F-104 Starfighters and their Recce Meets participations


On this page an overview of all the events in which Starfighters played their own recce roles. The Big Click and evoluting exercise Best Focus were basically focussing on the Naval role in Northern Europe. The Royal Flush exercises was combined with the Tactical Weapons Meet in 1978 (Wildenrath) into the Tactical Air Meets. The RoyalFlush meetings started in 1956, of course without any 104s..

 

Royal Flush 5 - Bremgarten AB - May 1960

No Starfighter participated with this exercise but there was at least one F-104C Starfighter as visitor, coming from Moron AB, Spain. It was F-104C 56-909 of 476th TFS (TAC 479TFW) and it was seen on May 5th. Next month this Starfighter would be lost in a tragic accident.

Royal Flush 6 - Beauvechain AB - 14 till 21 May 1961

Not known if any RF-104Gs were participating but it is very unlikely.

Royal Flush 7 - Ramstein AB - 14 till 18 May 1962

Not known if any RF-104Gs were participating but it is very unlikely.

Royal Flush 8 - Wildenrath AB - May 1963

Not known if any RF-104Gs were participating but it is very unlikely.

Royal Flush 9 - NATO bases - 12 till 14 May 1964

First time that squadrons had to run the exercise operating from their own air base. No participating 104s known.

RoyalFlush 10 - NATO bases - 18 till 20 May 1965

This recce-meet was held from various different Air Bases. At least the Dutch Air Force 306sq was flying around with RF-104G Starfighters during this meet


RoyalFlush 11 - NATO bases - 10 till 12 May 1966

This recce-meet was held from various different Air Bases. At least the Dutch Air Force 306sq was flying around with RF-104G Starfighters during this meet. The Canadians flew with CF-104s from Marville AB.


RoyalFlush 12 - NATO bases - in 1967

This recce-meet was held from various different Air Bases. At least the Dutch Air Force 306sq was flying around with RF-104G Starfighters during this meet


RoyalFlush 13 - Lahr AB and Manching AB - 22 till 24 May 1968

At least the Dutch Air Force 306sq and German Air Force AG51 were flying around with RF-104G Starfighters as well as the Canadians at Lahr with Vicon mounted CF-104s. Aircraft included:
AKG51: EA+117

RoyalFlush 14 - NATO bases ending at Bruggen - in 1969

The only thing known is that the German Air Force did not participate.


RoyalFlush 15 - Deelen AB - 6 till 15 May 1970

At least the Dutch Air Force 306sq was flying around with RF-104G Starfighters during this meet as well as the Canadian Armed Forces 439sq which used CF-104's with Vicon equipment. Also the German Air Force AG51 was participating...for the last time... Aircraft seen during this meet include:
306sq: D-8101, D-8107, D-8127
AKG51: 24+18, 24+22
1CAG: 104758

RoyalFlush 16 - Ramstein AFB - 2 till 11 June 1971

The Dutch Air Force 306sq participated with RF-104G Starfighters, the Canadian Armed Forces 1st AD with Vicon mounted CF-104's. Jury was JBG34 from the German Air Force.
Aircraft seen during this meet include:
306sq: D-8057, D-8112 and D-8143.
1CAG: 104760, 104770, 104776, 104813, 104865, 104899 and CF-104D 104668
JBG34: 22+62 and 28+27 (jury-monitoring). This two-seater was on loan from another squadron. Other TF-104Gs on loan were 27+35 (AG52) and 28+20 (JBG36)
Note: On the 4th of June the CF-104 104786 visited Ramstein and was not part of the RoyalFlush team.
D-8057
D-8057 taxying during the Royal Flush 1971 (Photo was taken by Henk Jan Schakelaar)

RoyalFlush 17 - Florennes AB 12 till late June 1973

The Dutch Air Force 306sq participated with five RF-104G Starfighters which arrived on June 12th..
Aircraft seen during the exercise include: RF-104Gs D-8127 and D-8145.
See also: http://www.peter-krusche.net/royal-flush/


RoyalFlush 18 - Deelen AB - in 1974

The Dutch Air Force 306sq and German Air Force AKG51 participated with RF-104G Starfighters.
Aircraft seen during this meet include:
306sq: D-8127, D-8047 (not even an RF-104G!!) and D-8057.

RoyalFlush 19 - Bremgarten AB - from 7 till mid June 1975

It was the first recce-meet with held also night missions during the competition which was won by the American (10TRS). The Dutch Air Force 306sq participated with five RF-104G Starfighters and these aircraft arrived already on May 25th. It was also the last time this exercise was held. From 1976 onwards the RoyalFlush and more naval oriented BigClick exercises were combined into "Best Focus". Aircraft seen during this meet include:
306sq: D-8065, D-8127, D-8129 and two others.
JBG34: 28+13 (jury)

BigClick - own airbases - in Summer 1967

The German Navy MFG2 as well as the German Air Force AKG52 participated with RF-104G Starfighters.

BigClick - own airbases - in October 1968

The German Navy MFG2 participated with RF-104G Starfighters.

BigClick - own airbases - in August 1969

The German Navy MFG2 participated with RF-104G Starfighters.

BigClick - Aalborg AB - 29 August till 5 September 1970

The German Navy MFG2 participated with RF-104G Starfighters.

BigClick - Sola AB - 18 till 28 August 1972

The German Navy MFG2 participated with RF-104G Starfighters.
Aircraft seen during this meet include:
MFG2: 21+07, 21+14, 21+17, 21+24

BigClick - Leck AB - 26 August till 9 September 1974

The German Navy MFG2 participated with five RF-104G Starfighters. Also Danish Air Force 723Eskader brought a CF-104D, probably used as jury. Aircraft seen during this meet include:
MFG2 RF-104G : 21+17, 21+19, 21+21, 21+26 and 21+32
723Esk : RT655
Also MFG1 TF-104G 27+93 was seen at Leck AB in Sept 1974 and this could be as jury aircraft but also a normal visit.


BestFocus 1 - Karup AB - 4 till 13 October 1976

The German Navy MFG2 participated with RF-104G Starfighters. Only Germany, Norway, Denmark and the RAF were acting during this exercise.

BestFocus 2 - Rygge AB - 25 May till 3 June 1978

The German Navy MFG2 participated with RF-104G Starfighters.


BestFocus 3 - Eggebeck AB - 30 May till 7 June 1980

The German Navy MFG2 participated as only squadron with RF-104G Starfighters. Air Forces which flew missions under Best Focus came from Germany, Denmark, Norway, Canada, the US and also the UK.
Aircraft seen during this meet include:
MFG2: 21+09, 21+18, 21+26, 23+09, 23+16, 23+17, 23+22
Best Focus 1980
The 1980 Best Focus 1980 bagde (MFG)

 

 

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