In 2006, while analysing mainland China with Google-Earth suddenly we saw something incredible on the Military AIr Base DingXin-Shuangchengzi which is known as a military Test facility in China.
On a small spot in one of the corners of this airbase, next to the runway, a silhouet can be seen of an F-104 Starfighter,
likely in silver grey. There is nothing known about any Starfighter in China and so the identity and the background of this
Starfighter is a big mystery to all of us. (see photo beneath - thanks to Google Earth)
See coordinates 40 24 56 55N 99 47 27 03E with Google Earth and look for yourself!!

UPDATE: Currently new images have been available on Google Earth and on these the shadows are on a different angle which shows the 104 silhouette a bit like a YAK38....but that kind of aircraft was never sold to China...so mystery continues.

Currently a lot of Starfighters can be found preserved in the USA and all of them have been identified, except two very strange F-104A aircraft. These two are:

" GrassValley Apt "56-751" :
This aircraft was first seen in total white appearance in October 1993. It was told being 56-756 and also carrying serial 56-756. Others stated in 1996 that the aircraft had parts from F-104Gs 8031 and 8249 probably obtained from the parts-storage of Luke AFB after the 104 operations ended. Currently the aircraft is wearing serial 56-751. More and more we are believing that this is indeed may be the 56-756 which had an accident as NF-104A on 15 June 1971 when the total rudder section and rocket engine blew off in flight. It landed safely but was grounded. The wings were given to the NASA since also the NF-104A program stopped, and aircraft ended on the boneyard at McClellan AB arriving there end 1971. Then the story that the aircraft has wings of F-104G 8031 and 8249 makes sense as well. The tail however must have been obtained from another F-104A or C. The real 56-751 was lost in an accident where the pilot ejected at 5000 feet and aircraft was totally destroyed. So that serial cannot be true at all. (Photo was taken by Mark Wassenaar back in 2006)

" Travis AFB "56-752" :
Early 1993 at Travis AFB this F-104A was seen for the first time being restored and in July 1993 it was seen for the first time within the AIr Museum collection. This aircraft must have come from the line of Starfighters seen at Mojave Apt in the 1980s. (Photo was taken by Mark Wassenaar in 2006).

If someone visits these aircraft please check any location inside the airframe regarding identification or construction number plates!!!

The biggest F-104 Starfighter mystery is without any doubt the mystery around the identity of Taiwanese F-104J nr "4520".

It crashed during its delivery flight to CCK on 14 May 1987, after being assembled at Pingtung. Pilot Lo Ji Hsun ejected safely. The aircraft came down inPu Yen Village, Zhang Hua County. The cause of this accident was a flame-out. The aircraft had just been obtained from Japan and meant for nr 7 TFS at CCK AFB.

Since the aircraft was lost after re-assembly and subsequent delivery to the Taiwanese Air Force nobody saw the identity of this aircraft except that it was nr "4520". Analysing the various lists, photos and reports there are only 2 main candidates left as most likely identity for this mystery F-104J and these are aircraft 36-8525 and 36-8555.
Hopefully one day we will find out.

___________

Photos: Both candidates together when they still flew in Japan. 36-8525 in September 1975 flying with 204squadron and 36-8555 in August 1979 flying with 205squadron while taxying at Komatsu AB.

Within a collection of Starfighter color slides Hans Koning detected a very interesting shot of an instructional airframe taken somewhere in Turkey on a unknown date. Beneath a scan of this slide showing the aircraft which cannot be identified by any serial or other markings. Who knows which 104 this is and where it was taken? HELP!!!

click on the image for a bigger photo !!!

Currently a bare-metal F-104 Starfighter can be found near a factory at Niederalteich, Southern Germany. It is part of the large "Gerhard Neumann Museum" collection and waiting to be prepared for display.
About this particular aircraft very little is known. It was first noted ealry 70s when it was in use for Air Fatique Testing with the IABG (Industrie Anlagen Betriebs Gesellschaft = institute for air-combat-simulation) at Ottobrunn, Germany.
In 1975 it was used for testing the CCV adjustments and structural analysis before the CCV project (MBB) converted the 23+91 aircraft for flight testing. After these analysis activities this airframe was shipped to MTU at Munchen for display purposes. This was around 1979. At MTU it was noticed preserved for the first time in 1980.
It stayed at Munchen for a lot of years and in 2007 it was taken of the pole on 7 April 2006 to be replaced by a more modern fighter aircraft. The F-104 aircraft was donated to the Gerhard Neumann museum where it arrived in storage later in April 2006.

