Registered to Fuel Fresh, Inc.
Mark Sherman from Phoenix, Arizona owns and operates this CF-104D (C/N 104633).
The CF-104D is a two-seat training version built for the RCAF by Lockheed.
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is the aircraft featured in the AzAP logo, and this CF-104 (based at KIWA) was a big part of that decision (and the fact they played a part in Luke AFB's flight training history). There's not too many other places in the world that you can still see an F-104 in the air!
Here's another AzAP exclusive photo, you will not find this photo posted anywhere else!
Matt, another reason for the F-104 on the logo was that the 161st flew F-104As out of PHX for a while, and even deployed to Germany at the height of the Berlin Crisis.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3246/2993047899_5a20f48202.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/burneraviation/2993047899/)
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway open house 2008
For these shots, I was 30 ft. from the runway edge, at about the 4000 ft. marker. The Starfighter did 4-5 touch and go's, before landing. Being so close was a little bit of a disadvantage, trying to pan very quickly, as it zips by at 250-300 knots. But it was a heck of a rush, having it blast by so close, and oh, the howl it makes. What a blast. Could have been better in only one way. If I was in the cockpit, not on the side of the runway.
Wow Bill, awesome shots! I hope Mark can get the CF-104 back in the air soon!
That howl is awesome, it was very cool to be so close when he did his engine run a few months ago!
Thanks Matt,
The F-104 certainly does have an awesome sound. To me, the F-104 is the ultimate look for an Interceptor aircraft. Does anything look as fast as an F-104. If there's anything that looks more like what a Fighter/Interceptor should look like, I can't think of what it might be.
This one's a little dark, but in this case the subject is the burner flames.
This is a short clip I shot during an engine run on the F-104, almost exactly a year ago. Definitely worth a view/listen for those who have never heard the howl of a J79, and for those of you jonesing for a -104 fix.
N104 is sched. to be @ Reno Air Races for NAHI!
:o
Kelly Johnson designed these whiz-bang pitot tube covers specifically for the F-104.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3212/2997735803_3c8ff9f210_o.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/24526864@N03/2997735803/)
Two photos my father took of the F-104's that used to be stationed at the ANG Sky Harbor.
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5214/5385966861_965f9b2ea5_b.jpg)
(http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5214/5385968045_9c02682156_b.jpg)
Thanks for sharing Jeff. Top one is sharp for being so old. Love only slides, its a slide right?
Quote from: phantomphan1974 on January 25, 2011, 04:26:03 PM
Thanks for sharing Jeff. Top one is sharp for being so old. Love only slides, its a slide right?
Hey Damon - Glad you like the 104 photos. Sorry to disappoint; however, they are both scans from negatives. The USAF/ANG did not supply my dad with positive film - strictly negatives for his military assignments. The bottom one was simply in poor shape compared to the top one. I'll post others as I come across them in my father's collection. He loved the 104 and pointed his camera at them often.
I finally got access to my father's negative files. Right off the bat I found a few b&w negatives of some F-104's. As far as I can tell from his records, my dad shot these photos in 1958. These Starfighters stopped at the AZNG base at Sky Harbor on their trip from Lockheed to George AFB in Victorville, California. My father's squadron was scheduled to get F-104's very soon so he was excited to see these birds winging their way west. Since they were not outfitted with fuel tanks, they had very short legs and needed to stop often on the trip. Dad took these photos with his Linhof 4x5 Master Technika. These 104's were part of the 434th TFS Red Devils. I used to spend some serious quality time playing on that ramp - I did not know how good I had it. More to come as I sift through literally thousands of negs.
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7011/6463456309_bb702229aa_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6463456309/)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6463454297_f2575cffe1_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6463454297/)
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7029/6463453363_c6c4bb8ff5_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6463453363/)
Not a bad panning job for hand-holding a heavy 4x5 Linhof ;D
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6463455323_0da1b2160b_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6463455323/)
As an interesting aside boys & girls, three of these photos (2 through 4) were all taken looking north. Today you would have seen terminals 2, 3 and 4 in the background. Photo #1 was taken looking west towards 24th Street.
