these have brought back some memories to some of you,feel free to add some more.

Subject: Re: Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread 2009-02-19, 05:28

Blue skies and classic jets.....things ain't wot they used ter be, are they?

Thanks Mike, great to see the old ladies again
Cheers
Bob

Subject: Re: Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread 2009-02-19, 05:33

Vulture 1 wrote:: Blue skies and classic jets.....things ain't wot they used ter be, are they?

Thanks Mike, great to see the old ladies again
Cheers
Bob

I've just noticed that there were 27 Phantoms in the static display in 1983,7 USAF,9 British and 11 German.

Subject: Re: Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread 2009-02-19, 06:08

Nice set and I did notice the lightnings in shot2, thanks for sharing

Subject: Re: Merged F-104 Starfighter Thread 2009-02-23, 14:15

Has anyone got any more ?

Location : RWY21 Grimsby Spotter Watch Member : No

Pleased to have witnessed some incredible F-104 activity at Binbrook.
One of my earliest exchanges was 349 Sqdn/1 Wing from Beauvechain, Belgium
who brought just 9 aircraft with them ! Supported by a C-119 (which I missed)
w/c 3rd Sept 1972. Sadly during the week T5 XS455 of 5 Sqd was thrown way just off the East Yorkshire coast with F/L (or maybe S/Ldr) Tim Gauvain at the controls
and F/L Robert Verbist. Tim Gauvain hit the news as he came out of the experience an inch or so shorter due to the bang out. I believe he came down in the caravan park while the Belgian jock dropped into the drink.
Coincidentally both pilots returned to flying duty in early 1973. I was just about to
pack up and go home for tea on Wed 28th March 1973 when two F-104G's whistled
into the overhead and landed (FX-54/FX-94) Robert Verbist was in FX-54 and he had called back to renew his friendship with Tim Gauvain.
Another coincidence occurred during the 349 Sqd,(now flying F-16s) exchange in March 1984 with 5 Sqdn. Robert Verbist (now a Major) flew into Binbrook in FB-08.
I was visiting 5 Sq and in their crewroom met Major Verbist who was absolutely amazed that I had recounted his encounter back in 1973 - very nice bloke.
Have got some piccies but having a bit of bother with Photobucket at the mo, so I'll have to get that sorted.
Cheers
Keith (Slip21)