The Starfighter Serials

d/d 1962 (apr63-aug65) delivered to the Royal Dutch Air Force on 23aug65

Note: The 5702 was manufactured in 1962 and planned to be delivered to the German Air Force as KE+202. However Lockheed decided to keep the aircraft for promotion pusposes for foreign sales of the F-104G "Super" Starfighter version. One of the projects run was promotion activities like the record flight by Jacqueline Cochran in 1963. On May 1st, 1963 she won back the women's world speed record over a 100km closed course, once held by France (by Jacqueline Auriol). She took off from Edwards Air Force Base and recorded an FAT-observed speed of 1,203.94 mp/h. Two weeks earlier, on April 12th, she already had beaten her own held record over the 15/25km straight course with a speed of 1,273.10 mp/h (= 2,048.875 km/h). See photo beneath showing Jacky in the front cockpit of this famous two-seater.

The 5702 was also used for some specific testflights. For example on November 27th, 1963 the aircraft took off from Edwards AFB. This mission was planned by Lockheed's head of supersonic programs Bill MacGruder and the purpose was to determine how much altitude gain could be achieved at 250 knots (commercial airlines-restriction speedlimit by that time). The test pilot was Glenn H. Brink, who was director of flight engineering and chief test-pilot at American Airlines. He was serving as an airline representive on the advisory group to then-FAA Halaby (the govt's role in the development of a commercial supersonic transport plane). He flew holding at 250 knots while the plane climbed from 36-45,000 feet. There was a copilot from Lockheed also in the aircraft who could take over, if necessary. Pilot name is not known but he should have had a name sounding like "Mingrone"..

One of the first photos taken of the just manufactured TF-104G 5702. It carries temporary civil registration N90500 which was soon replaced by N104L just before the testflying started.

A photo taken in 1962 during one of its first flight (maybe even its first flght...) with its new adopted civil registration N104L on its tail. (Photo Lockheed - Martin)

Toni Le Vier and his daughter Toni flew the N104L from Palmdale Apt (FL) to Washington DC for a USAF demonstration event. With the daughter in the front seat they flew once MACH making her the fasted schoolgirl in the history. They departed Palmdale Apt on May 29th, made a fuelstop at Albuquerque, New Mexico, then Tinker AFB (bad weather), then Wright Patterson AB (Dayton, Ohio) and then at last on May 31st they landed at Andrews AFB (Washington DC) when this photos was taken.(Lockheed - Martin, thanks to Gerrit Boxem)

This photo was taken at Andrews Air Force Base in September 1963. (Photo: Steve Miller)

Royal Dutch Air Force (Koninklijke Luchtmacht)
D-5702

d/d 23aug65, CAV (aug65-aug80), TCA (aug65-nov78), 322-323 squadron pool
(feb79-aug80) to Turkey 25aug80

Note: It arrived in Holland in August 1965 and was assembled with Fokker Avio Diepen and flown over to Volkel Air Base, in light grey color scheme, on August the 23rd. (J79 engine was 411-541). On October25th, 1965 the aircraft was transferred to the TDM at Twenthe Air Base were it flew until it was transferred to TCA at Leeuwarden Air Base on October 7th, 1968. By that time it had engine nr 414-246. On July 6th, 1971 it went to Fokker Avio Diepen (Ypenburg Air Base) for an anti-corrosion treatment and receiving a new camouflage paint). It arrived back on September 2nd, 1971 at Leeuwarden with engine 414-230. On March 2nd, 1976 this aircraft reached 2000 hours as the first Dutch Starfigther!!! It was flown by Maj Klaas van Diemen with Capt J Troost in the backseat.
The aircraft was seen a lot of time outside Holland. Examples are its participation during a squadron rotation in Grazzanise in 1976, a visit to Lossiemouth in August 1977 and participation during a squadron exchange with Belgium Mirages at Florennes in September 1979.
On 25 August 1980 it was delivered to the Turkish Air Force (with J79-engine 414-268)

Accident Reports:

