German Navy F-104G (CS) coming up!

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Dear folks,

now that this legendary aircraft has caught my attention, it was just a question of time to get this girl painted.
By coincidence, CaptainSim reduced the price for his 104 package to a more than moderate 9,99 EUR:
http://www.captainsim.com/store/pp/index.html

So here's the CS Starfighter in German Navy colours:

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_1.jpg

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_2.jpg

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_3.jpg

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_4.jpg

Final tweaking in progress...

Cheers,
Markus.

[Matt Wynn]

Nice work Markus! another Witwenmacher ! can never have too many in the hangar.... :jump:

[Flyboy208]

Looks great My Friend, great weathering on the fuselage, love the faded Dayglo orange too ! Mike :applause:

[Jagdflieger]

Here's the F-104 of the Wilhelmshafen museum. A very nice museum if you are ever in North Germany.

The livery on this one looks to be from the same unit as your screen shot Wild Bill.

Did the German pilots have a nickname (Spitzname) for the Starfighter ... Sternkaempfer perhaps?

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Thanks, guys! :salute:


The livery on this one looks to be from the same unit as your screen shot Wild Bill.
Yep - it's Marinefliegergeschwader (MFG) / Naval Wing 1:

"The history of Marinefliegergeschwader 1 dates back until 1957. About nine months after the establishment of a naval air service, commissioning of the then 1. Marinefliegergruppe was ordered on 12.03.1957. The group was supposed to move to the former Air Force airfield Jagel, but as this was still occupied by RAF Units by that time, 1. Mflgrp. was - like every other naval air unit - established at Kiel-Holtenau.
Pilots for the new unit were trained by the US Navy since 1956, with operational conversion taking place at White Waltham/GB and Lossiemouth/GB between february and july 1958.
First squadron was officially put into service by Kpt.z.S. Gaul on 19th may 1958. The squadron was equipped with the Armstrong Withworth Sea Hawk naval fighter bomber. Their assigned task was to secure the gateway between North- and Baltic Sea, as well as to protect naval shipping in both areas.

One day later, 2. squadron, equipped with propeller driven Fairey Gannet sub hunter was put into service. After completion of rebuildments at Jagel, 1. squadron moved from it's training grounds in Great Britain to Jagel from 20th june 1958 onwards. 2. squadron followed a week later.
According to "Umgliederungsbefehl Nr.1 - Marine -" from 13th july 1959 the 1. naval air group was promoted to Geschwader (airwing) status.
Another major change happened in december the same year, when 1. Aufklaerungsstaffel (recce-squadron) of MFG 2 was transferred to MFG 1. The squadron utilized Sea Hawk Mk.101 recce/fighter bombers. A mere two years later 2. squadron - the Gannet subhunters - was put under control of MFG 2.

1st october 1963 meant the beginning of the supersonic era for MFG 1, as the wing began transitioning to the new german standard weapons system Lockheed F-104G Starfighter. The Starfighter was never the aircraft the Navy had wanted, but political pressure was too big. Navy's choice would have been a low-level, two-seated fighter bomber like the Blackburn Buccaneer.
Transition to the new type took almost two years, with the last Sea Hawk leaving Jagel on 30th june 1965.
The Starfighters career was the longest of any aircraft in MFG 1's history. Replacement arrived with the Panavia Tornado in 1982, when MFG 1 was selected as the first Bundeswehr unit to receive the new hi-tech aircraft - this probably best underlines the importentness of MFG 1's role within NATO. The basic layout of the Tornado was what naval aviators allways wanted, a fast, low-level, multirole, fighter bomber with a long range."
http://www.marineflieger.de/airwings/mfg1_a.htm

Isn't it funny that requirement of a two-seated low level fighter-bomber led to acquisition of a highspeed single-seated interceptor? Politics...



Did the German pilots have a nickname (Spitzname) for the Starfighter ... Sternkaempfer perhaps?

From what I've read, the most popular nickname was "widowmaker", but I'd prefer "ground nail". :icon_lol:

The museum's gate guardian looks a little too faded, I took this one as template:

http://www.airfighters.com/photo/50860/L/Germany-Navy/Lockheed-F-104G-Starfighter/22-15


This is going to become a Navy double feature with this one here (of MFG 2) being #2:

http://www.airfighters.com/photo/65952/L/Germany-Navy/Lockheed-F-104G-Starfighter/26-65

Note the specific unit's crest of MFG 2 and the differently painted nose cone!