Some people believe that it is a composite of surplus Messerschmitt parts.. others believe it is c/n 2052 but that aircraft has been lost in an accident and was totally destroyed. Until now we do not have any serious idea which aircraft this really is.

Mr Rolf Neunaber (Ressort Manager Aerospace Structure) of the IABG at Ottobrun stated: "The silver Starfighter was one of the test cells that never flew but only hase been used for crack and load testing at the IABG in Ottobrunn. For that reason this Starfighter never had a GAF painting or something like this or even a GAF number. Provided that the aircraft in question is the IABG fatigue test cell the a/c number should be S/N 7210. The aircraft components are taken from the serial production line. However, the a/c wings are changed several times and I assume they are different to the original standard. More details may be available at EADS (former MBB)".

Beneath some photos / close ups of the aircraft (click to enlarge)

	Here a photo of the MTU aircraft preserved at the MTU on 12 July 1997. (Photo Michael Riedesser)
	Here it is seen just after dismantling and ready for transport to Niederalteich on 7 April 2006 (Photo Josef Voggenreiter)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. The aircraft looks like a complete F-104G. (Photo Harry Prins)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. Note the F-104F type landinggear and missing infra-red scope on canopy. (Photo Harry Prins)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. Close up of the gun mouth. (Photo Harry Prins)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. The aircraft is lacking the anti-ice facilities on the inlets. (Photo Harry Prins)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. Close up of strange modification in the wing root area on the fuselage. (Photo Harry Prins)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. Photo taken inside via an airflow valve. (Photo Harry Prins)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. Closeup of one of the c/n plates on the main innerstructure. (Photo Harry Prins)
	Seen on storage at Niederalteich on 7 June 2008. Closeup of this c/n plate from a different angle. (Photo Harry Prins)

Anyone who can help us to solve this mystery and explain the identity or roots of this airframe, please contact us as soon as possible!!!!!!

During analysis of airframes manufactured by Canadair we ran against some very interesting problems. Some aircraft have construction number plates on different areas belonging to another aircraft. It could have been switched during manufacturing or during IRAN maintenance activities. Whatever the reason is, the fact is that this is against all rules of carefull aerospace operations.

So we need some help identifying Canadair built Starfighters!!
If you are planning to visit a museum or may have this sort of starfighter in the area you live ,could you please help us to check some dataplates on the for us ? Anyone who can help us to solve this mystery and explain the identity or roots of this airframe, please contact us as soon as possible!!!!!!

Actual Starfighters to be checked are :
CF-104   constr.nr 1001-1200 , serial 104700 to 104900
CF-104D constr.nr  5301-5338 , serial 104631 to 104668
F-104G constr.nr 6001-6140 ,serials 62-12302 to 12349 and 63-12697 to 12734 and 64-17752 to 17795
How to check out the dataplates? Just send a mail to Tom Svendsen (tomsvendsen@hotmail.com) and he will tell you step by step how to do this. It is very easy in fact.

So far , we have three cases in Norway thats a mystery.

CF-104 , 104717 should have 683A-1017 on the main dataplate (which sits in cockpit) but it has the text 683A-1118 on the main dataplate. This is the identity to CF-104 , 104818 !!
Two other dataplates sitting on the airframe in other places says that this aircraft is 104717 despite the main dataplate.

CF-104 , 104818 should have 683A-1118 on the main dataplate (which sits in cockpit) but it was noted with the text 683A-1017 on the main dataplate in 1978 circa. This is the identity to CF-104 , 104717 !!
The other dataplates on the airframe is gone and its hard to tell the true identity but it looks that it is 104818 after all.

CF-104 , 104836 should have 683A-1136 on the main dataplate (which sits in cockpit) but it has the text 683A-12836 on the main dataplate. This is the RCAF serial 12836. The other dataplates on the airframe is ok and tells that this aircraft is 104836. Why did the Canadair factory mark the dataplate with five digit RCAF serianumber and not the four digit construction?

Aircraft 717 showing c/n plate of 818 (Photo Hans van der Vlist) 104836 at Bardufoss_with a typical RCAF number plate (Photo Tor Helge Yttervik)

We also saw a number of different construction number plates on the radome mountplates which belonged to other aircraft. A few examples beneath:

104750 had c/n plate of 1051 (belonging to 104751), seen at the museum in Ota, Portugal by Andy Marden	Taiwanese 4420 was aircraft c/n 6051 but it had the plate of c/n 6050 mounted on its radomeplate. (Photo: Clarence Fu)