WOW440 F104 Starfighter

Description

“Hellooo Dolly”
Pilot.  Lt. Colonel Robert Preciado
435^th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 479th Tactical Fighter Wing
Udorn Air Base, Thailand, 1966.
 
The F-104 Starfighter had a revolutionary design, with short razor-sharp wings and was the first aircraft to be able to maintain Mach 2 not just in short bursts but during routine flying if required.  Earning the plane the nickname “The Missile With A Man In It” it was used by over 15 countries and with over 2,500 built, the last F-104 Starfighter was decommissioned in Italy in 2004.
 
Designed in the 1950s in the aftermath of the Korean War, where fighters such as the F-86 were unable to claim or out manoeuvre the MIG-15.  Lockheed proposed a new fighter meeting the needs of high speed, supersonic level flight, great range and the ability to climb to meet the threat of attacking Russian bombers and fighters. With the capability to carry a multitude of armament, which the Starfighter could, from an internal cannon , through to air to air missiles and nuclear ordinance delivery. The new wing design meant they were so thin, only 0.016 thin [0.41mm], the leading edges had to covered with felt strips to stop personal being injured during construction and maintenance. The USAF first took delivery of 258 Starfighters in 1958, the Starfighter was retired by the US Air National Guard in 1975.
 
Starfighters in Vietnam: With the US facing an ever increasing threat from MIGs, the 479^th TFW dispatched the 435^th TFS Starfighters in April 1965 to Da Nang to provide top cover.  However this was with limited success, as the lack of range to be a long range escort fighter eluded the Starfighter, which the North Vietnamese soon realised and just waited for them to turn back before attacking, on a rare occasion they did engage, they had no success for 1 starfighter shot down. The deployment ended in December 1965.  Starfighters were redeployed in May 1966, from Udorn Air Base, Thailand. They did return to Vietnam between June 1966 and August 1967 and during this time F104’s  flew a further 2,269 combat sorties.
Starfighters also served with a multitude of air forces around the world including Germany, Pakistan, Spain and Taiwan.

Our new 1/30 scale F104C Starfighter represents one of the aircraft from that deployment, ‘Hellooo Dolly’ was named after the squadron commander Lt. Colonel Robert Preciado wife Dolly and the long ‘Hellooo’ is after the Broadway Musical. The deployment saw the Starfighters used in the ground attack role as well as fighter missions.  The aircraft took part in Operation Bollo, whist trying to tempt MIGs into air combat, the Starfighter squadron did not engage, but did suffered losses from AA fight and SAMs.   Replace in Vietnam by the F-4 Phantom, the remaining Starfighters were sent to the ANG.

Colonel Robert Preciado died peacefully at the age of 92 at his home on Friday, Sept. 28, 2018 in San Bernardino, CA. A veteran whose military service totalled 29 years and covered 3 wars.

We have 3 x 1/30 scale Starfighters available priced at $850 plus postage.
The TG accessories and KC figures are shown for scale comparison purposes only and are not included.