GRAZZA CFE 104 FACTORY

At the Grazzanise CFE area a lot of F-104s have been de-militarized after these aircraft had been struck of charge. Some of the aircraft have been transformed to be used for display purposes (monument, gateguards etc). Since lots of these preserved aircraft have no markings it is very difficult to identify them. For that reason it is important to know which aircraft was seen during which period at the Grazzanise CFE platfor. Beneath an overview of the aircraft seen at this location and their status. Photo beneath was taken by Harry Prins at Grazzanise Air Base on May 31st in 2004.

grazzanise

(Yellow) means that the aircraft is still there.
(Green) means that the aircraft is gone and we also know where it is now.
(Red) means that the aircraft is gone and we have no idea where it went.

< update 16 June 2010 >

ID
nose
tail
2804
2003
1407
2003

2107
2003

0309
2003
1111
2003
0412
2003
2303
2004
1005
2004
3105
2004
2710
2004
2204
2005
1707
2006
2210
2007
2504
2008
xx05
2008
2007
2008
0704
2009
0406
2010
FATE
6507/51-01
X
 
X
Tartu-Estonia
6511/4-44
 
X
 
6528/4-48
 
X
X
 
6542/4-53
X
X
X
F
F
F
 
fuselage burned?
6701/4-16
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
r
 
july 2006 gone
6704/9-52
X
X
 
Mantova
6705/4-5
X
X
X
H
X
 
Sulmona
6714/4-11
X
X
 
VignadiValle 9-51
6717/37-22
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Caserta
6719/5-35
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
StSophia
6720/9-51
X
X
X
X
 
 
 
6722/5-31
6939
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Lecce
6731/37-03
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
 
6732/37-04
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
X
X
 
6733/4-51
6776
6912
X
X
X
 
 
Caselle
6734/RS-06
 
 
S
 
6735/9-50
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
X
 
6737/9-43
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Vairano Scalo
6739/9-33
X
X
X
X
 
Poggio
6741/9-43
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
 
6749/9-41
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
ITIGG Rome?
6756/9-40
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Ceprano
6759/37-20
X
 
X
X
 
6760/4-50
X
X
X
 
 
6762/RS-06
S
 
X
 
6763/9-33
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
T
Foligno
6764/37-11
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
X
 
6767/9-37
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Rimini
6769/4-53
X
X
 
X
X
 
6770/9-35
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
 
6771/4-5
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Subaudia
6772/9-45
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Supino
6774/4-1
X
 
 
6776/9-46
X
X
X
 
Erbe-Verona
6784/37-27
X
 
 
6786/"3-28"
S
 
Milano
6787/9-38
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
X
Milano planned
6791/36-14
X
X
 
 
6794/37-20
X
 
X
X
 
6800/37-25
X
 
X
 
6816/4-6
X
X
X
 
 
6822/4-51
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
H
X
 
 
6824/4-3
X
 
Deci-FireBrg.
6825/4-10
6805
 
X
 
6828/4-55
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
 
6831/4-22
CFE area??
6838/4-58
X
X
X
X
X
 
Bevilaqua
6847/37-11
X
 
 
6848/4-52
X
 
X
cut in parts
6849/4-10
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
 
6850/4-16
X
X
 
X
X
X
 
6872/37-23
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Bovolone
6873/4-9
X
 
Grosseto
6875/4-14
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Piacenza
6879/4-15
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
 
6881/4-59
X
X
X
 
X
X
 
6890/4-50
S
 
Brasil
6912/4-21
X
 
Ferentino
6914/4-1
F
F
F
F
F
F
F
r
 
Thiene
6923/4-2
X
X
 
Grosseto Apt
6925/37-15
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
RomeVelletri
6926/4-12
X
X
 
 
6930/9-99
 
 
S
 
6932/4-20
X
 
 
6934/9-31
H
 
X
 
6935/9-32
X
H
 
LaLugo Apt
6936/9-41/9-10
H
X
 
X
recoded 9-10
6937/9-42
F
F
F
F
X
X
X
X
X
 
CancEdArnone
6939/4-52
6722
X
X
 
PianaD'Omme
6945/RS-06
CFE area??
54226/4-23
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
Firenze
54230/4-27
 
 
54232/4-29
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
 
54235/4-31
CFE area??
54237/4-32
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
 
54250/4-33
CFE area??
54251/RS-09
 
S?
S
 
54257/4-39
CFE area??
54258/4-40
X
X
 
 
54260/RS-08
 
S?
 