Once these shipmates are rolled out, more GAF versions will follow.

Cheers,
Markus.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Did some more fine tuning:

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_5.jpg

Note the pilot's flightsuit is orange yellow now - just like it should for 1970s German Airforce and Navy jetjockeys.
Take a look at this pic for comparison:
http://www.airfighters.com/photo/22760/L/Germany-Navy/Lockheed-F-104G-Starfighter/26-82/
(Oooops: I have to flip the armamant blackboard and add a "Chaffs/Flares" line! Furthermore, the canopy lever and its lettering could use some retouch...)

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_6.jpg

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_7.jpg

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_8.jpg

I think this de-shined model (choosable via TCE module) fits better. "Speed dirt stripes" a little tuned down and more shallow now.
Now for the MFG 2 bird...

Cheers,
Markus.

[Jagdflieger]

Thanks for the history of the unit Wild Bill.

I'll have to get the G Model as a stable mate to the Virtavia Phantom in Luftwaffe livery.

How are these "off the cuff" translations of the nicknames?

Widow Maker = Witwemacher?

Ground Nail = Grundnagel?

Do you know what unit flies out of Jever near Wilhelmshafen? They were quite active in their Phantoms during a visit to North Germany in 04.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

How are these "off the cuff" translations of the nicknames?
Widow Maker = Witwemacher?
Ground Nail = Grundnagel?

"Witwenmacher" would be the correct translation and those large nails getting rammed into the ground to keep your tent from flying away are called "Erdnagel".



Do you know what unit flies out of Jever near Wilhelmshafen? They were quite active in their Phantoms during a visit to North Germany in 04.

Jever was home of JaBoG 38 (fighter bomber wing) at this time, equipped with Panavia Tornados. But just a few klicks away lies Wittmundhafen, base of JG 71 (fighter wing) "Richthofen", still operating F-4Fs:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jagdgeschwader_71

So I think it was their Phantoms you've enjoyed...

Cheers,
Markus.

[AndyG43]

Looking forward to these Markus, having just dusted off & reinstalled my 'Legendary' F-104! I actually had to look twice at your first screenshot (the one focussing on the pilot) as I couldn't believe that it wasn't a real F-104, an amazing job on a relatively elderly FS addon!

[Volker Böhme]

Hi,

there used to be a joke about how to get a Starfighter: Just buy a some real estate and wait.

Husband, looking up from the newspaper: "I didn'e read anything about a Starfighter crash today."
Wife: "Do you think there are any left?"

Best regards,
Volker

[Wild Bill Kelso]

...there used to be a joke about how to get a Starfighter: Just buy a some real estate and wait.
Always a good one, mate! :icon_lol:
I've already posted it in the parallel thread, but I've chosen the 'vacant lot' as translated term... :bump:

Thanks for your kind words, Andy! :salute:
But after all it's the quality of the base model (and the manageability of the paint kit of course!) which is crucial for the repaint's final appearance.

Talking about sim vs. reality:
I've fiddled some more on the markings and the canopy lever:
http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/2215_9.jpg

Here's another closeup of this area:
http://www.airfighters.com/photo/50919/L/Germany-Navy/Lockheed-F-104G-Starfighter/26-78

Repainting won't be such fun without references like this...

Cheers,
Markus.

[Yossarian1943]

Here's the F-104 of the Wilhelmshafen museum. A very nice museum if you are ever in North Germany.

The livery on this one looks to be from the same unit as your screen shot Wild Bill.

Did the German pilots have a nickname (Spitzname) for the Starfighter ... Sternkaempfer perhaps?


Einmannrakete = One man rocket
Erdnagel = Earthnail
Fliegender Sarg = Flying coffin
Fallfighter = Falling Fighter
Sargfighter = Coffin fighter

[Desert Rat]

So here's the CS Starfighter in German Navy colours:

Markus,

have always loved those colours on a plane, whether it be Kreigsmarine, Royal navy of old, Indian Navy, etc. So being a proud CS manned missile owner, I'm a happy camper, looking great.

:ernae:
Jamie

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Same here, Jamie!
Even an ugly aircraft such as the Tornado does look good in these coulours - see attachment!


