The Century Series Fighters and the Conquest of an Unfriendly Sky



Zippers, Widowmakers and Groundnails:

A U.S. Air Force Lockheed F-104A-10-LO Starfighter (s/n 56-0761) in flight. Note that the aircraft is equipped with an inflight refueling probe. ( Image by USAF - National Museum of the U.S. Air Force photo 060928-F-1234S-011 via Wikipedia)
A U.S. Air Force Lockheed F-104A-10-LO Starfighter (s/n 56-0761) in flight. Note that the aircraft is equipped with an inflight refueling probe. ( Image by USAF – National Museum of the U.S. Air Force photo 060928-F-1234S-011 via Wikipedia)



Having only recently been retired in 2004, the F-104 was perhaps one of the most successful of the Century Series aircraft. Lockheed’s infamous Skunk Works designed it, and it was the product of a visit to Korea undertaken by Clarence “Kelly” Johnson in 1951, where, upon interviewing several fighter pilots he began to realize that many of the pilots were interested in having a simple, efficient airplane. Johnson believed that he had the answer, and from the Skunk Works drawing boards issued the F-104 Starfighter.

Although it could not carry a payload sufficient to see it lumped in with the fighter-bombers, its abortive stint with Air Defense Command would seem to suggest it could not be grouped appropriately with the interceptors either. Air Defense Command bemoaned the lack of range, and felt that its armament was insufficient, leaving the airplane somewhat purposeless for a time. The A model F-104s were only in service for a year before being transferred to the National Guard. And the C models with TAC would meet a similar fate.


Though it was never really able to exploit a niche in the United States Armed Forces, its foreign service was extensive. In the United States, the airplane had been known as the “Zipper” because of its speed. In Germany, one of the most prolific foreign users, the airplanes became known as the “Witwenmacher” (widow-maker), or even as the “Erdnagel” (ground nail) because they required a talented and careful pilot to operate successfully. In Canadian service, the airplane was known as the “Lawndart”, for obvious reasons.

The Thud:

Republic F-105D-30-RE Thunderchief (SN 62-4234) in flight with a full bomb load of M117 750 lb bombs. (Image by USAF - U.S. Air Force Museum website via Wikipedia)
Republic F-105D-30-RE Thunderchief (SN 62-4234) in flight with a full bomb load of M117 750 lb bombs. (Image by USAF – U.S. Air Force Museum website via Wikipedia)

Having talked to many Vietnam veterans in my years collecting oral histories, I have been intrigued to learn that most anyone who had their boots muddied in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War has owed their life to an F-105 pilot at some point, as the aircraft came to make up the backbone of the tactical bomber compliment in that theater.

Though the F-105 was designed by Republic Aviation, it was an intended successor to the F-100, the erstwhile air supremacy fighter turned tactical nuclear bomber. The F-105 was certainly able to carry missiles, and it was equipped with a gun; however, its primary intended purpose was to carry a single nuclear weapon on low altitude penetration missions into a hostile nation. While the Thud, as the F-105 was called, would never called upon to drop a nuclear weapon, it did labor through many low-altitude penetration missions carrying conventional ordnance. The Thud itself could actually carry more ordnance than a B-24 Liberator, and because it was furnished with a gun, the airplanes would come to score 27 kills in Vietnam.

Some 833 planes were produced, with almost half of them being destroyed in their time in Vietnam. At one point the aircraft loss rates were so appalling, the aircraft were pulled away from frontline service. However, it became apparent that the loss rate was a function of the tasks being placed upon the Thuds, and not a reflection on the airplane’s capabilities. Thuds would fly over 20,000 sorties during their time in Vietnam.

To this day, the Thud has remained the largest single-engine, single-seat, fighter in history, and for a bomber, was even capable of Mach-2 at altitude.

Array
About Moreno Aguiari 3366 Articles
Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the U.S. in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His aviation passion began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter Crew Chief, and his father, a military traffic controller. Childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, to obtain his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. With 24 years in the U.S., he now flies full-time for a Part 91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, the D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.

1 Comment

  1. When talking to an ex 104 pilot at Kalamazoo air zoo, he remarked that he could fly the 104 at Mach three but only for a short time as the windscreen would start to melt!

4 Trackbacks / Pingbacks

  1. Finding the Way (Again): Building the Air Force’s New Century Series
  2. Air Force ‘Digital Century Series’ Is Stuck In The Wrong Century | taktik(z) GDI (Government Defense Infrastructure)
  3. Air Force ‘Digital Century Series’ Is Stuck In The Wrong Century « Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary
  4. Gain and Maintain Acquisitions Superiority: Why the USAF Needs to Deliver Faster, Fail Smarter, and Innovate Better – OTH

Graphic Design, Branding and Aviation Art

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*