54261/4-42
X
X
X
 
 
54554/4-48
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
X
 
54555/4-45
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
X
D
 
54556/4-47
X
X
X
X
X
 
X
X
 

(X) means that it was seen that day on the CFE platform area. When inside the colored area the "X" is missing it means that it must have been there that day (but not seen) This could be because it was hidden behind the CFE buildings or parked inside the big hangar.
(D) means it was seen wfu on the 2nd dump area (old JP8 tanks area). In June 2010 about 5 to 6 unidentified Starfighters + MM54555.
(S) means it was seen wfu inside one of the shelters at Grazzanise AB (not CFE area).
(H) means it was seen inside the main hangar on the CFE area
(r) means it was restored for preserval at that moment
(T) means it was ready for transport to be preserved (that or the next day).
(F) means it was seen at the fire-practise area.

Aircraft MM6936 arrived at Grazzanise as "9-41" but lateron it was seen as "9-10". The reason for this change was the fact that this aircraft was selected to participate in the winter exhibition at Bari, end 2004. To represent the 9 Stormo and 10 Gruppo they changed the serial accordingly into "9-10". In May 2005 it was seen back at Grazzanise and today it still has code "9-10".

GRAZZANISE AREA FROM THE SKY

LIRM

To clarify the CFE area at Grazzanise please see the satellite photo above. There are 5 different locations of interest. The area marked with code A is the sealed CFE area surrounded by fences. Here the aircraft are carefully demilitarized according official NATO rules. The B shows the big hangar (former 9 Gruppo maintenance hangar) which is often used to prepare aircraft or to build them to become display aircraft). The area C is the electronic shop. Here specific electronic equipment is removed or deactivated. The areas D and E are the storage flightline areas. Formerly only D was used but currently almost all aircraft can be found today at location E.

CFE

Here a photo showing the sealed CFE area photographed over the fence. It was taken during the visit on May 31st, 2004.

WHERE DID THEY GO AND WHICH 104 IS WHICH 104

You will notice that still a lot of aircraft have left Grazzanise for an unknown destination. Beneath an overview of aircraft currently preserved but not yet identified. Our goal is to analyse all dates and reports and also to investigate the aircraft to find out their identity. Most of them, if not all, came from Grazzanise CFE area after intensive restoration. Every help from all of you is much appreciated.

Preserved location First noted
Gallerate "37-03" (F-104S) January 2003
Capodrise Piazetti Rotari "9-51" (F-104S) 1 July 2008
Palermo University (F-104S) has CFE plate of MM6719!! 5 October 2008
Piacenza University as MM6717 with CFE plate of MM6717 April 2010
Museo Storico 2° Deposito Centrale A.M. at Gallarate "4-4" (F-104G) 2008
Modena University (F-104S) has CFE plate of MM6848!! October 2008
Tolmezzo with CFE plate of MM6717 Septemer 2006
ITIGG Rome (F-104S) - MM6749???? November 2006
Dell’Istituto Scienze Militari Aeronautiche, Firenze - front fuselage only. 2008 (as red "9-99")

 

TIPS TO IDENTIFY PRESERVED STARFIGHTERS

To find out which F-104 was put on display on certain locations we ask everyone to study these aircraft carefully. Beneath a few tips to help you in identifying a preserved Starfighter. Every help is appreciated!!

 

COPPER CFE PLATE DATA:

copper plate

On the aircraft most of the times a copper plate is mounted to declare that the aircraft has been treated according CFE agreements. Here the plate is seen of MM6719 thanks to Paolo Maglio.

IFS: BE AWARE THAT THE PLATES DO NOT ALWAYS REPRESENT THE ACTUAL AIRCRAFT IDENTITY. SOMETHIMES PLATES ARE REMOVED FROM CFE TREATED (bad condition) AIRCRAFT AND MOUNTED ON NEW PRESERVED STARFIGHERS BEFORE DELIVERY.

 

GRUPPO CODES IN THE COCKPIT:

9stormo

37stormo

Inside the cockpit the squadron used the squadron code digits or MM serials which were applied beneath the radar-altimeter of the S-ASA and S-ASAM as well as the TF-104G-M aircraft.At Grazzanise the 10 Gruppo always applied the code by handwriting, the 18 Gruppo (37 Stormo) used stickers. Above two examples. On top the cockpit of F-104S/ASA-M with code ""46" which means that this aircraft had serial "9-46". The other photo shows the MM6925 as sticker applied beneath the radar altimeter. When an aircraft is preserved this code could tell more about the identity since it shows it latest operational code.

C/N PLATES INSIDE THE WHEELBAYS:

At last it is possible to check for constructionnumber plates. These can be found high up inside the front wheel bay as well as inside the main wheel bays. Also on the nose-wheel doors plates can be found however this could be linked to a wrong identification since nosewheel doors were switched frequently.

PLEASE HELP US WITH YOUR INFORMATION!!!
THANKS!!


 

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