She was called the widow maker in part to it's original ejection seat. At the time it was designed, Lockheed had low confidence in the ejection seat of the time being able to have the pilot clear the vertical stabilizer while at high speed. So, they opted for a downward firing seat. But she had poor low speed handling characteristics and any loss of control or engine problems at low altitude, such as landing approaches, meant the pilot had two options: stay with the plane and hope for the best or eject into the ground. The German air force had a very high attrition rate, mainly because they operated the high speed high altitude optimized interceptor plane as a low altitude fighter bomber. The wing loading was already very high for a fighter and all the additional ordinance stores on the wings made the plane harder to maneuver, resulting in many controlled flight into terrain accidents. The roundel on this F-104 means it was in service for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. They lost a total of 43 airframes from a total of 138. .
Yes, because the Luftwaffe were flying this Mach 2 capable Interceptor as a Fighter-Bomber and like it still was WW2. It was a training, doctrine, and German arrogance issue. The Lockheed Bribing scandal didn't help either.
My great uncle flew CAP driving 86’s in Korea, was a test pilot on the 100 series programs.
She was called the widow maker in part to it's original ejection seat. At the time it was designed, Lockheed had low confidence in the ejection seat of the time being able to have the pilot clear the vertical stabilizer while at high speed. So, they opted for a downward firing seat. But she had poor low speed handling characteristics and any loss of control or engine problems at low altitude, such as landing approaches, meant the pilot had two options: stay with the plane and hope for the best or eject into the ground. The German air force had a very high attrition rate, mainly because they operated the high speed high altitude optimized interceptor plane as a low altitude fighter bomber. The wing loading was already very high for a fighter and all the additional ordinance stores on the wings made the plane harder to maneuver, resulting in many controlled flight into terrain accidents.
The roundel on this F-104 means it was in service for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. They lost a total of 43 airframes from a total of 138.
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You are incorrect in many ways.
@@spitfirenutspitfirenut4835 No kidding.
In the Netherlands (RNAF), the pilots and crews KNEW this airplane. Very few accidents.
Great video!
please !!! more videos !!!!
But I think the German Air Force lost a few pilots in that airplane.
116
Yes, because the Luftwaffe were flying this Mach 2 capable Interceptor as a Fighter-Bomber and like it still was WW2. It was a training, doctrine, and German arrogance issue.
The Lockheed Bribing scandal didn't help either.
116 Pilots, with a third of all German starfighters crashing.
@@matsbernhardt3685 A 30% attrition rate with around 1/3 of the mishap pilots KWF is about the same as any of it's contemporaries.
Mooi Herman
As with pilots, planes don't pick their nickname.
It doesn't matter if its true, if it sticks, it sticks.
No reason to get upset about it.