18 February 1974 (TF-104G)

This day the TF-104G (TCA squadron) flew a training mission with a student pilot and instructor. The mission was planned as a target mission for some ACT exercises by some other Starfighters from Leeuwarden Air Base. At TRA location 5320N 0530e while performing a slow dive with 3G turn, the student pilot a big bang. He found out that the front canopy had been ejected, D-ring was out of its link and was hanging slightly forward.
The instructor took over the control of the aircraft and descended slowly to VFR conditions with a panic call. On low speed it approached Leeuwarden Air Base and could land safely. Inspection found out that the canopy construction and surrounding fuselage had suffered severely by the canopy ejection. After a precise inspection at Leeuwarden Air Base it was decided that the aircraft had sustained to much damage and that structural repair was needed to get it flyworthy again. The flying-license of the aircraft was officially suspended and it was transported to Avio Diepen for full repair where it arrived July 26th. It was repaired again in 1975 and returned to flying condition and toLeeuwarden Air Base on March 18th, 1975.

20 November 1979 (TF-104G)

Operated by 322/323 squadron pool it made an emergency landing at Leeuwarden Air Base after it encountered a lost chute in flight. (mission "M2902"). Gladly the aircraft could soon fly again after a short investigation

The D-5702 while taxying at Twenthe Air Base in 1967 with the traditional TDM (The Dutch Masters) instruction squadron badge on the tail. Once delivered in light grey color scheme in August 1965 it was camouflaged rather soon. (Photo Gerrit Smit)

Here the D-5702 is seen with the Leeuwarden Air Base training squadron badge of TCA (Training Command Ail-weather) showing the famous Dutch "Mister Owl". This photo was taken at Ramstein Air Base which it visited in 1975. (Peter Doll)

D-5702

The D-5702 was flying many sorties from Leeuwarden Air Base and was photographed many times. Here a few photos showing the aircraft in the seventies with TCA markings. Note the photo on top showing the aircraft with light grey canopy frames, which was the result of a big canopy glue program, replacing all the traditional glued canopies after two Starfighters encountered blown canopies glasses in flight due to bad glue compounds.. This photo shows also the old TCA badge without the red triangle surrounding the badge. The other two photos show the badge with this triangle. (Photos: Harry Prins Collection)

The D-5702 was first noted with the 322/323 squadron badges in February 1979 and so it flew one and a half year with these badges before it was delivered to Turkey. Here it is seen taxying from the Air Base North side (322 squadron area) to the centreline of the runway. (Photo Harry Prins)

Turkish Air Force (Turk Hava Kuvvetleri)
62-5702

d/d 25aug80, 4AJU (aug80-1981), 9AJU (1987-1989) wfu 1989 and scrapped

Note: Delivery started on Ausust 25th, 1980 when it departed with other Starfighters from Leeuwarden Air Base to Grosseto Air Base in Italy for a fuelstop. Then it continued flying to Gioia del Colle Air Base, Italy for a nightstop. The next day it flew from Gioia to its new homebase Murted after 1 more fuelstop at Balikesir in Turkey. Soon after arrival its serial D-5702 was removed and replaced by its new operational code "4-702".
It flew with 4 AJU with code "4-702" at least till 1981. In 1987 it was seen serving 9 AJU at Balikesir with code "9-702". With that Wing it flew till 1989. In August 1989 it was seen withdrawn from use at Eskisehir Air Base (storage area). It is very likely that it was scrapped around mid 90s since it was last noted in October 1993 (storage/wfu). A dreadful end after a famous start of its career!!

Accident Reports:

There are no accidents known with this aircraft while serving the Turkish Air Force.

Sadly no photos are known of the TF-104G 5702 carrying Turkish serial. Here a photo taken at Leeuwarden Air Base on August 25th, 1980, just before the aircraft took off heading Turkey. It already carries the Turkish markings but also the Dutch serial D-5702 was still applied. (Photo: Eric Tammer) .

See also the special page (somewhere in the middle) we have about this aircraft in the CIVIL section.