Very cool stuff Jeff. I love the -104.
Jeff, I'm with Bill on this one. The F-104 is an all time favorite. I grew up about four and a half miles almost in a straight line north of the airport. Although I was around (I turned three!) in 1958 I can't say I remember the Starfighters that were based there later. I do remember an air show at the Guard though. The guy who played Steve Canyon was there. It got real windy later that day and we left early because of the dust. It wasn't a storm though just wind.
Later the Guard C-97s and we saw those a lot on our after dinner drives to Sky Harbor. I have an 8mm film of me on my third birthday taken on the observation deck of terminal 1. Of course then it was the only terminal. As I recall there was a TWA Constellation and a Frontier DC-3 on the ramp.
These photos are a real treasure. Thanks for posting them.
Holy Smokes Scott - I was also three in 1958. In fact, I have a photo that dad took of me with Steve Canyon at that very air show (benefit of being the son of the guy in charge of photography for the squadron). I'm looking for that negative as we speak and hope to post something in the near future.
I was raised on Brown Road at what is now Harris in east Mesa. In 1958 we lived 2 miles east of Mesa's city limits in the County. I've heard my share of sonic booms as fighter jockeys departed Sky Harbor in haste - ah for the good 'ol days.
BTW, if we were both 3 in 1958, why don't you look as old and burnt-out as I do ??? ;D
Been waiting to see these since you first mentioned them a long while back. So glad you got these digitized and up on the forum. Such good stuff.
Your Dad gets the "awesome old man" award for sure! He was a hoot to meet at Coolidge and I can't wait to see more of his world through that Linhof.
Quote from: jslugman on December 06, 2011, 03:58:09 PM
Your Dad gets the "awesome old man" award for sure! He was a hoot to meet at Coolidge and I can't wait to see more of his world through that Linhof.
Quote from: Joe Copalman on December 06, 2011, 10:48:53 AM
Been waiting to see these since you first mentioned them a long while back. So glad you got these digitized and up on the forum. Such good stuff.
I thought you guys would get a kick out of these images. Once I get a less expensive scanning solution in place for the larger (4x5) negs, there will be much more to come ;) I like these 104 shots so much that I bit the bullet and paid TCR to drum scan them. Those 4 negs and a single color negative of an L-19 (will be posting that soon) cost $117.00 to scan :o
197th Fighter Squadron - The Copperheads - circa 1959
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7158/6476454943_4dc1fe0abf_b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffwelker/6476454943/)
Hubba-hubba.
...very nice!
Jeff, thanks a lot for posting these gems here. Kudos to your 'old man'.
Thanks everyone for the kind comments. There will be more to come of the 104's, F-86's, etc after the holidays. I've got literally hundreds of negs to scan - it will be fun.
Think about it - those 104's launching out of Sky Harbor to the east and going super sonic! Well, it used to happen from time to time and I can remember the booms at our house at Brown and Harris. What a hoot!
Looking forward to them, Jeff.
You said you've never heard an F-104. I have a short video of N104 doing an engine run on page 1 of this thread: http://azaerophoto.com/forum/index.php?topic=142.msg6833#msg6833
Quote from: Joe Copalman on December 12, 2011, 07:56:22 PM
Looking forward to them, Jeff.
You said you've never heard an F-104. I have a short video of N104 doing an engine run on page 1 of this thread: http://azaerophoto.com/forum/index.php?topic=142.msg6833#msg6833
Thanks so much Joe. I listened to that 6 times and it helped me remember the sound I was hearing as a little guy on the base. Dad always has said the 104 has one of the most unusual engine sounds of any jet in the USAF inventory. It has been 50 years since I've heard that sound - many thanks.
Jeff, These shots are amazing. What did you and your father do to keep the negatives in such pristine condition. February 1959 was my first into to Sky Harbor and there wasn't much there other than the Guard and a single terminal. I was 11 at the time. They still had rows of F-86s and F-100s at Luke and I don't remember seeing any F-104s there until later.