The world's first Mach 2 breakthrough
JASDF F-104J "Starfighter" fighter (Image: JASDF).
On March 4, 1954, the XF-104, the prototype of the jet fighter F-104 "Starfighter" developed by the American aircraft manufacturer Lockheed, made its first flight. [Old flight scene] The F-104 "Starfighter" of the Air Self-Defense Force is seen at once.The total number of aircraft manufactured is about 2,600. It is also the first fighter to break the Mach 2 barrier. The impetus for the creation of the F-104 was the emergence of the former Soviet Union's MiG-15 jet fighter during the Korean War, which shocked the US Air Force and other aircraft manufacturers. The MiG-15 has an engine with almost the same thrust as its rival North American F-86 "Saber" fighter, but its gross weight is nearly 30% lighter than the F-86. rice field. Also, because the airframe was compact, it greatly surpassed the F-86 in terms of thrust-to-weight ratio and wing load. In addition, pilots of the U.S. Air Force who participated in the Korean War said, ``U.S.-made fighter aircraft have become sluggish due to the effects of being given many unnecessary equipment and capabilities. Basic performance such as high speed, climbability, and maneuverability are declining.” This led Lockheed to develop a relatively small air superiority fighter with an emphasis on air combat capabilities. At the same time, the U.S. Air Force also wanted a fighter with excellent mobility and high speed, combining a lightweight airframe with a powerful engine, in view of the lessons learned from the MiG-15. This is how the XF-104, the prototype of the F-104, was born.
Japan also adopted, and finally operated as an unmanned target aircraft
XF-104 (Image: United States Air Force), the prototype of the F-104J "Starfighter".
The prototype XF-104 was unable to be equipped with the originally planned J79 turbojet engine, so it was equipped with the existing J65-B-3 engine and succeeded in its maiden flight, after which the J79 was installed. YF-104 has achieved Mach 2. In the United States Air Force, unit deployment began in February 1958 (Showa 33), but in 1959 (Showa 34) the following year, Japan also decided to adopt it, and in 1961 (Showa 36), such as licensed production at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. In the six years since the fiscal year, we have introduced 230 aircraft and deployed them nationwide from Hokkaido to Okinawa. The F-104J was the first aircraft equipped by the Air Self-Defense Force to possess supersonic flight performance. In addition, it was the first aircraft equipped with a 20mm Vulcan cannon, and along with the air-to-air missile "Sidewinder", it has long been the mainstay of Japanese air defense. In addition, the Air Self-Defense Force's F-104J will be completely retired in 1986 in the form of being replaced by the F-15J "Eagle" fighter. However, the good ones were converted into unmanned target aircraft, and in the end, 14 were reborn as remote-controlled full-scale target aircraft "UF-104J/JA". The first live fire against the UF-104J/JA was carried out in March 1995, and three aircraft were fired by F-4EJ "Phantom II" and F-15J "Eagle" dispatched from fighter units around the country. has been shot down. Several aircraft were shot down in the following year, and the last one was shot down in March 1997 (Heisei 9), ending the operation of the UF-104J/JA. The F-104 "Starfighter" has disappeared from the skies of Japan. However, if you look around the world, it has been in operation since then, and was in active service in the Italian Air Force until October 31, 2004.
Riding news editorial department