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Type: Fighter aircrafts
- Period: Modern
- Country: United States
- SKILL: 5
- Model Dim.: 52,0 cm
- Box Dim.: 560 x 280 x 115 mm
ITALIAN AIR FORCE ORPHEUS RECON POD - BULGED COVER FOR RECON PHOTO SYSTEM - 2 ALE 40 CHAFFS DISPENSERS - FINELY ENGRAVED RECESSED PANEL LINES AND RIVETS - FULLY DETAILED ENGINE , COCKPIT , AND AVIONICS BAY - FULLY DETAILED GUN BAY WITH COMPLETE M-61 VULCAN ASSEMBLY - OPEN OR CLOSED AIR BRAKES - PHOTOETCHED FRET - 325 PARTS - 2 HUGE DECALS SHEETS FOR 8 VERSIONS - INSTRUCTIONS SHEET WITH COLOR PROFILES
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is one of the most famous fighters in the history of aviation and also one with the longest operational life; its history began at the end of the 1950s and ended, for some air forces, in the mid-2000s. Its unique airframe, with its slender fuselage and very little wing surface, made this aircraft ideal as an interceptor. Thanks to the thrust of its General Electric J79-GE-11A afterburning turbojet engine, it could exceed Mach 2.2 with an excellent rate of climb. But it was not very maneuverable and difficult to pilot. The F-104G Starfighter was produced on license by several European aviation industries. From the mid-60s on, it became the standard interceptor for many NATO countries, including Italy, Germany, Holland, Greece, and Turkey. The armament was basically the same found on previous versions, with a 20mm Vulcan cannon and the option to fit under the wings air-to-air missiles, bombs, or additional fuel tanks to increase the airplane's range. With time, reconnaissance duties were added to the traditional interceptor service. The F-104G was therefore equipped with a dedicated “Orpheus” reconnaissance external pod that gave excellent operational results.