Lockheed F-104 Starfighter model – fast, legendary, and unlucky! Build an icon of military aviation in 1:48 scale!
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was the first mass-produced aircraft to exceed twice the speed of sound. It was intended as an air defense fighter, and although its career was relatively short, the Starfighter became one of the most widespread combat aircraft in the world.
The Lockheed F-104 STARFIGHTER kit is a unique opportunity to create a model that will be the pride of your collection.
German Starfighter from JaboG 33 Squadron
This model is another example of COBI's collaboration with the famous Deutsches Marinemuseum. Based on an F-104 belonging to German Air Force, it was one of 210 aircraft license-produced by a consortium of Messerschmitt, Dornier, Heinkel, and SIAT. It served with the JaboG 33 fighter-bomber squadron based in Büchel near Cochem/Mosel and is today an exhibit at the Deutsches Marinemuseum.
Lockheed F-104 Starfighter – "The Missile with a Man Inside"
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was the first mass-produced fighter to exceed twice the speed of sound. Designed as an air defense fighter, despite its relatively short career, it became one of the most widespread combat aircraft in the world.
Its distinctive, streamlined silhouette, miniature trapezoidal wings with negative lift, and very sharp leading edges earned the aircraft the nickname "the missile with a man inside."
Armament and Combat Capabilities
The Starfighters were armed with a single, six-barrel, 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan rotary cannon. Its impressive rate of fire – 6,000 rounds per minute – meant that the ammunition drum was emptied in just over seven seconds of continuous fire.
Additionally, the aircraft could carry up to 1,814 kg of underwing cargo, including AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air guided missiles and various bombs.
An Unforgiving Machine
Despite its impressive performance, the F-104 Starfighter had a poor reputation – particularly in Germany. Of the 916 aircraft introduced into Luftwaffe service, 300 were lost, and 115 pilots were killed.
It was considered difficult to fly. The low lift of its wings caused it to pitch uncontrollably, making takeoffs and landings significantly more difficult. Engine problems and tail vibrations also occurred. To make matters worse, the ejection seat threw the pilot down, not up, making survival in the event of a malfunction practically impossible at low altitudes.
In the mid-1980s, the F-104 was retired from service, replaced by the Panavia Tornado and F-4 Phantom.
The Lockheed F-104 STARFIGHTER kit from COBI offers a unique opportunity to create a model of the legendary fighter, a symbol of its era – as innovative as it is controversial.