As written above, the German Navy's choice for replacing their Sea Hawks would have been the Buccaneer. Maybe it's time for a "what-if" repaint, depicting the Bucc in fictitious German Navy livery?
Does anyone know of blank textures or even a paint kit for the UKMil Buccaneer?

Cheers,
Markus.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Upload completed.
Enjoy!

[ian elliot]

really liking this scheme Marcus, thanks again for another masterpiece. :ernae:
have you considerd the Alpha freeware Bucc, if your considering a what if scheme, its older and dosn't have the bells and whistles of the Ukmil model, but i think its a cleaner, tidyer model, its a personnal preferance thing really:jump:
cheers ian

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Thanks, Ian! :ernae:

Of course a took a look at the quite dated Alphasim Bucc, but this one has the nasty small texture resolution of the FS02 age (512x512), not allowing too much detail.
On the other hand, its air intakes are the "rounder" ones...

We shall see!

Cheers,
Markus.

[Blackbird686]

Still waiting to hear back from Cap'n Sim Support on how to get the Legendary F-104 installed in Win 7. I have run the gauntlet with this plane, including shutting off the UAC, and running the installer with the order number as "Administrator". Soon as I can get her rolled out of storeage, we're gonna push her on over to the paint shop and spray her up with your superb German Air Force schemes, Marcus. Very Nice Work, mate.:ernae:

BB686:USA-flag:

Update. Captain Sim was very helpful in assisting me to get the Legendary F-104 back into service. There is an updated version that I downloaded and installed. The gauges in the 2D and VC seem to be a little smoother, but that's all I could see. She's in the paint shop now, getting the GAF scheme. Thanks again, Marcus for your hard work and effort.

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Glad you got it sorted out, mate and thanks for your words!

But I must insist on the fact that these two schemes do represent German Navy's aircraft! :icon_lol:
German Airforce renditions will follow up later.
Don't think a US Naval Aviator would be too glad to be confused with an USAF pilot, won't he?... :bump:

Cheers,
Markus.

[Blackbird686]

Yep... that's what I meant. lol! The German Navy.
I know the Germans probably DIDN'T use the F-104 in a carrier based role, but I'm not real sure at this point. The thought of trying to land a Starfighter on a carrier brings to mind an awfully LONG carrier. Flinging one off the end of an aircraft carrier would require one heck of a sling shot.

I have always liked the German paint schemes, I have a few F-4's with German Air Force schemes, that's what probably hung me up on the "GAF"

BB686:USA-flag:

[Wild Bill Kelso]

I know the Germans probably DIDN'T use the F-104 in a carrier based role, but I'm not real sure at this point.
They definitely didn't. They don't even have a dedicated aircraft carrier.
And though I've seen images of German Navy's Hawker Sea Hawks on carrier decks during NATO exercises, I'm quite confident no one ever tried to operate this manned missile from a carrier - may it be launching or ramming it down!

The Navy's F-104Gs were land based but fitted with a tailhook for emergency landings on arrestor-cable equipped runways.

But who needs slingshots anyway?
Rocketdyne's ZELL device (=Zero-Length-Launch) would have shot it from the deck for sure!
I took this pic some years ago at the Luftwaffen-Museum at Berlin-Gatow:

http://i603.photobucket.com/albums/tt112/wildbillkelso_berlin/Starfighter/ZELL.jpg

Cheers,
Markus.

[Blackbird686]

Yeah... strapping a rocket bottle to the Zipper would definately do the trick of getting it into the air in a short distance. I didn't think the German Navy had a carrier either but I am a bit rusty when it comes to these things sometimes. I wonder if they ever considered it. I just like the schemes you did for the Starfighter.

Thanks for the photo BTW... :salute:

Looking forward to the GAF variants.

BB686:USA-flag:

[daypharris]

Thanks for the beautiful paint job on this Zipper Markus! I couldn't resist acquiring Capt.sim's Legendary Starfighter for this one. Because MFG1 to me is quite significant for my strong interest in aircraft. The passion for aircraft got an extra nudge, due to the German navy air forces 75 anniversary, back in june 1987! This event, me and my father got the great pleasure to visit as special guests! Great airshow whit F-4 Phantoms, F-15 and F-16, Tornados, Harriers+++


3841338414

memories for life.......:jump:

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Tusen takk, venn! :wavey:

Those Norwegian fjords do give a great background for your screenies!
Haven't flown there for a while...

Cheers,
Markus.